Belém is a city built around water — river breezes, sudden rain, and streets that stay in motion. In the days around the Global Citizen Festival: Amazonia, logistics teams and crews were working on a practical question: how to run a major event with environmental considerations in mind?
Banco do Brasil supported the festival as part of its publicly stated sustainability agenda, including renewable energy financing, lower-emissions agriculture, and initiatives to expand access to digital and financial services.
The festival mixed performances with public programming about the Amazon and the communities who live there. Through the Protect the Amazon campaign connected to the event, over US$1 billion was reported as mobilized to support initiatives involving Indigenous, Quilombola, riverine, and urban communities, including those facing impacts related to climate change.
Sustainability Measures: Event Design and Operations
Global Citizen organized the festival, with Banco do Brasil as a partner. The event relied on batteries, biofuels, and solar energy sourced from the Mangueirão stadium roof. Emissions associated with the festival were offset by Comerc Energia and Future Climate.
Some choices were technical; others were cultural. Stage construction incorporated bamboo, along with organic cotton and native tropical plants that were returned to the environment after the festival.
“For us, bamboo represents Oya, a powerful Afro-Brazilian goddess of winds and storms. It symbolizes strength, flexibility, and connection to nature's fierceness,” explains Vanuza do Abacatal, who was one of the speakers of the unique evening.
Waste minimization, sourcing decisions, and returning natural materials to local ecosystems were part of the event’s design.
Who Was There, and Why It Mattered
This festival was built to feel local — because the Amazon is not an idea, it is home. Tickets were reserved for Pará residents, keeping the stadium rooted in the people of Belém and the wider region.
The evening opened with singer Viviane Batidão, specially invited by Banco do Brasil to inaugurate the Global Citizen stage.
One of tecnomelody’s standout voices, Batidão blends electronic production with brega and Pará’s regional rhythms, an unmistakable sound that has made her one of the Amazon’s most popular artists. In recent months, she has also broken through nationally, earning widespread recognition well beyond the region.
Beyond the performances, attendees could take part in volunteering initiatives connected to environmental activities, extending the night beyond the stage and into everyday life.
Global Citizen worked with Indigenous and other community organizations to make sure participation included community-based groups and people who are often left out of large public events. The goal was simple: a moment this visible should reflect the region it speaks about.
After COP30, the meaning of nights like this comes down to what carries forward — whether projects continue, whether financing follows, and whether local priorities remain visible once the lights go down.
“We have been one of the biggest sponsors of culture in Brazil for over 30 years. The festival also highlights the culture of the Amazon region, reinforcing our brand positioning in a solid way, in line with our mission and values,” says Paula Sayão, head of marketing and communications at Banco do Brasil.
Now that COP30 has concluded, what matters next is delivery: turning commitments into funded programs, measurable implementation, and lasting outcomes for Amazon and the people who live there.