Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been invited by the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, to participate in an expanded meeting of the G-8 between July 15 and 17 in Saint Petersburg.
In a letter inviting Lula to the meeting, Putin explained that the topics of discussion at the July G-8 meeting would be international energy security, the fight against infectious diseases and education.
Putin, who is the acting president of the G-8, declared that Russia is interested in the participation of other great nations in the discussion of global problems.
According to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, Lula has not decided if he will attend the G-8 meeting, but is considering the invitation with attention and interest.
Brazil and England and Creativity
Brazil’s Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, and the deputy minister of Foreign Relations of the United Kingdom, David Triesman, met in London on Tuesday, April 4. to discuss the establishment of an International Center for the Creative Economy. Among other things, the center would provide scholarships for studies in the area of the economics of creativity.
According to Ministry of Culture spokespersons, the creative industry produces goods and services based on texts, symbols and images. It is a unique area where creative talent goes hand in hand with advanced cutting edge technology. Its principal areas of activity are music, audio-visual (films and TV), software, videogames, publications and radio broadcasting.
The World Bank says that fully 7% of world GDP comes from the creative sector, and that it is a growth sector that should increase its share to 10% of world GDP within a few years.
ABr