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Added on the 05/02/2016 17:18:23 - Copyright : Euronews EN
Glittering in fanciful, flesh-flaunting costumes, thousands of Brazilians bouncing to sultry samba beats strut their stuff as Rio de Janeiro kicks off its famed carnival parade competition. IMAGES
Rio de Janeiro, Feb 12 (EFE).- (Camera: Carlos Moreno) A symbolic act to praise the carnival tradition of Rio de Janeiro and pay tribute to the victims of Covid-19 replaced on Friday the traditional delivery of keys to the King Momo, with which the Carnival was normally officially started, as the biggest event in Brazil was cancelled.FOOTAGE OF THE EVENT. SOUNDBITES AND TRANSLATIONS OF:Composer Tiaozinho da Mocidade, member of the Board of Directors of the Samba Museum and old glory of the Mocidade Independiente samba school. "Carnival is a celebration of joy and happiness, but it is also a producer of employment for many families in Brazil and Rio de Janeiro." "We, in addition to having fun, because it seems like it's just a party, but no, also generate a lot of employment. Many people depend on carnival for their day to day, to live, to eat. It really is a job. Besides being something joyful, joy also generates wealth for the country and for people."Cultural producer Geisa Ketti, daughter of the late composer Zé Ketti: "Our voice practically does not resonate. It resonates but to dance and generate happiness. But our sadness, our pain, our needs, our demands are not heard and are not appropriate to public policies for culture.""As for the pandemic, we are suffering a lot because our government was denialist until now. We could have had a carnival if we had assumed the responsibility of vaccinating, of buying vaccines from China. They only started now, unfortunately, everything was delayed. Even our joy."
Thousands of dancers from Rio de Janeiro's elite samba schools roll out their traditional parades of feathers and sequins -- combined with a large dose of social and political commentary -- as the main business of the giant annual Carnival gets under way. IMAGES
If you happen to be flying over Italy's Verona region, you might see a giant work of art in honor of the Rio Olympics from the sky. "Land artist" Dario Gambarin paid tribute to the upcoming Olympics in Rio on Tuesday, by carving a huge earth mural in a field that stretches for nearly 600 feet. The artwork depicts Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue holding five Olympic rings just in time for the Rio Olympics opening ceremony on August 6.
The famous Brazilian carnival kicks off while there is huge outbreak of Zika virus in the country and across the continent.
Dancers, drummers and revellers fill Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome for technical rehearsals ahead of Carnival. Rough Cut - Subtitled (no reporter narration).