{"id":2612,"date":"2016-07-23T12:21:50","date_gmt":"2016-07-23T12:21:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mariabueno.org\/indextemp.php\/?p=2612"},"modified":"2016-07-23T12:22:06","modified_gmt":"2016-07-23T12:22:06","slug":"maria-esther-bueno-visits-the-city-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.mariabueno.org\/indextemp.php\/maria-esther-bueno-visits-the-city-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Maria Esther Bueno visits Bradesco City of God"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bradesco Olympic Torch Ambassador<\/h2>\n
\"Maria<\/a>

Maria Esther Bueno, Bradesco Ambassador<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIt was unbelievable!\u201d Maria Esther Bueno said of her visit to Bradesco\u2019s headquarters at Osasco.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means the City of God, and is an enormous place with every facility you can imagine for Bradesco people\u2026 running track, tennis courts, swimming pools, parks and so on.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn Thursday they hosted 15,000 people, all related to Bradesco in some way – staffers, their families and so on – to welcome the Olympic Flame and they did an incredible job.<\/p>\n

\"Snip20160723_16\"<\/a>

Bradesco people watch the arrival of the Olympic Torch on stage<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIt was all brilliantly choreographed, with five of the Bradesco Olympic Torch Ambassadors there, including me.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach one of us was sent to a different part of the complex and we had ear-pieces to hear the producer so we could deliver a speech between the five of us.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe each read a section and then another would carry on, and then, when we had finished, we walked towards the main stage in the middle of the grounds. It was really inspirational!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Olympic Torch visited the City of God, as it completed its 80th day after covering a total of 217km, carried by 199 torchbearers that day, and marking its arrival within the region of S\u00e3o Paulo.<\/p>\n

It arrived in the early evening where the children of the Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Bradesco, the bank\u2019s charitable foundation, carried it around the running track before the Directors of the bank carried it on to the founder, 90-year old Lazaro de Mello Brandao, President of the Board and Founder of the bank, who lit the symbolic pyre on the stage assembled on site.<\/p>\n

\"Snip20160722_9\"<\/a>

Can you spot Maria Esther Bueno looking on?<\/p><\/div>\n

Also present for the ceremony was the President of the Bank, Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had built these two enormous stages, the main one in the centre of the site where the pyre was, and a second with the orchestra a little way to the side where they had singers and dancers,” said Maria Esther.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately it was very cold – just 11 degrees – and we only had the Bradesco shirts on so everyone was freezing!\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to Maria Esther, the day\u2019s action was attended by four\u00a0other idols of Brazilian sport – Paralympic swimmer Daniel Dias, and Olympic medalists Gustavo Borges, Giovane G\u00e1vio and Leila Barro – and presenter Octavian Costa, who was the Master of Ceremonies.<\/p>\n

Athletes from some of Bradesco-sponsored sports, including basketball, rugby, judo and sailing, were also present, while a choir and a student orchestra of the Bradesco Foundation provided the musical backdrop for the day-long party.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should\u2019ve seen the truck the Olympic Torch arrived in\u2026 it was lit up like a Christmas tree moving towards us!,\u201d Maria Esther enthused.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as the pyre was lit, there were fantastic fireworks and everyone waved these little torches\u2026 a fantastic occasion.<\/p>\n

\u201cBradesco do everything so well and I felt so honoured to be a part in it all. They were able to thank all their employees with this amazing party, making them them all feel a part of the Olympics through the Torch Relay for which they are one of the sponsors.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, this is the highlight of my life and I can\u2019t wait to actually run with the torch on Sunday in Sao Paulo!\u201d<\/p>\n