48 hours in Brazil: MPA students attend the GPPN Conference

On 4-5 December 2015, a group of LSE MPA students attended the annual Global Public Policy Network Conference (GPPN) in São Paulo, Brazil, hosted by Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV). It was the last weekend before the end of the Michaelmas Term. This meant we would spend a whirlwind 48 hours in Brazil only to return to London for a week of teaching before leaving for Christmas vacation. What made the conference worth the long trip?