Suzi Clementino, a partner and advisor to the ELAS Fund and a member of the Forum's Organizing Committee, gave the Forum's opening speech and took part in the panel "Comparative data, reports and preliminary results for the Truth Commission" alongside Dulce Gabiatti, Humberto Adami, chef Lindenberg, David Bispo (David's Bar) and Dida (Dida's Bar).

 

"The Forum opens doors to make visible and support projects by women who are dedicated to preserving black culture through gastronomy," says Suzi Clementino. "Initially what we intend to do is a study on African influence on gastronomy, to understand this process and what gastronomy is within this reparation, understanding reparation also as the recognition of our black participation in Brazilian and world gastronomy," says Suzi, who is a businesswoman, partner in the I Piatti restaurants, driving force behind the Botafogo Gastronomic Hub and president of the Jardim Oceânico Gastronomic Hub in Barra da Tijuca.

 

The Forum is an initiative of the National and State Truth Commissions on Black Slavery in Brazil (CNVENB/CFOAB and CEVENB/OAB-RJ). President of CEVENB, Humberto Adami - who also chairs the national commission on the subject - highlighted the expansion of the debate on the subject in the country. "The commission is in fifteen regional offices and in municipal commissions. On the 23rd we're going to launch the Campos commission, for example. Our group is looking for clues and evidence of slavery, as well as bibliography. This is the first time we've also approached reparations through the lens of gastronomy," he said.