The opening of the RenovaBR Leaders Training 2025 program, a new class, took place in Brasília on August 15, 16, and 17. With approximately 118 participants, the meeting included representatives from all federal units and 19 different political parties.
On the opening night, the students were welcomed at a dinner and met with political leaders already trained by RenovaBR, such as the state representative for Acre, Michelle Melo, who shared her experience in the health sector and her entry into politics, as well as the federal representative and current Municipal Secretary of Health of Rio de Janeiro, Daniel Soranz, who during his speech, emphasized the importance that the RenovaBR training had in his political training.
The meeting also included the participation of the CEO of Democracia+, Andrés Valenciano, as well as Fábio Silva, CEO of Rede Muda Mundo and Transforma Brasil; Lana Faria, director of operations at Legisla Brasil; and the president of CAMP (Associative Club of Political Marketing Professionals), Bruno Hoffmann.
Political situation and challenges of democracy
On Saturday, students attended multiple panels on the current state of Brazilian politics. Electoral research expert Renato Dorgan and political strategist Juarez Guedes discussed paths toward data- and evidence-based politics and campaigning in polarized terrain.
The panel "Legislative Branch and Electoral Justice: Challenges for the Future of Democracy," moderated by lawyer and electoral law specialist Angela Cignachi, featured the participation of Superior Electoral Court (TSE) Minister Edilene Lôbo, who shared her vision on the importance of representation in the political sphere.
"Those seeking renewal need to question the current political landscape, and those seeking innovation must be ready to change reality. Changing the current picture of power means utilizing the key technology for transformation: minority participation in the political sphere," she emphasized. During her speech, the minister emphasized that the ideal democracy is an environment for the formation of possible consensus.
Professor Roberto Carlos Martins Pontes, from the Brazilian Institute of Education, Development and Research (IDP), also took part in the conversation and added that, although progress is slow, there are positive reforms underway.
"Politics is about trying to represent the social fabric in spaces of power. Today, photography isn't very faithful to what we have in society, which needs a diverse perspective, because it's these different perspectives that add up," he stated.
The morning session concluded with a panel on the climate emergency presented by RenovaBR leader Isabela Rahal, Program Manager of the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group. During her presentation, she reflected on the political dimension of the environmental crisis and the role of leaders in this process.
"The climate crisis is a leadership crisis; it's the greatest leadership challenge in Brazil and the world. We need leaders who will look ahead five or ten years. We need this courage and this determination to look ahead," he stated.
She reinforced the need to train public officials prepared to make decisions that not only respond to current emergencies, but also build sustainable paths for future generations.
In the afternoon, students participated in simultaneous sessions on political communication and marketing, taught by Darlan Campos; personal communication and image; and promotion and social media, taught by digital strategist Marcelo Natale.
The closing session was led by political scientist Humberto Dantas, who, during a dynamic activity, encouraged participants to reflect on democratic values and the purpose of their careers in public life. The activity summarized the day's learnings, connecting theory, practice, and personal experience, and reinforced the importance of cultivating solid principles as a foundation for political leadership.
