Brasília, December 5, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The president of the National Indian Foundation (Funai), Arthur Nobre Mendes, told Radiobrás today, in a televised interview on the Radiobrás cable TV channel, that there is good reason to commemorate the foundation's 35th anniversary. "We have finally been able to check the process of decline in the Indian population, which began in the early '80's," Nobre explained. Funai is commemorating its 35th anniversary with exhibits, publications, lectures, and the inauguration of the Indigenous Peoples' Center for Culture and Hospitality, in Sobradinho (DF). "The Center is intended to provide better accomodations for Indians who come from other states and used to stay at boarding houses," said the president of Funai. (DAS)