CONFEST/CONFEGE 2025
IBGE launches inverted World Map; puts Bahia at the center of the world in the opening of CONFEST/CONFEGE
December 05, 2025 09h00 AM | Last Updated: December 08, 2025 03h43 PM
Salvador hosted this Wednesday (December 3), the opening of the National Conference of Data Producers and Users (CONFEST/CONFEGE), marked by the launch of the “Inverted World Map — Bahia at the center of the world,” an unprecedented initiative by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
The cartographic proposal repositions the world by placing Bahia at the center, symbolizing the state's protagonism and highlighting the fact that this is the first time that the event takes place outside Rio de Janeiro.
The conference also positions Bahia at the center of the national debate on data sovereignty, governance and integration, bringing together experts, public managers and representatives from different sectors to discuss guidelines and paths aimed at modernizing the Brazilian statistical and geographic information.
During the ceremony, the president of the IBGE, Marcio Pochmann, highlighted the provocative nature of the work. “The map invites everyone to rethink the way we see the world. This inversion reminds us that our perspective on the world can change, recognizing the importance of different territories and realities in building a more balanced and sustainable world,” stated him.
The governor of Bahia, Jerônimo Rodrigues, also highlighted the symbolic strength of the initiative: “I found it creative, provocative and that it puts us in a different position. We have always been seen through the eyes of the North and now we are at the center of the world. We rewrite history when we stop being looked at through the lens of the colonizer.”
The map will be displayed at Escola Sesi during the days of the conference and, later, will go to events of the Bahia state education network.
The inauguration was attended by members of the IBGE and part of the secretariat of the Government of Bahia.
With the theme “A proposal for a General Statistical and Geographic Information Plan (PGIEG) for the Development of Brazil in the Digital Age, in the period between 2026 and 2030,” the conference takes place until December 5 at the facilities of SENAI Cimatec and SESI, in Salvador. The international sessions will have simultaneous translation, reinforcing the inclusive and global nature of the discussions.
Organized by the IBGE, the event has the support of the Government of the State of Bahia, the Federation of Industries of the State of Bahia (FIEB), Senai Cimatec, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Union of Municipalities of Bahia (UPB), in addition to the sponsorship of Serpro and Banco do Nordeste do Brasil S.A. (BNB).
