Publicity
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AMDAOur History The beginning It all began in 1978, end of Geisel's government. At a moment in which Brazil lived under the military regime, with strong restrictions to individual freedom, a group of economic and biological sciences students from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) (Federal University of Minas Gerais) began to meet in order to discuss an issue the majority of society was not interested in yet: environment. Then AMDA was born. Confrontation has marked the initial phase of activities of AMDA because ambientalists were seen as romantics and eccentrics or as progress enemies. AMDA's headquarters has been "visited" by Federal Police, searching for pamphlets against government. At that time, industries' chimneys were still seen only as a synonym of progress and ambientalists daring to contest the pollution generated by them (and also by other degrading sources) were called radicals. Initially and considering the context, AMDA and other ambientalist movements had to radicalize in their opinions and actions to oppose to, with the same intensity, the business sector that only valued profits, without interest in environmental preservation and rational use of natural resources. In a second phase of its existence, AMDA left the dichotomic and manichaeistic position that prevailed in the movement and that charged all environmental problems to the productive sector. It begins to identify the negative role of action or omission from the public sector and the historical-cultural roots of degradation in individuals' behavior. Since then, there has been a slow and gradual approximation with the business sector by means of dialogue and joint work in common interest areas. Polluters had to incorporate environmental considerations in their activities development, once newly implemented laws and society organized in environmentalist movements demanded this change. Difficulties Difficulties to act were in a great number, mainly because of the low economical power of the institution, which is non-profit and survives with associates' contributions. Unfortunately, it is still incipient the habit of contributing to social causes in Brazilian society. For example, it was not from the beginning that AMDA had headquarters where the frequent meetings among its activists could take place. Nevertheless, neither economical difficulties, nor repression organisms vigilance were able to stop the idealism. Remarkable facts
Many times AMDA's history mixes with the environmentalist movement history in Minas and vice-versa. The institution has taken part in the most important moments, making denunciations and claims. It also acted in the environmental policy path, promoting demonstrations, debates and meetings, which made up our day-to-day effort. It is impossible to cite all works done because many facts have been lost in memory, without registrations. However, some points are crucial in the institution's history and deserve to be remembered and registered. Know, in chronological order, the most remarkable facts of the environmentalist movement, with direct or indirect participation of AMDA. |
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