Тисячі людей взяли участь у славетному щорічному карнавалі в бразильському місті Ріо-де-Жанейро. Величезні юрби зібралися на Самбодромі в центрі міста, щоб дивитися на парад, який тривав цілу ніч. З Ріо-де-Жанейро повідомив Ґарі Даффі:

Послухати репортаж

Communities from the poorest parts of Rio de Janeiro worked for twelve months preparing for carnival. The samba schools, which are the focus of the main parade, are almost all based in the city's favellas, or shanty towns. Once again, that huge effort resulted in an explosion of sound and colour, a celebration that brought seven hundred thousand visitors to Rio from around Brazil and from across the world.

Each samba school picks a social or historical theme which is reflected in their costumes, floats and music. This year, topics included everything from the arrival of the Portuguese royal family in Brazil to one hundred years of Japanese immigration.

Controversially, one samba school wanted to use a float to portray the naked bodies of Holocaust victims. The Viradouro school said they intended to send a message to the world that this should never happen again. However, after Jewish leaders took the issue to court, the float was banned. To show their dismay at this decision, Viradouro were using the float to focus on freedom of speech instead.

But controversies aside, the mood in Rio, a city that has had its fair share of problems, was overwhelmingly one of celebration - and as if to make the point, they intend to repeat the party all over again on Monday night with another six samba schools.

Gary Duffy, BBC News, Rio de Janeiro

Послухати слова

the focus of the main parade
головна принада параду

shanty towns
бідні, задрипані містечка

an explosion of sound and colour
"вибух" звуків (музики) та кольорів

floats
спеціально обладнані та прикрашені автомобілі-платформи, які використовують під час вуличних гулянь, карнавалів та парадів

Controversially
викликаючи серйозні суперечки

to portray the naked bodies of Holocaust victims
щоб показати оголені тіла жертв голокосту

took the issue to court
подали до суду

dismay
збентеження, незадоволення

had its fair share of problems
мало цілком достатньо проблем

as if to make the point
так, ніби показати, наскільки це (карнавал) для них важливо