Brazilian Official Responds to Teen Winner in Pulitzer Center Letter-Writing Contest

A Brazilian teenager's winning letter in a Pulitzer Center contest has caught the attention of a federal official.

Juliana Zatarim's letter to Marina Silva, Brazil's minister of the environment and climate change, expressed concern about the impact of climate change on mangroves. It was one of the winners in the Pulitzer Center's Letter Contest for Our Forests and Ocean. The 15-year-old won in the Ocean category. In the contest, Latin American young people inspired by Pulitzer Center reporting on environmental issues wrote letters to decision-makers in government. 

The report "The World’s Largest Mangroves Are Threatened by Climate Change" led Zatarim to write, "As ice melts and sea levels rise, valuable tree groves are destroyed, affecting their role as animal habitat and their ability to capture and store carbon dioxide. In addition, increased ocean acidification alters water circulation, which is essential for fish survival." (Zatarim's complete letter in Spanish can be found here.)

The article for Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo was written by Pulitzer Center grantees Ana Bottallo and Tayguara Ribeiro. Giovanna Stael was the photographer.

The teen's letter not only earned her $250 to take environmental action in her community, but it also drew a response from Silva, whose letter to Zatarim was posted on the official Brazilian government portal gov.br.

In Portuguese, Silva congratulated Zatarim on her win and outlined steps Brazil's government is taking to protect mangroves. Silva told Zatarim that her "letter is a necessary reminder of the risks we face today and which jeopardize our future."

"We are working to recognize the role of mangroves in protecting the coastal zone, including coastal cities, from climate change. We know that the ecosystem is fundamental not only for sustaining coastal and marine biodiversity, but also for thousands of Brazilians," Silva wrote.

"... The National Program for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Mangroves in Brazil, ProManguezal, was established on June 5, 2024. In October, we launched the ProManguezal Action Plan, consisting of 89 actions and seven goals that meet your concern for the health of mangroves."

Silva also encouraged the teen: "We hope that this award is just the beginning of a journey in which you will take ever greater steps in defending the environment and fighting for climate justice!"

Silva's response came as a pleasant surprise to Zatarim, the teen, who's reportedly from São Paulo state, told Folha. She also said that her father is a farmer and feels the effects of climate change. Zatarim learned about the letter-writing contest through her Spanish teacher, she told Folha. 

The Pulitzer Center's letter-writing contest received nearly 700 letters from young Latin Americans, who connected their communities' environmental challenges with Center-supported stories about forests, the ocean, and the climate. 

Use the translation tool and learn about all of the contest winners by clicking here.