Belo Horizonte – The role of women in the Arab society and the coffee industry was one of the highlights of a lecture by Ali El-Khatib in the International Coffee Week on Thursday (17) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The event Coffee in the Style of Arab Villages — History and Tasting took place at the Model Coffee Shop in what is the largest coffee event in Latin America.
El-Khatib teaches International Relations and Cultural Management and has been involved in the coffee industry for years. “It was through the history of my own mother that I realized the importance of the women in the society and the coffee sector. They stand out in the production, always participate, and now they are tasters, roasting masters, baristas, and they work in communications,” he stressed.
To promote the Arabic coffee preparation, El-Khatib made coffee in the traditional method and held a tasting for visitors surrounding the presentation. “Therefore, we made here the Arabic coffee as prepared by women in the villages, using sand from the desert,” he said.
The lecture was attended by coffee farmers, baristas and coffee buyers, including traders that export to Arab countries like Volcafe. El-Khatib’s participation in the International Coffee Week was supported by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
On the occasion of, professor Brigitte Bacha was invited by El-Khatib to do a dance performance. In Belo Horizonte, she leads the Brigitte Bacha Center for Art and Culture, focused on Arab culture.
*Journalist Thais Sousa traveled by the invitation of the International Coffee Week
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
