01181nas a2200121   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002100002200043700002200065245008300087520087500170022001401045                                       d1 aJorge Soares Cruz1 aRicardo Kemmerich00aThe fourth colony and the maintenance of regional identity, memory and culture3 aLocated in the central region of Rio Grande do sul, the Fourth Colony occupies a delimited geographical space that is marked by a culture rooted in strong identity feelings related to the historical past of the descendants of the first immigrants / settlers who arrived in the region. Nowadays it consists of nine small counties, which are mostly habited by descendants of Italian immigrants. Thus, this article seeks to show the protagonism of people and institutions that have developed and develop activities that emphasize the memory, identity and regional culture. To this end, a bibliographic survey was conducted, searching for books, magazines and articles related to the topics discussed here. In conclusion, we highlight the importance of preserving not only a documentary and material heritage, but also a remarkable intangible heritage in the region studied.  a1688-5317