December 13, 2018
Eliseu Padilha, Chief of Staff of the Presidency, Michel Temer, President of Brazil, Abela, Marcela Temer, First Lady, and Sergio Sá Leitão, Minister of Culture

From left: Eliseu Padilha, Chief of Staff of the Presidency; Michel Temer, President of Brazil; Andrew Abela, University Provost and Senior Vice President of Catholic University; Marcela Temer, First Lady of Brazil; and Sergio Sá Leitão, Minister of Culture

University Provost and Senior Vice President Andrew Abela traveled to Brazil in late November as a guest of the Brazilian government to accept the Order of Cultural Merit on behalf of Catholic University’s Oliveira Lima Library. In a ceremony at Planalto Palace, the provost received the award from Michel Temer, president of Brazil. Also present were Minister of Culture Sérgio Sá Leitão, Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha, and First Lady Marcela Temer.

The Order of Cultural Merit is the highest public honor bestowed by Brazil’s Ministry of Culture. It was presented to 35 individuals and institutions that have contributed to “making Brazil a better country,” Sá Leitão said.

Duilia de Mello, Sergio Sá Leitão, Nathalia Henrich, and Andrew Abela
“It is a great honor to be a part of such a select group of institutions that are considered a national treasure,” said Nathalia Henrich, director of the Oliveira Lima Library. “We are humbled by the recognition of our efforts to promote Brazilian culture in the United States and feel even more committed to fulfilling the vision of our founder, Manoel de Oliveira Lima, and becoming an international reference for Brazilian studies.”

Traveling with the provost were Duilia de Mello, vice provost and dean of assessment (pictured at far left), and Henrich (pictured at second from right).

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