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For a city as high on modern architecture as São Paulo, its newly found generosity of spirit towards its contrasting favela-studded landscape is a precious thing. The administration seems to be more accepting of the city’s diverse urban texture than ever before. It is now loosening policies to allow existing favelas to upgrade themselves and become well-integrated parts of the city.

São Paulo has experimented with years of diverse approaches to ‘tackle’ these neighbourhoods. These have included encouraging migrants to go ‘back home’ or relocating them in social housing projects. Today, of its officially estimated three million favela residents, the administration focuses on relocating only those who live in high risk zones. Local actors continue building and improving their houses, while the prefecture retrofits water systems and other civic infrastructure.

Such a shift may be strategic, shrewd or contingent on electoral cycles. However, in a world with little patience for alternative forms of urban settlement – where everyone is in a hurry to redevelop according to the global standards of the day - such a reprieve is itself revolutionary. Especially when it is combined with the strengthening of local governance and emergent economic practices such as local currencies. ...

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On that January morning I woke up, got into my car and once again drove to the Eastern part of the city.

It was a sunny Saturday morning and the traffic was calm. So, I decided to go back in time and make an evaluation of the last years of this journey.

Many images started to be processed forming part of a history, and even before this film could reach an end, I arrived in São Francisco.

Near Rio Claro field, I saw many food stalls, handcrafts and a big stage from which we would be listening to good Brazilian pop songs later on.

Everything was well organized. Even the children were in their new uniform waiting for the soccer game.

At Promorar Rio Claro, Posagre was ready for SP Calling opening ceremony.

A large group of people was looking forward to the lectures and statements in order to exchange knowledge and experience.

Some discussion panels had the participation of leaderships of the respective areas, experts and guests.

Suddenly a community leader used the opportunity to talk about the transformation San Francisco has being going through in the last 30 years. According ...

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