The Ceremony for the National Fiscal Education Award was marked by the respect for the public good and for Brazil

Brasilia, Brazil – The night of November 20th was unforgettable. Brazilians committed to building a better country were gathered in the auditorium of the Federal Council of the Order of Lawyers of Brazil (OAB). It was time to bestow the National Fiscal Education Award.

In the front row there were children, teachers, journalists, Internal Revenue civil servants, politicians, musicians… No distinction between them. Actually, there were some differences. The stars were the representatives of the 10 projects chosen as the best of Fiscal Education in 2012, among more than 200 entries, from 21 States of the Federation. After arduous selection, on-site evaluation, and long meetings, the winners would be known.

With smiling, but also tense, faces, everyone certainly shared one sentiment: being there was already a great achievement. The projects came from Elementary Schools, High Schools, Universities, NGOs and City Halls. Multiple and heterogeneous, but with the same goal: to use education as a tool to raise awareness of the real value of taxation. Tax funds and saves, and, therefore, has to be accompanied from the hatchery to its final destination. Among children and adolescents, there has to be planted the certainty that there is the possibility to question and understand taxes in a simple, strong, rightful and passionate way.

Among the most excited of the night, the president of FEBRAFITE, Roberto Kupski, could not stand still. He welcomed all with the satisfaction brought by the job well done. In his speech, he thanked the sponsors, Mapfre Insurances and Vip’s Insurances; the supporters, School of Finance Administration (ESAF) and the National Program for Fiscal Education (PNEF); all of the associations that constitute FEBRAFITE; State Treasury unions, and other supporters, such as OAB, Globo Network, ENCAT, CREDSEF, COOPFISCO and Congress in Focus. It is not possible to get far alone.

Then, Kupski spoke about the redemption of the social function and about the need to disseminate information about which are the taxes, which public policies are financed by them, how are they collected and applied, and how its allocation is enforced. “Schools are a privileged space for the dissemination of knowledge and of values, thus they are the ideal place to discuss issues linked in a visceral form: Fiscal Education and the Rights of Children and Adolescents” he said enthusiastically.

Congressmen

The chairwoman of the Senate’s Education Committee, Senator Ana Amelia Lemos (PP-RS), spoke about the responsibility of the media. “I was happy to see Adriana Mota here, representing Globo Network. I am also a communicator and we have a great responsibility to help promote educational initiatives. Especially one as successful as this” she noted.

Congressman Joao Eduardo Dado (PDT-SP) also spoke about the importance of the Award. “As a colleague of the Treasury and a member of the Judging Committee that evaluated the projects, I know that we took a rightful step towards improving awareness of the rights and duties of citizens through this action from FEBRAFITE,” he said.

OAB and Public Ministry

With a smile that would not leave him, the chairman of the Order of Lawyers of Brazil (OAB), Ophir Cavalcante, while speaking and assisting in the delivery of one of the awards, emphasized the value of education for any social achievement. “This is a slow process and we are a democracy that matures every day, and our institutions are becoming stronger. We need education and incentives such as this prize to develop” he pondered.

Touched was also the chairman of the National Association of Public Ministry Civil Servants (CONAMP), Cesar Mattar Jr. “The Public Ministry fights corruption. We fight against the effects of corruption and we have to support initiatives that fight against its causes. Education is the best way to do it. In this sense, we share this moment of happiness and congratulate the organization and its president, Roberto Kupski, for the initiative” he celebrated.

First place

The first place trophy, as well as prize money (R$ 15,000), were awarded to the Project Municipal Fiscal Education Program of Santa Maria (RS), represented by the coordinators Rosaura de Fatima Oliveira, Helaine Rosa Simon and Rozania Rosa. The biggest winner of the night is carrying out a project that mobilizes schools headmasters, teachers, students and community, sensitizing and informing with courses, lectures and workshops. It is a project that brings together students from kindergarten to universities, annually involving more than 1,200 teachers and 16,000 students. The educational activities are developed in 51 of the 54 municipal schools. Students are the main agents for dissemination. In addition, the project also operates in 35 neighboring municipalities and started 10 years ago. In 2012, 95 events were held in order to spread the fiscal education issue. A website was launched and was already accessed by 504 Brazilian cities. The Municipal Fiscal Education Program of Santa Maria also promotes events such as the Festival Cid Cool Sing and Dance, Fiscal Education Standing in the Spotlight, Tax Education for Citizenship, among others. “Everything necessary to spread knowledge about public administration, socioeconomic functions of taxation, public resource monitoring and supervision of activities of public officials,” said Rosaura de Fatima Oliveira.

Second and third places

The Project Ethically Responsible Society (SER), developed by the Social Observatory of Maringa (PR), represented by University Professor Manoel Quaresma Xavier, took the second place in the evening. The initiative serves as a fomenter of culture change, directly spreading the message of the social and economic importance of taxes and the need for their proper application, as a mean of financing public policies. Thus, develops activities such as writing contests, plays, music and poetry.

The third place went to the Project Fiscal Education: Citizenship Exercise, developed by the Yara Ferraz Gaia State Elementary School of Montenegro (RS). Represented by the coordinator, Maria Giane Campiol Rosa, the initiative brings the fiscal education issue to the classroom through activities that develop citizen awareness in a playful and enjoyable way, involving the entire community, with civic parades, walks, educational inspection, theater plays, lectures, interviews, surveys and contests, among other activities.

In addition to the top finishers, the FEBRAFITE’s board of directors also awarded with the Certificate of Honorable Mention the Para de Minas City Hall (MG) and the Manaus City Hall (AM).

Top 10 projects of the 2012 awards edition:

• Project Municipal Fiscal Education Program of Santa Maria, from Santa Maria City Hall (RS) – The project stimulates the community around the school with courses, lectures and workshops, sensitizing people to the social and economical function of taxation.
• Project Ethically Responsible Society, from the Social Observatory of Maringa (PR) – Through theatrical plays, music, poetry and contests, this project searches for new ideas and solutions to the social importance of taxation.
• Project Fiscal Education: Citizenship Exercise, from the Yara Ferraz Gaia State Elementary School of Montenegro (RS) – Fiscal education is developed linking all the school community through playful and enjoyable activities.
• Project Municipal Taxes Guide, from Caruaru City Hall (PE) – In this project, explanations about every municipal taxes are given in a guide, written in a simplified and easy-to-understand language.
• Project My School is the Best, from the Municipal Education Secretary of Manaus (AM) – This project aims the reduction of the scholar public good depredation by spreading the knowledge that the public good comes from taxpaying.
• Project Sustainability in Kindergarten, from the Little Sunflower Municipal Kindergarten, in Para de Minas (MG) – This project instigates children to think about money choices and about the culture of waste and indebtedness.
• Project Fiscal Education and Social Integrity: A Partnership towards Development, from the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Pantanal Campus, in Corumba (MS) – This project develops the importance of exercising citizenship and of the role of taxation in our society.
• Project Social Responsibility and Fiscal Consciousness: An Essential Binomial to Citizenship, from Theolina de Muryllo Zacas High School, in Bela Cruz (CE) – The Project has made data collection and research for several moments of reflection with the whole school community.
• Project Dramatizing The Citizenship Through Theatre, Music and Poetry, from the State University of Maringa (PR) – Through the play “The Treasury High Ship” and the musical “Music, Poetry and Citizenship” the project sensitizes citizens about taxation and citizenship.
• Sun Project – Legal Citizen, from Frei Ambrosio State Elementary and High School, in Santarem (PA) – The Project uses the play “The Treasury High Ship” and “The Thief Who Wanted to be Arrested” to increase citizens awareness of taxes.

Roberto Kupski, president of the Brazilian Federation of Associations of State Taxes Authorities (FEBRAFITE).

From left to right: awards winners: Santa Maria City Hall (in orange, 10th place); Social Observatory of Maringa (PR, in the middle); and Yara Ferraz Gaia State Elementary School of Montenegro (RS).