Macao, Portuguese and lusophone African architects have volunteered their services to help improve shanty towns in Brasília, Lusa reports, citing International Council of Portuguese Language Architects President Rui Leão.

The Portuguese news agency quotes Mr Leão, a Macao architect, as saying the volunteers will work with the inhabitants of 10 big shantytowns there.

He said the architects would contribute to a four-year programme of slum rehabilitation, microfinance and promotion of do-it-yourself building, which could be replicated in Angola, Cabo Verde, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau.

Mr Leão’s council held last Friday the first of a series of online seminars on the heritage of Portuguese-speaking parts of the world, including Macao, to mark 30 years since the founding of the council.

On Sunday the council will open an exhibition showing in videos the work of 11 architects in lusophone parts of the world, including Macao, Lusa says.