Five Things to Know About ‘Forest COP’ Host City Belem

AFP/APP

Belém, Brazil: The eyes of the world are on Belém, a gateway city to the Brazilian Amazon that will host what has been dubbed the “Forest COP” — the upcoming climate conference beginning Monday.

Home to 1.4 million residents, the city takes its name from Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ — Belém being the Portuguese translation.

Under a law signed Tuesday by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Belém will serve as the symbolic capital of Brazil for the duration of the conference, which is expected to draw around 50,000 delegates from across the globe between November 10 and 21.

Here are five things to know about Belem:

1. Love of Açaí

Açaí, a palm fruit often hailed as a global superfood for its energizing and antioxidant properties, is a daily staple in Belém.

Resembling a large blueberry, the fruit is harvested from the surrounding Amazon rainforest, with tons unloaded daily at the docks near the Ver-o-Peso Market — one of the city’s top tourist attractions.

Locals enjoy crushed açaí as a thick purple sauce with an earthy, tart flavor, typically served alongside many regional dishes. It’s especially popular with pirarucu, an Amazonian freshwater fish that can grow up to three meters long.

2. Catholic Fervor

Despite logistical challenges — particularly hotel shortages — in preparing for the UN climate summit, Belém regularly handles massive crowds during its annual religious festival, the Círio de Nazaré.

The celebration, held each October, attracts hundreds of thousands of Catholic devotees — mostly locals and visitors from nearby areas.

This year, the festival — recognized by UNESCO as “intangible cultural heritage” — set a record with 2.6 million attendees.

The event honors Our Lady of Nazareth, the patron saint of Belém, affectionately known as the “Queen of the Amazon.” Her image and religious symbolism are visible throughout the city.

3. Where Are the Trees?

Flying into Belém reveals a striking contrast — lush emerald forests surrounding an expansive riverine metropolis. Yet paradoxically, less than half of the city’s residents live on tree-lined streets — only 45.5 percent, according to Brazil’s IBGE statistics institute, compared to a national average of 66 percent.

Experts warn that a shortage of urban greenery and excessive asphalt coverage are driving higher-than-normal urban heat in an already hot and humid city.

4. Poverty

More than 57 percent of Belém’s population lives in densely populated favelas, making it the Brazilian metropolis with the highest poverty rate, according to IBGE data.

These neighborhoods, often situated in low-lying or flood-prone areas, underscore the city’s deep socioeconomic divides even as it welcomes global climate delegates.

5. Music

Belém’s most cherished star is Fafá de Belém, one of several female singers who have helped place the city on Brazil’s cultural map.

The state of Pará, of which Belém is the capital, is also the birthplace of Carimbó — an Afro-Indigenous music and dance genre recognized by UNESCO as part of the nation’s intangible cultural heritage.