São Paulo, July 8, 2026 (BIREME/PAHO/WHO) - Following its season in Brasília, the traveling exhibition "The Infinite Memory of the Pandemic: The Story of COVID-19 by All of Us Brazilians" has arrived in São Paulo, where it will remain on display through August 9, 2026, at the São Paulo Cultural Center (CCSP). The opening ceremony brought together representatives from Brazil's Ministry of Health, BIREME/PAHO/WHO, the Center for Digital Humanities at the State University of Campinas (CHD/Unicamp), researchers, health professionals, civil society representatives, and health sector institutions.
Presented by the Ministry of Health Cultural Center (CCMS), the exhibition was conceived to broaden public access to the collections of the COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Memorial through an immersive multimedia experience. Throughout the exhibition, visitors can explore testimonies, images, documents, audiovisual records, and interactive resources that encourage reflection on the human, social, and public health impacts of the greatest public health emergency of recent decades, contributing to the collective memory of that period.
During the opening ceremony at CCSP, the objectives of the COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Memorial were presented, highlighting the importance of preserving the memory of the pandemic as a resource for research, education, and preparedness for future public health emergencies.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Memorial is a public long-term digital preservation environment that provides access to documentary heritage created by different groups and communities during the pandemic. Developed through technical cooperation between Brazil's Ministry of Health, PAHO, through BIREME, and CHD/Unicamp, the portal brings together digital collections, scientific and technical publications, audiovisual records, and other resources documenting different dimensions of Brazil's response to COVID-19.
According to João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME, "initiatives like this strengthen the human dimension of the collective experience we lived through during the pandemic and enhance our ability to learn from that experience, helping inform public health decision-making now and in the future."
The season in São Paulo also includes a parallel program organized by BIREME and CHD/Unicamp, featuring discussions and educational activities on memory, digital preservation, science, and public health. Program details will be announced through the social media channels of BIREME and CHD/Unicamp.
After São Paulo, the exhibition will continue its national tour with stops in Fortaleza (August 27–October 4, 2026), Manaus (October 23–November 29, 2026), and Porto Alegre (December 18, 2026–January 17, 2027). At the end of the tour, it will become part of the permanent collection of the Ministry of Health Cultural Center in Rio de Janeiro, beginning on March 12, 2027.
In São Paulo, the exhibition is open to visitors at the São Paulo Cultural Center through August 9, 2026, from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with free admission.
