The IBGE´s State Unit of Santa Catarina (UE-SC) participated in the 17th Congress of Mayors, carried out by the Santa Catarina Federation of Municipalities (Fecam). The event was held between September 24 and 26, 2019 in the city of São José, highlighting the following subjects: innovation, sustainability and efficiency in the municipal management.

A number of matters related to municipality were discussed in seminars, presentations and workshops. The audience of nearly 2,500 people comprised mayors, vice-mayors, municipal secretaries, city councilors, technicians, municipal, state and federal servants, businessmen and entrepreneurs, heads od private institutions and social institutions.

During the first day of the congress, the IBGE held a spot in the so-called “Culture Plaza” and distributed advertising material to visitors. Representing the IBGE, Roberto Kern Tomes (head of the Stete Unit), Andrea Machado Barbosa (technical cooridnator of the 2020 Census in Santa Catarina), Fabiano Rodolfo (operational coordinator of the 2020 Census), Jana Petaccia de Macedo (Office assistant), Maurício Zacharias Moreira (manager of Follow-up and Technical Supervision), Sueni Juraci de Mello dos Santos (SDI-SC supervisor), as well as two APMs from the Florianópolis Agency, participated in the event. In an integrated environment, IBGE representatives could talk with municipal managers and promote the work of the institution.

In the second day of the event, Roberto Kern Gomes spoke in the “Major subjects for the municipalities” panel about 2020 Population Census: the Challenge of Potraying Brazil and the Impacts on the Municipal Tax Revenue. In addition to the head of UE-SC, Jorge Luiz da Silva Teixeira (coordinator of the São José area), Guilherme de Barros Simões Coelho (deputy head of UE-SC), Andrea Barbosa, Fabiano Rodolfo and Sueni dos Santos were present. The audience counted with 295 representative of Santa Catarina´s municipalities, including Udo Döhler, mayor of Joinville, the largest city in the state, and the governor of Santa Catarina, Carlos Moisés da Silva.

Firstly, Gomes introduced himself and thanked the invitation made by Joares Carlos Ponticelli, president of Fecam and mayor of the municipality of Tubarão. The head of UE-SC talked about the institutional mission and highlighted the importance of the IBGE for the entire society. “We believe that Brazilians can only fully exert their citizenship if they know their reality. The IBGE shows that reality.” The major social and demographic statistics produced by the IBGE were mentioned, highlighting the 2020 Population Census.

Roberto Gomes explained the importance of the Census and the challenges of the operation in Santa Catarina. He also talked about the participation in the Planning and Follow-up Meetings (REPACs), the schedule of the Simplified Selection Processes and the logistical support to the Census. Another matter was the support in the dissemination of the Census and in the awareness of the population. Roberto Gomes closed the participation of UE-SC in the Fecam congress thanking for the opportunity and letting his office at the disposal of the mayors. After his presentation, the head of the State Unit received a certificate of participation in the Congress of Mayors.