BNDES and UFPA establish partnership to create the BNDES House at COP30 in Belém.
A space within the Mercedários architectural complex will host events during the 2025 climate conference, with investments in restoration and culture.
247 - The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) and the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) announced, this Wednesday (12), in Belém, a partnership for the creation of Casa BNDES during the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30), which will take place in the capital of Pará between November 10 and 21, 2025. The space will operate in the Mercedários architectural complex, which is undergoing restoration and maintenance works with a non-refundable investment of R$ 36,3 million from BNDES, through the Federal Law for Cultural Incentive. The initiative aims to strengthen the bank's presence at the global event, as well as contribute to the preservation of local historical heritage.
The formalization of the cooperation was signed by the socio-environmental director and interim president of BNDES, Tereza Campello, and by the rector of UFPA, Gilmar Pereira da Silva. The event was attended by local authorities, representatives of cultural institutions, and members of the academic community. After the ceremony, the guests participated in a guided tour of the ongoing works at Mercedários UFPA, one of the most important colonial architectural complexes in the Amazon, originally built in 1640 and rebuilt in 1748.
Tereza Campello highlighted the importance of investing in historical heritage as a priority for BNDES. “Investing in the restoration of historical heritage is a bold decision that makes us very proud. BNDES is one of the major financiers of national heritage. I am certain that we are on the right track. Brazil has a very rich and important historical heritage, many of these structures are at risk, and by making these investments, we are anticipating and preventing other tragedies, such as that of the National Museum,” she stated.
The Mercedários UFPA, located in the historic center of Belém, is a strategic space that will house, in addition to the BNDES House during COP30, the new UFPA Art Gallery (GAU), a bookstore of the UFPA Publishing House, the Museum of Cultural Heritage Sciences, a teaching project of the UFPA School of Music, and an auditorium with a capacity for 175 people. The restoration project, which has a total budget of R$ 46 million, is coordinated by the UFPA Conservation, Restoration and Rehabilitation Laboratory (Lacore/UFPA) and has the support of the Vale Cultural Institute and the Foundation for Support and Development of Research (Fadesp).
The rector of UFPA, Gilmar Pereira da Silva, emphasized the importance of the Mercedários building as a space for the conservation of Pará's cultural heritage and for integration with the community. “Here, we develop academic, scientific, and outreach activities. The restoration project of this space, which is well underway thanks to the support of many partners, including BNDES, is a source of great joy for UFPA, as it ensures the consolidation of this place as a space for celebrating our history,” he stated.
The architectural complex under restoration includes the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, owned by the Archdiocese of Belém, and the former Mercedarian Convent, now belonging to the Union and administered by UFPA (Federal University of Pará). The works are expected to be completed by June 2027, focusing on the restoration of the church and its integrated assets. For COP30 (Council of Economics, Administration and Accountability of the 2020 World Economic Forum), the completion of the restoration of part of the complex and the exterior painting is planned, consolidating the Mercedarian Convent as a symbol of historical and cultural preservation in the Amazon.