São Paulo – The characteristics of Syrian-Lebanese immigration to Brazil and the strength of its women will be the subject of a panel at the 2nd International Seminar on Women and Democracy [Seminário Internacional Mulheres e Democracia], to take place this Thursday (24) and Friday (25) in São Paulo. Historian and researcher Heloisa Abreu Dib Julien (pictured above), coordinator of the Digitization Project of the Memory of Arab Immigration in Brazil, will address the theme in the panel “Women, Immigration and Institutions” on the first day of the event at 10:00 am BRT. Historian Monique Sochaczewski will moderate the roundtable.
Heloisa will discuss some characteristics of Syrian-Lebanese immigration to Brazil, portraying the situation of women from these communities in family and society. She will lecture on the founding of philanthropic, cultural, and commercial entities linked to Arab immigrants and their descendants in Brazil and the strength of the press in developing this group.
Women from the Arab community played an essential role in the founding and leadership of philanthropic entities aimed, initially, at serving immigrants and, soon after, the whole population of São Paulo, such as the ‘A Mão Branca’ Charitable Association for Elderly Support, Syrian-Lebanese Charitable Association – Adélia Cury Nursery, Pro-Childhood Syrian Home, HCor – Syrian Charitable Society, Ladies Charitable Society of the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital, and Lebanon Cedar Association for Child Protection.
Heloisa says the names of strong and fearless women, such as Adma Jafet, Adelia Cury, Salua Atlas, Madre Maria Ruman, Nabiha Abdalla Chohfi, Mariam Dib, Violeta Mograbi, and Corgie Assad Abdalla will be remembered in the panel. The project coordinated by the speaker rescues and digitizes pieces of memories of Arab immigration to Brazil, such as photos and newspapers, and has the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) and Lebanon’s Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK).
The International Seminar on Women and Democracy will take place from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on both days, in-person and free of charge. The other panels will be “Overview of the 90 years of female suffrage in Brazil,” “Domestic Violence: Legal framework in Portugal,” “Sexual division of work, pandemic, and home-office,” and “Women in care activities: Insecurity in productive work and income.” The Women and Democracy Research Group organizes the event with the support of the Unichristus college.
Quick facts:
International Seminar on Women and Democracy
November 24 and 25, 2022
In-person, free admission
Rua Itapeva, 538, São Paulo – SP
Information and registration here
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
