São Paulo – The Lebanese will be able to learn more about the travels of Brazilian emperor Dom Pedro to the Arab countries in the nineteenth century in an exhibition that will open next Wednesday (21) in Beirut. The exhibition Alcântara: The Travels of the Brazilian Emperor Dom Pedro II in the Arab World – 1871 and 1876 will take place at Dar El-Nimer for Arts and Culture and run until December 21. The foundation will host activities on the topic, including a conference and guided tours in Portuguese, Arabic, English and French. The opening takes place at 5:30-6:35 pm (AST), and the exhibition can be visited for free from Monday to Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm (AST).
The exhibition showcases photographs of the emperor’s travels, documents, written entries of his logs, sketches, paintings, and a series of articles from newspapers, as well as images of Arab immigrants from the 19th and early 20th century that moved to Brazil following the visits of Dom Pedro II. The emperor visited Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Egypt. All the material in this exhibition belongs to public collections, particularly from theNational Library, Imperial Museum of Petrópolis and the National Library of Rio de Janeiro, among others. Pictured above, a painting from Khatlab’s collection that will be part of exhibition.
Roberto Khatlab is the curator of the exhibition and author of the book The Travels of Dom Pedro II. Middle East and North Africa, 1871. “I see Dom Pedro II as an Orientalist, an Arabist, and a pioneer in Brazil-Arab relations that attracted many Lebanese, Syrians and other Arabs to immigrate. The Great Arab Immigration to Brazil started in 1880,” he told ANBA. Khatlab lives in Lebanon, where he is the director of the Center for Studies and Cultures of Latin America (CECAL) at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK).
The exhibition is held in partnership with the Embassy of Brazil in Beirut and is sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil. This year celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Independence of Brazil. Hermano Telles Ribeiro, ambassador of Brazil in Beirut, pointed out that last year marked 150 years since the first trip of the Brazilian emperor Dom Pedro II to the Arab world. “Both celebrations are intimately linked: Dom Pedro II was the second (and last) monarch of independent Brazil, and his travels somehow stimulated the emigration of Levantine people to our country. Those people, along with migrants from other parts of the world, have helped develop our nation, build our history and shape our culture until today,” he was quoted as saying in the opening text of the exhibition.
The conference Dom Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil, and the Lebanese Emigration to Brazil and Latin America will take place on September 29 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (AST) at Dar El-Nimer for Arts and Culture. The discussion will feature ambassador Ribeiro, Khatlab, film director and producer Carmen Labaki, assistant professor Suzanne Menhem, and professor Boutros Labaki. Speakers will tackle the relations between Brazil and the Arab world and the Lebanese immigration to Brazil.
Quick facts
Exhibition “Alcântara: The Travels of the Brazilian Emperor Dom Pedro II in the Arab World – 1871 and 1876”
September 21 to December 21, 2022
Opening on September 21, 5:30 pm (AST)
Visits from Monday to Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm (AST).
Dar El-Nimer for Arts and Culture – Beirut – Lebanon
More information here
Conference “Dom Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil, and the Lebanese Emigration to Brazil and Latin America”
September 29, 2022, 6 pm (ST)
Dar El-Nimer for Arts and Culture – Beirut – Lebanon
More information here
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
