Good Deeds Day is Always a Hit in Brazil

Good Deeds Day or Dias as Boas Acoes, as it is called in Brazil, is always a huge hit. Every year there are large events in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro where people do good deeds, learn about social causes and engage in the country’s rich culture of volunteering and helping others.

Brazil is one of the 108 countries that participate in this pinnacle event in the volunteering world where millions of people around the globe all do good deeds to help others in their community on the same day. Founded in 2007 by businesswoman and philanthropist Shari Arison, Good Deeds Day (will be held this year on April 11, 2021) started in just one country and grew to be the largest volunteering event in the world.

The events were shaping up to be another banner year in 2020 when the pandemic hit, said Beatriz Carvalho, the coordinator of institutional area and social project manager of Associação Atados, an NGO that partners with Good Deeds Day. Due to the restrictions on social gatherings, the international day of doing good was postponed to a later date.

Carvalho said that the NGO receives government funding that must be used in the same calendar year so December 5 was chosen because it is International Volunteer Day. But with the coronavirus still raging, the large events went virtual. This turned out to be very positive because it allowed people from all over the country to participate and “be in more spaces” than in previous years.

The social causes that were introduced in 2020 involved women’s empowerment, education, and diversity. And the way to get people involved was through music and art. The artistic project, Coletivo Dente de Leoa – LiteraRep involved young Brazilians who live in the periphery.

There were two virtual musical attractions, Samba de Dandara which is a samba circle did an amazing performance and Sarau das Pretas held a soiree led by five black peripheral women. Over 250,000 people watched these inspiring performances.

There were two virtual conversation circles, the first discussion was about education that included representatives from NGOs and schools. The second circle discussed diversity during the pandemic.

“We also invited some NGOs that were combating the effects of coronavirus in peripheral territories during 2020 [for them to] invite people to participate in the Social Week (the next week), and we produced a good deeds guide to inspire people [to do good],” said Carvalho.

Social Week involved people volunteering – safely – with the NGOs that partner with Associação Atados and included tree planting, garbage sorting, organizing a bazaar , and online gym classes for seniors. There were 66 activities in 21 cities all over Brazil, with 822 people participating.

This year promises to be even better because there will be events throughout the month of April. The social theme is the rise of hunger in the context of the pandemic and there will be a month-long food collection campaign. There is no doubt that Brazilians will open their hands and hearts on Good Deeds Day and throughout the month..

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Good Deeds Day, an annual global day of doing good, is the pinnacle of doing good year-round. Initiated in 2007 by business woman and philanthropist Shari Arison, Good Deeds Day has grown to 108 countries with millions of participants.  Good Deeds Day 2021 is on April 11.