BCI reinforces its support for the solidarity dimension of the Teresinha Project

The BCI Auditorium hosted, on Friday (3), the launch ceremony of the book “It's True, Teresinha! Kisses to the Girls and Hugs to the Men”, and the premiere of the film “Teresinha - A Life in Mozambique”, works by the writer and cultural producer Lisié Champier, which have the support of the Bank, within the scope of the Teresinha Project.

The new literary work, published by Inter Escolar, completes the trilogy begun with 'Teresinha - Uma Vida em Moçambique' (2018) and 'A Actual, Teresinha' (2023). The film presents 21 poems performed by the author and more than 40 guests, in artistic expressions that address Mozambican social reality.

The event was attended by the Minister of Education and Culture, Samaria Tovela, the Director of Maputo Central Hospital, Mouzinho Saíde, and other dignitaries. In her speech, Samaria Tovela emphasized the importance of culture as a foundation of sovereignty and national identity: "Memory and social transformation are grounded in this foundation. They reinforce the struggle of all Mozambicans for the consolidation of our creative industry."

Quoting the World Health Organization, Mouzinho Saíde stated: "Health is not just the absence of disease; it is also mental, social, and physical well-being." He also praised the project as an initiative that brings color, joy, and culture to the hospital, providing patients, users, and staff with moments of leisure and relaxation.

For Carla Mamade, Director of BCI's Media Libraries, "from the very beginning, BCI identified with the aims of the Teresinha Project, which fosters solidarity, especially among patients, for whom poetry and images go beyond mere therapy: they are expressions of love for others." She added that this support reflects the Bank's commitment to high standards of social responsibility, conducting its actions ethically and always aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Author Lisié Champier said she began writing driven by the desire to raise her children with love, peace, and dedication. She also revealed that the title of her new book, "It's True, Teresinha! Kisses to the Girls and Hugs to the Men," was inspired by one of the last messages left by her father, "a phrase that carries a very deep symbolic and emotional value," she said.