“Cooking is also remembering”: Renewed efforts for the missing in Brazil

With more than 81,000 disappearances reported in Brazil last year, the Brasilia Regional Delegation continues its work to highlight the long-term impact of disappearance on families, advocating for better documentation, public awareness and support systems. As part of these efforts, and in collaboration with the National Movement of Missing Persons, published Sabor da Saudade, a cookbook inspired by families of the missing.

“When the skies turned grey in my hometown, my sister would say, ‘I got goosebumps three times – you better make noodle soup with beans for me,’” recalls Gislaine Ferreira da Silva Nascimento. The dish, humble and warm, now carries a weight far beyond its ingredients. Gislaine’s sister, Graciane, disappeared in 2005, at the age of 18. Her story – and her soup – are part of Sabor da Saudade, a cookbook that weaves recipes and memories, giving voice to those who live in the shadow of absence.

“Saudade” is a unique Portuguese word that describes deep emotional longing or nostalgia, often for something or someone that is gone, distant or missing, and as Debora Alves Inacio explains, “this book is a translation of that feeling.” Her son, Kaio, disappeared in 2013 at age 17. “It’s a reminder of Kaio, but it’s also a way of saying: we’re still here. We resist being forgotten.” Kaio’s favorite dish, which he used to prepare himself, was a sweet of milk.

A blend of gastronomy, memory and storytelling, Sabor da Saudade is part of the Brasilia Regional Delegation ongoing efforts to bring visibility, dignity and humanity to the issue of missing persons in Brazil. It offers more than comfort food, it’s a tribute to memory, a form of resistance and a call for visibility in a country where disappearances go undocumented – and unacknowledged.

Each recipe in the book tells a story: a favorite dessert, a breakfast ritual, a simple meal made with love – and now made with longing. For families like Gislaine’s and Debora’s, the act of cooking has become a way of remembrance, the kitchen their sanctuary.

The preface of the book was written by Marcelo Rubens Paiva — author of the memoir that inspired the film I’m Still Here, that tells the story of the disappearance of his father, congressman Rubens Paiva, who went missing in 1971 during Brazil’s military regime.

"This book recognizes the strength and resilience of the families of missing persons. Acts of memory help preserve the identity and history of the missing, ensuring that their lives are not reduced to the condition of being 'absent’” says Marta Gomes de Andrade, Protection Coordinator at the Brasilia Regional Delegation.

To honor the families who shared their stories and recipes, the ICRC hosted an intimate dinner prepared by renowned chef Rodrigo Oliveira. The menu featured dishes from the book — a gesture made more meaningful by Oliveira’s own painful experience of having two missing relatives, infusing each plate with empathy and strength.