One of the driving principles behind the concept of a national day was the desire to improve the self-esteem of favela populations, who have experienced considerable discrimination and negative stereotyping in the past hundred years.

CUFA and its supporters identified the need to celebrate all aspects of the vibrant and distinctive history and culture of favelas, as well as a pressing urgency to alter prevailing preconceptions of them.

The 4th of November is significant in favela history because on that date in 1900 a delegate of the government sent a letter to the then chief of police, Dr. Enéas Galvão, discussing the favela of Morro da Providência - The letter referred to the geographical area and community in question as a social ‘problem', with regards to health, police control and morality, and spoke of the need for it be 'cleaned'.