Creative economy as a viable path for physical and symbolic linkage: the case of the Chega Junto Refugee Fair

Abstract

This work aimed to present Creative Economy as a viable strategy for the socioeconomic development of immigrants-refugees who have settled in the city of Rio de Janeiro, especially those who guar antee their livelihood through the production and commercialization of the typical cuisine of their countries of origin. There are several reasons that lead people to migrate and, regardless of what it is, they are all permeated by the economic issue, since the production of subsistence is part of the reality of all those who find themselves in the position of migrant. Our locus of observation is the Chega Junto Refugee Fair. The Fair is a partnership between the Chega Junto Project and Cáritas-RJ. The objective of the Project is to promote the sociocultural integration of immigrants-refugees in the Rio de Janeiro scenario through typical gastronomy, reinforcing the role of food as an element that values interculturality and the empowerment of this group. The fact that they arrive with no prospect of income generation is a livelihood problem for them and a socioeconomic problem for the city. In a low-growth economy, there is a pressing difficulty in generating employment for this part of the population, in addition to the local population. In this sense, we believe that fostering Creative Economy can present itself as a viable strategy, capable of facilitating the socioeconomic integration of this group of people also in addition to boosting the local economy.