Rio de Janeiro: Launch of Brazilian UFO Study Society
In December 1957, Walter K. Buhler founded the Brazilian Society for Studies on Flying Saucers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The group issued its bulletin until 1988.
Background
Founding of the Organization
In December 1957, Walter K. Buhler founded the Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos sobre Discos Voadores (SBEDV) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The group devoted itself to the systematic investigation of unidentified flying objects and did much to advance the subject in Brazil.
Publication Activity
SBEDV published the Boletim SBEDV, whose first issue appeared in December 1957. The bulletin appeared continuously until 1988 and documented reports, analyses, and discussions of sightings. Issues such as no. 1 (December 1957), no. 6 (November 1958), and no. 16 (July 1960) attest to its sustained activity.
Significance
The founding marked a milestone in Brazilian ufology, as one of the earliest organised civilian initiatives. It influenced public debate and collected cases such as abduction reports that later ended up in official archives. There are no direct witnesses other than the founder; the evidence rests on the published record. SBEDV strengthened interest in UAP in Latin America.