Ni hao!

I waked this morning, first work day of the year, with China on my mind. Suddenly I felt the need to talk Mandarin. Looking for courses of this language I found mandarim.net, will it be good? I sent them an email (in Portuguese, of course).

When I started reading the news, I faced Matias Spektor – that is in charge of the Center for International Relations of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) in Rio, pointing out that Brazil has to change its perspective when the subject is China. Inflation and a new middle class that reaches the consumer market will demand products at low cost and businessmen will certainly look for China to supply this huge market.

He is suggesting Brazil creates a major diplomatic operation approach to the Asian country, with staff who speak Mandarin and know the power centers of Beijing.

Good intuition is following me this brand new year. Ni hao! (China hello!)

Shanghai World Expo 2010

The theme of the Shanghai World Expo 2010 is: “Better City, Better Life”, referring to the common wish for better living standards in future urban environments. Through different sub-themes, Expo 2010 will create blueprints for future cities and harmonious urban life styles. Smart buildings, smart grids that will create greater energy efficiency, intelligent transport systems that can get our cities moving again, multimedia conferencing systems and teleworking technologies that will reduce travel : ICTs have an important role in urban sustainability. ITU is working on many fronts to foster the use of green ICTs to reduce green house gases. This ITU workshop particularly aims at capturing student visions of the role for ICTs in providing for urban sustainability. The workshop is calling for original academic presentations offering innovative approaches addressing this challenge (submission deadline : 15 March) and a prize fund totaling $10,000 will be awarded to the three best presentations.

If you are interested in building the green city of the future, go to:
Shanghai World Expo 2010
14 May 2010 Shanghai, China

Portugal Tecnológico 2009 – 7 a 10 out 2009

A Feira Industrial Portuguesa, no Parque das Nações, em Lisboa, vai acolher, de 7 a 10 de Outubro, o “Portugal Tecnológico 2009″, segunda edição do evento que procura mostrar o que melhor se faz na área tecnológica em Portugal.

Portugal Tecnológico vai ocupar uma área superior a 15.000 m2, onde serão apresentadas “as melhores soluções em setores como a Energia – especialmente energias renováveis, Telecomunicações, Educação, Saúde e Mobilidade, a que se juntam alguns dos mais bem sucedidos processos de E-government europeu”.