Street in Manaus is covered with 6 million pennants for the World Cup

Since the 1990s, during the World Cup, electrician Everton Vieira, 40, has participated in the decoration of Rua 3 in the Alvorada neighborhood, in the west zone of Manaus.

His father, Emídio Lopes, who died last year of heart problems, was the one who started the tradition in the community, with paintings on the asphalt during the 1994 World Cup, which took place in the United States.

But it was in 2002 that the community began to decorate the street with flags, to participate in a contest between neighborhoods, which chose the most beautiful Copa street in Manaus.

“Everything was very simple, few flags, nothing compared to what it is today”, recalls the electrician. This year, there are paintings on the floor and 32 mosaics that honor Brazil, Qatar, the host country of the World Cup, and the state of Amazonas.

In addition, there are six million pennants, strung along 30,000 kilometers of lines supported by 2,000 meters of steel cables, at a cost of R$ 170,000 just for materials. For the paintings, 300 liters of paint were used.

Including project expenses, food, plastic artists and security guards who stay on site until the end of the Cup, the amount reaches R$ 200,000.

The street, which became a tourist spot during this period, was featured on FIFA’s social networks last week. Last Sunday (20), it received a visit from 20,000 people, according to Vieira’s calculations, but on game days the number triples.

And when it’s the Brazilian team on the field, the street can receive 100,000 people, he says.

“So many people pass through here that it is necessary to control the entrance. All this movement helps merchants and residents a lot, who take advantage of the moment to earn extra income, whether selling drinks or food”, says Vieira.

This is the case of Roberval Pereira, 67, resident of Rua 3 and owner of a bar in the east zone, on the other side of the city. “At this time I take time out at the other establishment and dedicate myself to the World Cup here on my street. My house turns into a bar. I put in a television, some tables and chairs and customers come from all over the city.”

united community

It is also the residents of the neighborhood who work on tying the flags. This year, about a hundred people volunteered.

“We all have callused hands, but seeing that the work is worth it in the end brings us immense satisfaction”, says the electrician.

In addition to the sponsorship of merchants, a year before the Cup, the organizers start raising money with bingos, feijoada and the sale of personalized shirts with the name “Rua 3 do Bairro Alvorada”.

In 2022, knowing that the Cup would be held in November, the project was presented for community approval in July.

In August, work began under the coordination of plastic artists Ricardo Caneiro and Cleudson Rodrigues, who become a kind of street employees during the entire period of the games.

Born in Parintins, a municipality in the state of Amazonas known for the folk festival of the bois-bumbás, Carneiro has been hired by the organizers since the 2010 World Cup, which took place in South Africa.

He says he has already received invitations from other states to do the same job, but he turned them down.

“For me, it is a great emotion to work on this project, in the place where I live. Even though I am from another municipality, I live in Manaus and in this period my whole family is involved in this work”, he says.

In addition to the mosaics of the flags of Brazil, Qatar and the symbols of the World Cup, Carneiro says that this year he also tried to regionalize the ornamentation. “We made a portal at the beginning of the street that leads to the Teatro Amazonas. We also placed the Garantido and Caprichoso bois-bumbás, cultural symbols of our state.”

As he is also responsible for maintaining the ornamentation, the artist practically moves to Rua 3 during the tournament period.

“I have to stay until the final, as a cable or a line could break in a storm, as has happened on other occasions, and we try to make everything perfect throughout the Cup.”

This year, Rua 3 was one of five in Manaus covered by the 2022 World Cup streets public notice, carried out by the city hall, with the support of sound, lighting, stage, chemical toilets and a screen for showing the selection games. According to the organizers, this is the only support from public bodies.

“Who helps us transform the street and make this dream come true are the residents and businessmen. When everything is beautiful and ready, politicians come to visit us, but we do everything alone, with the support of the community and the result enchants everyone. our greatest joy”, concludes Vieira.