Partnership between the Government of Pará and the City Hall of Belém strengthens urban cleaning actions towards COP30
Action mobilizes 300 inmates from the prison system in the cleaning and maintenance of strategic roads in Belém, uniting social reintegration, work, and citizenship
The Government of Pará, through the State Secretariat of Penitentiary Administration (Seap), and the City Hall of Belém, via the Municipal Secretariat of Urban Maintenance and Conservation (Sezel), started on Tuesday (21) a large urban cleaning and maintenance action on various roads in the city. The initiative is part of the preparation for the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30), which will be held in November in the capital of Pará, and mobilizes 300 People Deprived of Liberty (PPLs), assisted by the Building New Stories Program.
The inmates perform services such as mowing, debris collection, and urban maintenance in 11 strategic areas of Belém, defined by Sezel, which is also responsible for providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the materials necessary for carrying out the activities.
The Deputy Secretary of Operational Management of Seap, Ringo Alex Rayol Frias, highlighted the collaborative nature of the action. “Seap participates in the program with 300 people deprived of liberty, in support of the City Hall and the municipal maintenance team, to leave the city clean and ready for the great international event we will host, COP30,” he informed.
Cleaning on strategic roads - The work fronts have already started, covering the following avenues:
* Marquês de Herval, starting at Antônio Baena;
* Visconde de Inhaúma, starting at Antônio Baena;
* Pedro Álvares Cabral, from Entroncamento to Júlio César, and continuing to Doca;
* Senador Lemos, starting at Rua Soares Carneiro towards Parque da Cidade;
* Augusto Montenegro, from Entroncamento to Tapanã, and continuing to Maracacuera;
* Independência, from Mário Covas to Augusto Montenegro;
* Centenário, from the continuation of Augusto Montenegro to Júlio César;
* Bruno Sechi, starting at Centenário;
* Arthur Bernardes, starting at the Tapanã roundabout towards Icoaraci;
* Perimetral, starting at Augusto Corrêa, and
* Bernardo Sayão, starting at the Portal da Amazônia.
Belchior Machado, director of Work and Production at Seap, accompanied the start of the activities and emphasized that the Secretariat has maintained a continuous partnership with the City Hall of Belém for several years to carry out urban cleaning services and reintegration of inmates. “We started the year with the cleaning of cemeteries, and now we are moving on to the busiest roads, in a planned manner. Prison work has been an important tool for social reintegration and the conservation of public spaces,” he emphasized.
Work and social reintegration - The 300 participating inmates have their labor rights guaranteed and also receive sentence reduction — for every three days of work, one day is deducted. “Work is one of the most effective strategies for social reintegration. When the inmate has access to work and embraces this opportunity, he demonstrates a real willingness to start over, ready for resocialization and social coexistence,” explained Belchior Machado.
In the case of inmates in semi-open regime, all participants are authorized to leave daily, engage in external labor activities — such as urban cleaning — and return to the prison unit at the end of the day. “This dynamic strengthens the process of social reintegration and represents a positive advance in the penal execution policy,” added the director.
Support from the population - The action has the approval of the residents. Retiree Antônia Leonor, 78 years old, who has lived on Avenida Marquês de Herval for over four decades, praised the work. “It’s good for them and for us, too. They are working hard, and the median strip looks beautiful now. This is an opportunity for them to change their lives,” she stated.
Among the participants is Ival Sena Dantas, 52 years old, who has been serving his sentence for 12 years and is part of the "Building New Stories" program. He said he received the news of his selection for the work with gratitude. “I thought that leaving the prison unit was to be transferred, but in fact, we came to clean our city. It was a great joy. Now we are part of this change in the face of Belém, which is becoming even more beautiful,” he said.
Ival Dantas also highlighted the symbolic and transformative value of the opportunity. “Today, the State proves that there are indeed chances for those who want to start over. I want change for my life, and this project opens a door to freedom. Now, many families will cry, but it will be tears of joy, knowing that we are having opportunities,” he concluded.
Text: Márcio Souza - Ascom/Seap
