Attorney General launches the Month of Racial Literacy and hopes to institutionalize the anti-racist culture in the State
The bill authored by the Attorney General's Office (PGE) was unanimously approved by the Alepa on the morning of this Tuesday (26). It now goes to the governor Helder Barbalho for sanction.
The Attorney General's Office (PGE) launched August as the Month of Racial Literacy on the morning of this Tuesday (26), during an event held at the institution's headquarters in Belém. The meeting was attended by authorities and signatories involved in the Interinstitutional Pact for Racial Equity, coordinated by the State Court of Accounts (TCE-PA), as well as representatives from the public power and the general community.
“Our goal is to promote reflection and strengthen racial equality policies within the scope of state public administration, as well as the debate on building a fairer society. Therefore, starting this year, the month of August will be the Month of Racial Literacy. It is important because it will become a permanent policy, and during this month, state public agencies will necessarily carry out actions, meetings, lectures, courses, and workshops specifically focused on the issue of racial literacy. We want people to understand the deep roots of racism and how it should be combated in everyday life, whether through words, gestures, or by being able to read the inhospitable reality that is racism,” explained the State Attorney, Ibraim Rocha, a member of the PGE Diversity and Equity Committee.
The program started at 10 a.m. in the PGE auditorium and was offered in a hybrid format. The PGE received over 100 registrations for the event.
“I consider this event extremely essential because, to talk about racial equity, everything starts with awareness. We need to generate education, generate this awareness. For the creation of this awareness, it is essential that actions are disseminated in favor of this change. What was presented here today was the need to include this theme, even in the curriculum matrix, and to develop other important actions, such as funding for racial equity policies. They are essential because nothing can be achieved without adequate funding. So this needs to be included in the PPA, in the LDO, in the LOA, so that programs aimed at equity have the appropriate funding to generate the results we all expect,” reinforced substitute councilor Milene Dias da Cunha, secretary-general of the Association of Members of Courts of Accounts (Atricon) and president of the National Association of Ministers and Substitute Councilors of Courts of Accounts (Audicon).
Approved bill – The Month of Racial Literacy was proposed by the Attorney General's Office through Bill No. 457/2025, aimed at encouraging the ongoing formation of a critical culture regarding racial issues and combating structural racism. The bill was voted on in the State Legislative Assembly (Alepa) and unanimously approved on the morning of this Tuesday (26). It now goes to the governor Helder Barbalho for sanction and publication in the State Official Gazette (DOE) to then become law.
The project was proposed by the PGE after the institution's adherence, in January of this year, to the Interinstitutional Pact for Racial Equity, coordinated by the State Court of Accounts (TCE-PA) to promote actions that foster equity in Pará through collaboration among participating institutions. The TCE launched the initiative as part of its commitment to social responsibility and the promotion of human rights.
“This initiative, which originated at the TCE, arose from listening to society, as the Court also has its role in social control. The capillarity takes us to various places, especially in schools, in associations, to make this listening. Envisioning this social demand for racial equity, we developed this project precisely because public policy always meets a social need. Therefore, our goal is to institutionally dismantle racism and also to implement and legitimize racial equity in our state. Some institutions are already adhering to the pact, including the PGE. This is the great foundation of the pact, the network work, which is the best way to work in organizations today. We currently have more than 50 signatory institutions to the pact. The PGE was one of the first to sign,” explained Maria do Carmo Gomes, director of the TCE-PA School of Accounts.
According to the bill, during the Month of Racial Literacy, integrated actions will be carried out in state public administration bodies and entities, aimed at developing critical awareness about racial issues; teaching individuals to identify and name racism in its various forms; disseminating information about the role of race in society, social relations, and public policies; deconstructing stereotypes and prejudices regarding racism, valuing ethnic-racial diversity, and promoting racial equity in state administration bodies and entities.
“We hope that by next week, at the latest, this bill will already be law, effectively becoming a state policy. It is not this law that will overcome historical problems and ensure that the Pará society is racially literate, but as a result of our work and the PGE Diversity and Equity Committee, we have a series of ongoing initiatives aimed at seeking racial equity and addressing historical demands in this regard. This is how we build societal advancements with much effort and collective work,” concluded Ricardo Sefer, State Attorney General.
