On January 17, 2025, at 6:30 PM, the Alkantara Space in Lisbon hosted the third session of the Debate Cycle “Ethnic-Racial Data: What Was Lost?”. The discussion focused on the theme "What Can Be Done: Claims and Public Policies," bringing together experts and activists to address the importance of collecting ethnic-racial data as a tool for social and political transformation.

The initiative is part of the project "AGRRIN - Generative Bodies: From Aggression to Insurgency. Contributions to a Decolonial Pedagogy" (Project Ref. 2022.06269.PTDC), developed with the support of CeiED, the Department of Museology at Universidade Lusófona, and the UNESCO Chair "Education, Citizenship, and Cultural Diversity."

Participation and Reflection

The panel featured Cristina Roldão (ISCTE and ESE-IPS), José Semedo (Consciência Negra), and Lúcia Furtado (Mulheres Negras Escurecidas), moderated by Anizabela Amaral from SOS Racismo. The debate addressed key topics such as:

• The role of ethnic-racial data in strengthening effective public policies.
• Priority claims of civil society regarding this issue.
• International examples and their potential adaptation to the Portuguese context.

Importance of a Decolonial Perspective

Highlighting the urgency of adopting a critical and decolonial perspective to address structural racism, the event emphasized the need to design public policies that are more inclusive and responsive to Portugal's social realities.

The Debate Cycle will continue to explore relevant and challenging topics in its upcoming sessions. Stay tuned for future editions!