Vice-Rector of UFSC Participates in Mission to Mexico Addressing Racial and Gender Inequality
Joana Célia dos Passos, Vice-Rector of UFSC, at the opening conference of the XVI Afroindoamérica Colloquium.
From 26 November to 6 December 2025, Joana Célia dos Passos, professor and Vice-Rector at Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), embarked on a mission to Mexico City. The mission, linked to the UNESCO Chair on Education towards Racial Equality project, was supported by the Abdias Nascimento Academic Development Program, funded by the Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes). The mission’s primary objective, according to Professor dos Passos, was to “strengthen and internationalize research and graduate programs through student and faculty mobility, fostering an academic exchange that builds inclusive and diverse knowledge.”
The Abdias Nascimento Academic Development Program, as outlined in Capes Call no. 16, “is intended to educate and train students who self-identify as black, mixed race, and indigenous, as well as students with disabilities, global developmental delay, and high abilities, in universities, professional and technological education institutions, and research centers of excellence in Brazil and abroad.”
During the mission, Professor dos Passos was dedicated to carrying out academic activities focused on addressing racial and gender inequalities in Latin America. Her efforts aimed not only at fostering interinstitutional relations between UFSC and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), but also at advancing knowledge in the areas central to the project. Notably, she met with officials from UNAM’s School of Philosophy and Literature and the University Program for Cultural Diversity and Interculturality (PUIC).
A highlight of her mission was her participation in the XVI International Afroindoamérica Colloquium 2024, hosted by the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), where she delivered the opening lecture on Academic Culture, Racism, and Diversity. During the event, she was honored by the Red Global Antirracista with a certificate recognizing her commitment to Afro-descendant communities, underscoring the positive impact of her work on racial equality.
Political and Academic Engagement
The mission also featured key political and academic interactions. On 29 November, Professor dos Passos participated in the International Conference on the Conceptual Platform for Global Transformation, hosted at the Mexican Senate. This conference aligned with her research on Political Participation and Combating Gender and Racial Violence in Latin America and the Caribbean. Deepening discussions on gender and racial policies is essential to increasing the representation of women, Black people, Indigenous people, and LGBTQIA+ communities in Latin American political spaces.
Professor dos Passos also conducted interviews with Mexican senators Beatriz Mójica Morga and Edith López Hernández, as well as with activists and researchers, to discuss affirmative action policies for the Afro-Mexican and LGBTQIA+ populations. These conversations were crucial in aligning efforts to tackle racism and gender inequality.
As part of the mission, UFSC graduate students who are completing part of their studies at UNAM presented comparative studies on Brazil and Mexico, promoting academic collaboration and knowledge exchange. The event, held on 2 December at the PUIC/UNAM Arturo Warman Auditorium, further strengthened the academic ties between the institutions.
The mission culminated in discussions with academic leaders in the humanities at UNAM and UAM, aimed at forging strategic partnerships and expanding the reach of the project, enhancing collaboration between Brazilian and Mexican institutions.
Professor de Passos’ mission not only reinforced UFSC’s institutional ties with UNAM but also marked a significant step in the ongoing fight for racial and gender equality. UNAM, one of Latin America’s oldest and most prestigious universities, shares a commitment to inclusion and diversity, creating an academic environment that values the region’s diverse cultures and ethnicities.
With more than 300,000 new students enrolling each year, UNAM bears a significant responsibility in tackling contemporary challenges and seeking solutions to the social inequalities that persist in society. The collaboration between UFSC and UNAM exemplifies how academic exchange contributes to building a more just and inclusive world, where marginalized voices are heard and respected.
This article was written by Rosiani Bion de Almeida | imprensa.gr@contato.ufsc.br | Rector’s Office Press Service | UFSC
