The first lady Rosângela da Silva, also known as Janja, has returned to Brazil after a four-day stay in Paris, the capital of France, where she represented the Brazilian government at the opening of the Olympic Games. The sociologist arrived in the City of Light last Thursday, the 25th, accompanied by a team of seven advisors.
In addition to her commitments related to sports and presence at Brazilian athletes’ competitions, the first lady also took part in meetings with Brazilian ministers, mayors from cities around the world, as well as banks and financiers. Janja was chosen to represent the country after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) informed that he couldn’t attend this year’s edition.
This marked the first time in Olympic history that the Brazilian government was represented by a first lady. Janja managed to get accredited as a representative of the Brazilian government after the deadline set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for submitting the names of heads of state.
Meeting on urban finances for SDGs
During her first agenda in Paris, Janja attended the meeting of the Global Commission on Urban Finances for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), at the invitation of the mayor of the French capital, Anne Hidalgo. At the event, the first lady spoke about the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, launched by Lula a day earlier at the G20 meeting in Rio. Mayors, banks, and financiers on the topic were present at the event.
There was an expectation for her to participate in the C-40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Mayors Summit, which brings together mayors from cities worldwide to combat the climate crisis. However, the first lady’s participation was through a video message, where she discussed the eradication of hunger and poverty.
Official Dinner
On Thursday night, Janja attended a dinner at the Louvre Museum with the IOC President, Thomas Bach. The event was hosted by the Committee and the French government for the participating country delegations.
Reception by Macron and Brigitte
On Friday, the 26th, Janja attended the official reception by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the country’s first lady, Brigitte Macron. In a post on X (former Twitter), the Brazilian first lady referred to Brigitte as a “dear friend.” “I feel deeply honored to represent my husband, President Lula, at the Olympics Opening Ceremony,” she said.
Opening of the Games
From a grandstand facing the Seine River, the first lady watched the boat carrying the Brazilian delegation pass by. In a video also shared on X, Janja was among the few people without a raincoat, as a large part of the ceremony took place under the rain.
Meeting with Mayor Anne Hidalgo
Janja began her activities on Saturday, the 27th, with a meeting with the mayor of the French capital, Anne Hidalgo, to discuss the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, which she had presented a few days before at her first event.
“We also talked about democracy, the important and necessary role of women in decision-making spaces, and how misinformation and fake news are global challenges that require solutions involving everyone,” she wrote on her X profile in a post.
Durante sua estadia em Paris, a primeira-dama Janja participou de várias atividades em apoio às atletas brasileiras, como mostra o registro com fotos do encontro.
No mesmo dia, Janja marcou presença na Vila Olímpica ao lado do presidente do Comitê Olímpico Brasileiro (COB), Paulo Wanderley, e do ministro do Esporte, André Fufuca. Na ocasião, ela simbolicamente prendeu um cadeado em uma grade, seguindo a tradição francesa sobre o rio Sena, com a mensagem “muitas e muitas medalhas, Brasil”. Além disso, a primeira-dama posou para fotos com atletas das seleções femininas de handebol e futebol.
Acompanhada por Fufuca, o ministro do Turismo, Celso Sabino, o embaixador brasileiro na França, Ricardo Neiva Tavares, e o presidente da Embratur, Marcelo Freixo, Janja também visitou a Casa Brasil em Paris, o espaço do Comitê Olímpico do Brasil (COB) no evento. Lá, ela mencionou mais uma vez a Aliança Global contra a Fome e a Pobreza, nomeando Raí, ex-jogador de futebol e tetracampeão com a seleção brasileira, como “embaixador internacional” da Aliança.
No domingo, 28, Janja assistiu ao jogo da seleção brasileira feminina de futebol na companhia do ministro do Esporte e do embaixador do Brasil na França. O jogo terminou com a vitória das japonesas por 2 a 1. Em suas palavras, a primeira-dama expressou seu contentamento por ter presenciado de perto o jogo de número 200 de Marta com a camisa da seleção.
No mesmo dia, Janja acompanhou a partida da dupla brasileira de vôlei de praia, Carol Solberg e Bárbara Seixas, que venceram a dupla japonesa por 2 sets a 0.
Conforme reportagem do Estadão, durante sua jornada em Paris, a primeira-dama percorreu aproximadamente 7,7 quilômetros ao lado de uma comitiva composta por sete assessores, com diárias que variaram de R$ 6,5 mil a R$ 23,6 mil.
Ao retornar ao Brasil, Janja compartilhou uma foto em frente à Torre Eiffel, ícone da capital francesa, segurando a bandeira do Brasil e declarou que “com medalha ou sem medalha todos já são vitoriosos”, numa clara referência aos atletas brasileiros.
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