Arsenal da Esperança is taking over a Mooca street for its 30th anniversary, with Italian food, live music and a mission serving 1,200 men every day.
The Arsenal da Esperança street festival runs from March 20 to 22 on Rua Dr. Almeida Lima, 900, in Mooca, the same street where the institution is based. The event is open to the public and will take place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., except on Sunday, when hours shift to 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Organized in partnership with Paróquia de Nossa Senhora de Casaluce, the celebration combines Italian food traditions with live performances.
Over the three days, visitors will find dishes such as gnocchi, pasta, pizza folhada, fogazza, polenta, barbecue, barbecue sandwiches and fries. Dessert options include cannoli, coconut-chocolate cake and walnut cake. In addition, the festival will feature children’s attractions and the Arsenal Bazaar, selling items made by the institution.
The stage set up under the Arsenal tent will host the main performances over the weekend. On Saturday, March 21, Geraldo Lacerdine and musicians will perform. On Sunday, March 22, the show will be led by Banda do Gas (@bandadagas).
Official 30th program
Alongside the public festival, Arsenal da Esperança will hold its official 30th anniversary celebration on March 21 at 3:30 p.m., for invited guests and residents of the shelter. The program includes a pocket performance from the musical Arsenal – As Armas da Paz, inspired by the institution’s history, featuring singer Ziza Fernandes and produced by Oficina Viva Produções, plus a Mass of Thanksgiving presided over by São Paulo archbishop Cardinal Dom Odilo Pedro Scherer.
Invited authorities include Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas and São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes. Italy’s Consul General in São Paulo, Domenico Fornara, has already confirmed attendance. More than 1,000 people are expected. Those interested in attending the ceremony can register at https://arsenal30anos.org.br/
“Arsenal da Esperança is more than a shelter; it is a place where human dignity is restored every day. Every man who arrives carries a story of pain, but also immense potential for a new beginning. Our mission is to offer not only a roof and food, but also welcome, respect and concrete opportunities for transformation. It is a hope reborn daily inside this small village,” says Father Simone Bernardi, the Italian missionary who has led the institution for more than 20 years.
Book, musical and mission
Not everyone in São Paulo realizes the scale of Arsenal da Esperança. Beyond providing daily shelter to 1,200 men in vulnerable situations, the institution runs educational, cultural and professional training programs focused on income generation and rebuilding life prospects. Its goal is clear: restore self-esteem, uphold dignity and create real paths to change.
Throughout 2026, the 30 years of Arsenal da Esperança will also be marked by the release of the book SIM – O Coração do Arsenal da Esperança, written by founder Ernesto Olivero, now 85, in a Brazilian edition by Format Editora. Then, on September 5 and 6, the full version of the musical Arsenal – As Armas da Paz will be staged at Teatro Ítalo Brasileiro.
Located in the former Immigrants’ Hostel building in Mooca, the Arsenal now shelters Brazilian and foreign men living in vulnerable conditions. The work is run by Associação Assindes Sermig — Servizio Missionario Giovani and began in 1996 through Ernesto Olivero and Dom Luciano Pedro Mendes de Almeida. It was the first project outside Turin, Italy, linked to Arsenal da Paz, created in 1983.
Recognition and impact
Over three decades, Arsenal da Esperança has received dozens of awards, certificates and tributes. They include the Salva de Prata, the top honor of São Paulo’s City Council, awarded on December 4, 2025; the Prêmio Cidade de São Paulo, granted on January 23, 2025; an institutional honorable mention in the USP Human Rights Prize on December 10, 2009; and the Certificado Top Qualidade Brasil 2014 – Selo Ouro on April 19, 2014.
Those honors reflect work that goes far beyond emergency shelter. The house serves a male population that receives meals, clean clothes, a bed to sleep in, access to professional courses and cultural activities. It also relies on a multidisciplinary team of social workers, psychologists, socio-educational staff and health professionals. Above all, as Father Simone puts it, residents receive respect.
How to help
PIX: CNPJ 62.459.409/0001-28
Legal name: Associação Assindes Sermig
Banco Santander: Branch 0144 – Account 13-003147-6
People can also donate through Nota Fiscal Paulista or become volunteers.
Address: Rua Dr. Almeida Lima, 900 – Mooca – São Paulo
Email: arsenaldobrasil@gmail.com
Phone: +55 11 94235-3233
Website: arsenaldaesperanca.org.br
Instagram: @arsenal_da_esperanca
YouTube: @arsenaldobrasil
Facebook: facebook.com
Service Arsenal da Esperança
March 21 – 3:30 p.m. – Official celebration with cultural presentation, Thanksgiving Mass and other activities.
March 20 to 22 – 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., except Sunday, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Street festival with Italian-themed food and artistic performances.
Photo: Publicity
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