By Laura Guido, journalism intern, under the supervision of Daniel Nardin
With the theme of the decade of the ocean and sports for marine conservation, journalist Larissa Noguchi and photojournalist and filmmaker Marcio Nagano were approved in the call for proposals by the Fundação Grupo Boticário in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In addition to Amazônia Vox, four other projects were also selected from among the more than 50 entries: Folha de São Paulo, Revista Galileu, Portal Terra and Portal Um Só Planeta, from Editora Globo.
According to the notice, with the Olympic Games and Paralympics that will take place in Paris in 2024 approaching, the program was designed to highlight how sport can support marine preservation, with sustainable practices. “The relationship between ocean conservation and the practice of water sports, nautical sports or sports directly influenced by the coastal region” was the cross-cutting theme that guided the participants in the production of their report proposals.
The proposal presented by Larissa focuses on the Atlantic Amazon, which corresponds to the region of Bragança, Ajuruteua, Salinas, Algodoal, Marudá, Curuçá and Vigia, called “Salgado Paraense”. Thus, the proposal aims to relate the role of sport in the conservation of the ocean from the Amazon. Larissa is also an amateur athlete of VA'A, a modality known as Hawaiian canoe, and has already been Brazilian and Pan-American champion.
In this sense, her connection with the waters, rivers and oceans of the Amazon is ancient. “My life is in the water, I love the ocean, the rivers. But Brazil doesn’t know the Atlantic Amazon, when we talk about the Amazon, our imagination is focused on the forest and fresh water”, highlights the journalist.
Larissa says that she saw this call for proposals as an opportunity to spread a little about what the Atlantic Amazon is, what the Amazon Ocean is, with the aim of breaking stereotypes and broadening the vision of people who have never traveled to this region. Thus, the idea of the report is to make the connection between environmental conservation on the coast and sports such as surfing, canoeing, and kitesurfing. “For me, it is very gratifying to be among well-known and relevant journalists and media outlets. And we are there with the responsibility of representing the Amazon, the Atlantic Amazon, and sports. It will be incredible, as well as impressive, for Brazil to be able to get to know the salty waters of the Amazon,” celebrates Larissa Noguchi.