Letter signed by Paulo Freire

Brazilian educator and philosopher Paulo Freire asks Magdala for her opinion on a new Magazine.

• Letter from Paulo Freire to Magdala.
• One page, paper with Diners Magazine header.
• In Portuguese.
• 21.5 cm x 28.5 cm.
• No date or location.
• Good condition, letter folded in three.
• Unique piece.

Dear Magdala,

Below is a preview of DINERS Magazine, which will be on newsstands in September. Among others, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Paulo Mendes Campos, João Gilberto, Lauro de Oliveira Lima, DH Lawrence, Franklin de Olveira, Antônio Callado and myself collaborate. The magazine aims to be made for people like you. Opine.

Paulo Freire.

Dividing opinions in Brazil between critics and defenders of his pedagogical approach, Paulo Freire (1921 - 1997) was a Brazilian educator internationally recognized for his innovative and influential work in the area of ​​education. He is considered one of the great thinkers of contemporary pedagogy. From the Northeast and from Pernambuco, Freire experienced poverty and hunger as a child, at a time when more than 50% of the adult population did not know how to read or write, depriving themselves of "reading the world" and the right to vote. His life experience inspired the creation of "Pedagogy of the Oppressed", a book released in 1968, which became a global reference in the area of ​​Education.

He tested his method successfully for the first time in 1963 in Rio Grande do Norte, which led President João Goulart to create a national literacy plan. However, the military, about to take power, saw the literacy program as a threat, accusing Paulo Freire of communism. He was initially arrested and then exiled, spending 16 years banished from Brazil. However, during this period abroad, he continued his work giving lectures at the largest North American universities, participating in events in Europe and contributing to projects in Africa, among others.

In 1980, Paulo Freire returned to Brazil, a country in which he is - in my opinion, as a Brazilianized Frenchman - one of the great humanist figures, alongside the Emperor Dom Pedro, the environmentalist Chico Mendes, the religious Sister Dulce and many others.

Do you know the magazines ' Isto É ', ' Veja ' and ' Época '? "Diners" was one of those great publications of the Brazilian intellectual elite from 1962 onwards. Its editorial team was made up of talented individuals, among whom Paulo Freire was invited to collaborate occasionally from 1967 onwards, but for a short time, as at the end of 1968 the dictatorship's arrests began.

But who is Magdala, the recipient of this letter? I'm not sure, but it could be the affectionate nickname that Freire gave to Madalena, his eldest daughter and one of the main defenders of the legacy of the patron of Brazilian education. Born in 1946, she was around 20 years old at the time of the letter, which could make sense.

I liked this letter. It portrays a great Brazilian figure, controversial like all visionaries, humanist, humble, impactful and whose legacy honors Brazil abroad. The content is also interesting, mentioning the launch of one of the emblematic magazines of the time, when Rio de Janeiro was already the cultural center of Brazil. Furthermore, he mentions great names such as Carlos Drummond de Andrade or João Gilberto. Also interesting is the fact that Freire writes “the magazine intends to be aimed at people like you. Opine”, which testifies to the charisma of its author.