The Zezé Colares Award is an initiative of IOV Brasil – International Organization of Folklore and Popular Arts, recognized as a UNESCO advisory body, which seeks to recognize the living protagonists of Brazilian popular cultures.
It is a gesture of respect, gratitude, and historical recognition, embodied in the form of a biennial award for teachers, educators, artists, researchers, and cultural producers whose careers are rooted in a commitment to intangible cultural heritage.
Who was Zezé Colares?
Maria José Colares de Araújo Moreira, affectionately known as Zezé Colares, was one of the most notable defenders of Brazilian folklore. An educator, researcher, and enthusiast of popular traditions, Zezé dedicated her life to promoting folk knowledge and strengthening living cultural networks in Brazil and abroad.
Her work on stage, at conferences, and in communities continues to inspire generations of folklorists and cultural agents.
Naming this award after her affirms that memory goes hand in hand with the future.
Objectives of the Award
🔹 To recognize exemplary trajectories in the defense and transmission of folk cultures.
🔹 To reinforce the role of traditional knowledge as a foundation for human and social development.
🔹 To connect generations, strengthening the continuity of cultural legacies.
🔹 To register and value living masters, while they are still alive, with dignity and respect.
Selection Criteria
– Established work in communities or cultural territories
– Contribution to the education, safeguarding, or dissemination of folklore and popular arts
– Social recognition from peers or the community
– Ethical stance, committed to human values and cultural diversity.
Why is this award important?
Because popular culture doesn’t live solely in the past—it pulsates in the present and transforms the future.
The Zezé Colares Award is a way of saying that our masters matter, that the deep Brazil deserves to be heard, that memory is a political act, and that culture is also a right.
Impact and Reach
Since its creation, the Award has strengthened:
✅ The visibility of invisible cultures.
✅ The self-esteem of traditional communities.
✅ The inter-institutional commitment to cultural diversity.
✅ The public recognition of culture as an essential asset.
