Brasília, April 16, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Ministry of Culture will distribute R$ 37.6 million in investments through the Monumenta Program for the recuperation and preservation of the national historical patrimony. Of this total, R$ 16 million will be spent on privately owned buildings located in urban historical sites, and R$ 21.6 million, on public edifices.

The announcement will be made next Tuesday (22), at the opening of the Monumenta Program Exchange Seminar, financed with resources from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Brazilian government counterpart funds. The program currently encompasses 24 cities throughout Brazil and is aimed at recuperating the historical patrimony and integrating it organically in the life of the cities, to guarantee its sustainability. (DAS)