Social activist José Geraldo de Souza Castro (Zé do Pedal), 59, was invited by the organizing committee of the Centennial Convention of Lions Clubs International to give a lecture on his experience in Africa during the two years he spent on that continent, to be held from June 28 to July 4 in Chicago, United States.
The lecture by Zé do Pedal will last 30 minutes, with an additional 15 minutes for questions and answers, scheduled for June 30 in Hall B of the “McCormick Place Convention Center”.
From March 2008 to June 2010, Zé do Pedal traveled 17,300 km in a pedal kart and visited 23 countries on the continent, aiming to draw the international community’s attention to two of the biggest problems affecting children’s vision worldwide, especially in poorer countries.
During the lecture, guests will have the opportunity to see the photographic exhibition “Africa: Images of the Soul”.
Zé do Pedal
Born in Guaraciaba and an honorary citizen of Viçosa, journalist, photographer, tourism technician, social activist, environmentalist, and cyclist, José Geraldo de Souza Castro, known as Zé do Pedal, current president of the Lions Club of Viçosa, has been undertaking unusual social adventures around the world for 35 years. A story that began in November 1981 when he decided to travel from Brazil to Spain by bicycle to attend the World Cup “Spain ’82. From that distant November until today, he has visited 74 countries across five continents, traveled 145,000 km “by pedaling”, attended three World Cups, experienced four civil wars, faced monsoon rains, earthquakes, and survived five hurricanes.