Ambassador Celso Amorim (Brazil’s former foreign affairs and defense minister), UFMG President Sandra Regina Almeida and Dean for International Affairs Aziz Saliba.

Summer School students during a field trip in Belo Horizonte.

UFMG launched on July 15th, 2019 the second edition of its Summer School on Brazilian Studies (SSBS). Nearly 60 students from 15 different countries and 22 world-class universities joined UFMG for an academic and cultural experience on a comprehensive schedule on Brazilian topics.

Over the course of two weeks, participants were challenged and inspired by some of UFMG’s best teachers who shared their expertise at lectures on topics as diverse as history, geography, society and culture, including sessions on law, politics, economy and foreign policy.

International students also had language training in Portuguese as an Additional Language, and were invited to visit some of our beautiful sites on fieldtrips, including breathtaking Inhotim – the largest open-air contemporary art museum in the world – and the historical city of Ouro Preto – a truly picturesque Unesco-acclaimed World Heritage Site.

Visits to the Football Museum, at Mineirão Stadium, a walking tour to Pampulha Architectonic Complex, and some leisure time at CEU – UFMG Leisure and Sports Center – were also included in the program.

The Summer School classes took place concomitantly with many cultural events – as the UFMG Winter Festival, and Virada Cultural – so students had an overload of artistic concerts, exhibits and performances to choose from throughout the weeks.

Last but not least, we were deeply honored and thrilled to welcome to UFMG’s Pampulha campus Ambassador Celso Amorim, who gave the closing lecture for this year’s UFMG Summer School on Brazilian Studies.