São Paulo – Out of the 20 refugees selected for the Airbnb Experiences project, four are Arabs. Airbnb Experiences offer options ranging from one-on-one tours through the city to tasting of typical dishes. The idea is that the hosts offer unique activities that are linked to their own culture.
The actions offered by refugees are already available in the city of São Paulo. The initiative came from the Roots in the City project, created in partnership with the NGO Migraflix, which aims to connect this public to the Brazilian society through the entrepreneurship. The entire value of the experiences will be transferred to their creators.
The cultural activities include ‘Learn to Bake Syrian Homemade Bread,’ with Fatima Ismail from Syria. In Brazil since 2014, she supplies parties and events with foodstuffs such as curd, hummus, baba ghanoush, mujaddara, joshpara, kibbeh, as well as vegetarian versions of the dishes. It’s a hands-on experience, and Fátima also serves a welcome breakfast with appetizers. At every step of the bread recipe, she talks about her story and life change after the war in Syria.
On the other hand, ‘Middle Eastern Ritualistic Dance’ is taught by Palestinian born in Syria Yara Tanji. Graduated at law school and a dance teacher, she has already performed in theaters and opera houses in China, Canada and Russia. Tanji is specialized in classic ballet initiation and Andaluz, an Arab dance performed in rituals.
For the ‘Original Syrian Food Experience,” Ghazal Baranbo from Syria will receive visitors at her own home. The experienced available on Airbnb offers a table full of Arab delicacies. She will tell the story of her arrival in Brazil and her life.
Finally, in ‘Trip to Damascus,’ the hostess is Yamam Saad from Syria. With a degree in Archeology, Saad used to work at the National Museum of Damascus. The activity guides visitors through the streets of the ancient and historical part of Damascus with a video produced specially for the occasion. The experience also includes traditional restaurants of the city, and typical Arab dishes from those venues will be served. The activity includes a tasting of Arab coffee and each visitor takes home a picture with their name written in Arabic calligraphy. At the end of the “trip,” Saad shows a video about how the war impacted her country with before and after pictures.
Taste of São Paulo
Later this month, three Arab refugees working with Migraflix will participate in an event in the city of São Paulo. They are Ghazal Baranbo, and Omar Suleibi and Salsabil Matouk from Syria. They will be at Taste of São Paulo, a festival that brings together restaurants and chefs at the Clube Hípico de Santo Amaro. For the first time, the food festival will feature Migraflix, which will take its group of 13 chefs from Bolivia, Syria, Iran, Haiti, India, Mexico and Venezuela.
Quick facts
Taste of São Paulo
August 16, 17 and 18; and August 23, 24 and 25
BRL 40-60
Clube Hípico de Santo Amaro – R. Visc. de Taunay, 508 – Vila Cruzeiro, São Paulo – SP
Find out more at https://saopaulo.tastefestivals.com
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
