Brazil - Recent

The recipient of Chinese Government Friendship Award Evandro Menezes de Carvalho from Brazil, widely known by his Chinese name Gao Wenyong, expressed his lifelong commitment to understanding China and fostering friendship between China and Brazil.

The Brazilian scholar on China shared his personal journey with China in a video message for a cultural event titled "Written in the Sky: My China Story," which was launched by China Media Group in March 2024.

About 11 years ago in 2013, Carvalho came to Shanghai to work as a Senior Scholar at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and a visiting professor at Center for BRICS Studies of Fudan University.

During his three years living in China, Carvalho not only conducted in-depth research on BRICS-related topics, but also extensively read Chinese literature, studied the Chinese language, and immersed himself in Chinese culture.

After returning to Brazil in 2016, Carvalho continued his research on China and actively participated in various China-Brazil exchange activities.

As the coordinator for Brazil, he played a key role in organizing the BRICS Seminar on Governance in 2019, one of the main sideline events of the 11th BRICS Summit held in Brasilia.

He has also been instrumental in orchestrating numerous cultural exchange events, including the China-Brazil Forum on Civilizational Exchange and Mutual Learning.

In September of this year, he facilitated the First China-Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) States Roundtable on Human Rights in Brazil, marking the first institutional exchange addressing human rights issues between China and countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.

Carvalho's contributions to cultural exchanges between China and Brazil has been widely recognized by both countries.

At the beginning of this year, he received the 2023 Chinese Government Friendship Award, the highest honor to commend foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive, ahead of China's Lunar New Year.

Carvalho stated that he will remain true to his original aspiration and continue to study Chinese culture and philosophy. He aims to encourage more Brazilians to understand, recognize, and appreciate China. As he tells his Brazilian students, he has chosen to dedicate his life to this mission.

Shotlist:
Brazil - Recent:
1. Various of photos showing Evandro Menezes De Carvalho, recipient of Chinese Government Friendship Award, teaching in China; visiting China;
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Evandro Menezes De Carvalho, recipient, Chinese Government Friendship Award (partially overlaid with shot 3):
"[I] always say that in China I feel that I am a student. It's a country very complex with a long history. I went to China completely from zero and I think this was very important because I built my perceptions, point of view, my experience together with my Chinese friends that I met during this time.";
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3. Various of photos showing Carvalho in China;
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4. Various of photos showing Carvalho in China; participating in symposium;
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Evandro Menezes De Carvalho, recipient, Chinese Government Friendship Award (ending with shot 6):
"I also had a very important award in the beginning of 2023, I received a medal given by the Parliamentary Fronts from the Brazilian National Congress, Parliamentary Fronts on China-Brazil relations.";
6. Medal, certificate given by Parliamentary Fronts of Brazilian National Congress to Carvalho on his contributions to China-Brazil relations;
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Evandro Menezes De Carvalho, recipient, Chinese Government Friendship Award (partially overlaid with shot 8):
"And in 2024 this year, something really meaningful to me, that moved me a lot happened at the end of the Year of the Rabbit. I was completely astonished with this, because this is the hugest award given by the Chinese government to foreigners. I feel that I have a lot of things to do. [On the way to] the National People's Congress, I was together with my wife, and I told her every second and minute here for me, I see a movie. In silence, I started to give thanks to many people, many friends. I knew that I was there because of them, as if I was shaking his/her hand one by one. I always remember, one by one. I was still moved a little bit because I owe them. It's not because of my personal effort [that I was given the award].";
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8. Certificate of Chinese Government Friendship Award;
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9. Carvalho holding medal of Chinese Government Friendship Award;
10. Carvalho writing "Remain true to original aspiration" in Chinese;
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Evandro Menezes De Carvalho, recipient, Chinese Government Friendship Award (starting with shot 10/ending with shots 12-13):
"When we decided to marry, I told her (my wife), 'you know that I am married with China first, right?' So it's important to know this because my life is well connected with China. As I mentioned to my students, it was a life's choice.";
12. Carvalho writing "Remain true to original aspiration" in Chinese;
13. Carvalho holding his calligraphy.

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