MST Inaugurates Football Field With Lula, Chico Buarque

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio 'Lula' da Silva, singer Chico Buarque and rapper Mano Brown from Racionais MCs have inaugurated the new Socrates Brasileiro football field, at the Landless Workers Movement (MST) Florestan Fernandes (ENFF) school.

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Several other artists, activists, cultural agitators and politicians also took part in the event. Soccer legend Diego Maradona was invited, but couldn't make it. Journalist Juca Kfouri served as the game's referee.

Lula scored a penalty goal after a foul, racing towards fans, removing his football shirt and tossing it into the cheering crowd.

The celebration drew the playful ire of Kfouri, who, in allusion to Lula's recent corruption conviction, expelled the former head of state on the first warning.

Buarque, visiting ENFF for the first time, had helped establish the school by donating the copyright of several songs published as part of a visual-literary work called 'Terra.'

The final project, which pays tribute to MST and all campesinos, is comprised of texts by author Jose Saramago, photography by Sebastiao Salgado and music by Milton Nascimento.

MST leader Joao Pedro Stedile said there's an intrinsic connection between football and politics among the people of Brazil.

"Football is part of our daily life, politics, families, feelings... hence football has everything to do with our school," he said. The sport is "revealing," one which instills "greater inclusion."