Photo: Ari Gomes
The PNRN aims to produce reciprocal benefits for the Nação Rubro-Negra (Nation) and for Flamengo.
To this end, mechanisms for interaction with the Nation must be developed, implemented, executed, monitored and improved.
The PNRN is part of the 2007-2009 Triennium Goals Plan and is carried out within the scope of the Flamengo Planning Department.
Jornal dos Sports, on 16/07/2007, published the article below about the PNRN.
Red-blacks, unite!
Club creates project to integrate and reward fans from all over Brazil
Leo Schabbach
Public Relations
Flamengo fans gather at a bar during Flamengo games. They want to turn the place into a Flamengo embassy.
The Nação Rubro-Negra project is energizing Flamengo's organized fan groups across the country. Aiming to unite fans across Brazil and reward those who gather to watch the games, the project has won the support of the fans.
"It's a very worthwhile initiative, as it brings the board closer to us, and that's what's needed most. Fla-BH fully supports the project," said Allison, one of the coordinators of the Minas Gerais fan club.
And even in Rio, the idea has been very well received. Vitinho, president of the Urubuzada fan club, also praised the project and emphasized its importance for Flamengo.
"I think the idea is important and interesting. They're trying to unite fans, especially those who live outside of Rio. We approve of the idea and will help in any way we can, because this is what Flamengo needs," he said.
However, the project aims to not only unify the Flamengo fans spread across the country. It also seeks to support fans who attend the stadium and, as visitors, are often treated unfairly. The club's director of special projects, Mario Cruz, who heads the Nação Rubro-Negra program, explained the situation, using the Flamengo-Atlético-MG match at Mineirão as an example.
"We saw the difficulties Flamengo-BH faced. The space they provided for fans wasn't ideal, and everything was sold at a higher price. Therefore, Flamengo intends to improve this situation institutionally," he stated.
Within the project, there is a third goal: the creation of "Rubro-Negras Embassies" in other states. To achieve this, the idea is to select a few bars where Rubro-Negras fans meet to create a more atmospheric and themed atmosphere.
"In Belo Horizonte, for example, there's a huge bar in a square where fans often meet. So we plan to turn it into a sort of Flamengo embassy," said Mario Cruz.
Flamengo will have a cultural center
Within the idea of participating more effectively in society as an institution, two projects, still under development, stand out at the club: New Generations and Casa de Cultura. The first seeks to create an institute to care for underprivileged children, removing them from at-risk areas by encouraging sports. The second also aims to help less affluent communities, but with an emphasis on promoting culture.
Novas Gerações will be developed in partnership with UNESCO and, although still linked to Flamengo, will have independent management and its own headquarters. Its goal, in the words of Lysias Augusto Itapicurú, special advisor to the Flamengo presidency, is to make the club "not just a football institution, but a national institution. The idea is to foster citizenship through sport."
The Casa de Cultura project follows this same principle. It will be developed at Flamengo's headquarters in Gávea and will operate primarily in the favelas of Rocinha, Vidigal, and Cruzada São Sebastião.
Details are being discussed, and the goal is for the Cultural Center to open by the end of the year, ideally on October 12th, Children's Day. It will be open every day except weekends and will include five different teaching modules (visual and performing arts, instrumental music, singing, and computer science).
Fla-Sesi Project sends underprivileged children to preschools
The Fla-Sesi school project can help Flamengo join two very important initiatives: FIFA's Latin America initiative, which provides and sends resources to clubs that work to promote citizenship, and Timemania, the club lottery.
This could happen because one of the main goals of the Flamengo project is to serve underprivileged children who are demonstrably in school. Even Timemania and the FIFA project require participating clubs to have social initiatives, and Flamengo, with Fla-Sesi, now falls under these standards and can benefit from this.
Fla-Sesi is a partnership between the club and Sesi-Firjan, which began in 2004, and seeks, through sport (schools) three objectives: to reveal athletes to the football department, to serve underprivileged children (20% of enrolled students) and to strengthen ties with its huge fan base.
Currently, the project occupies only five SESI units (Nova Iguaçu, Honório Gurgel, Bonsucesso, Barra Mansa, and Paciência). However, further growth is expected in the coming years, especially since the plan is to expand the initiative to SESI units throughout Brazil. It's no surprise that six more are expected to open soon, in São Gonçalo, Resende, Santo Antônio de Pádua, Campos, Itaperuna, and Friburgo.
So far, the project has referred 40 athletes to the football department, 32 of whom have been federated. Furthermore, the new players developed through this initiative are solely linked to the club, without any interference from agents.