Place

The event had been planned to take place in Belo Horizonte, capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, where the headquarter of the Organizing Committee is installed.

Belo Horizonte is one of the largest cities of Brazilian Southeast, with a population of over 2.4 million.

Known to locals as Beagá (pronounced 'bay-ah-gah', Portuguese for BH), Belo Horizonte was named for its beautiful view of nearby mountains.

The city, planned and constructed in the 1890s, features a mixture of contemporary and classical buildings, and is home to several modern Brazilian architectural icons, most notably the Pampulha Complex. Surrounded by mountains, the city has a number of parks and natural reserves, with vegetation typical of the Atlantic forest, where a large number of species of birds and mammals inhabit.

The so-called BH city enjoys nice weather all year round and is famous by its fabulous cuisine and many restaurants that offer rich regional dishes. It is known as the Brazilian capital of pubs (the largest ratio of pubs/inhabitants in the country). The city offers a large number of touristic attractions.

In downtown, the Praça da Liberdade (Freedom Square) provides a green area lined with palm trees and Italian-style pond with a dramatic line of fountains. The square is surrounded by period buildings that houses museums and cultural centers, such as the Mining and Metal Museum and the UFMG Knowledge Space. More central, the Municipal Park features many appealing attractions, including a small amusement park and a lagoon where you can hire boats. Tourists enjoy the bustling market stalls within the indoor Central Market and frequently staged events at the Palace of the Arts.

In the urban south area, tourists can visit two amazing parks in the mountain, Mangabeiras Park and Serra do Curral Park. There, in addition to hike along trails surrounded by natural vegetation and small animals, the tourist may experience amazing views of the city from the mountain. In the east neighborhood, around the vast Pampulha Lagoon, there is a large number of recreational possibilities, including those of the Ecological Park, the Zoo, the river-fish Aquarium and the Mineirao Stadium.

Nearby the city, tourists can visit historical cities (such as Ouro Preto, Sabará and Mariana), fascinating natural caves with petroglyphs, prehistoric paintings and unusual crystal formations(Lapinha, Maquiné etc.), natural waterfalls and the amazing Inhotim Art Museum, considered the world largest open-area Modern Art Museum.


Climate

Surrounded by mountains, Belo Horizonte enjoys fantastic weather all year round. In May, the city experiences a dry season and an average temperature of 24°C (maximum of 27°C and minimum of 16°C). Using light clothes is recommended.