São Paulo – The president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Salim Taufic Schahin, and other personalities in the Arab community were honoured on Tuesday (22) at an event at the offices of the Library and Centre of South American and Arab Research (Bibliaspa), in São Paulo. Medals in honour of the 130 years of Arab immigration in Brazil, produced by Casa da Moeda, the Brazilian Mint, were granted by Foreign minister Antonio Patriota to those honoured.
"This is recognition to members of the community who stand out," said the Foreign minister, recalling that the Bibliaspa is the fruit of the Summit of South American-Arab Countries (Aspa), an initiative of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to strengthen relations between both regions.
According to Patriota, the Aspa arose from the "need to fill gaps in which there was lack of knowledge" between South Americans and Arabs and to promote closer ties between both peoples based on cooperation. Two summits have taken place up to now, one in Brazil and another in Qatar, and from them came initiatives for exchange in several areas.
One of the areas is commercial, the area of operation of the Arab Brazilian Chamber. Schahin pointed out that the honour is "stimulus" for further closer ties between Brazil and the Arab world in the economic sector. He pointed out that during the two terms in which president Lula was in office, and now, in the beginning of the Rousseff term in office, trade rose "in an extraordinary manner".
To give an example, Schahin said that in the beginning of this year, exports from Brazil to the Arab nations grew 58%, whereas foreign sales of Brazil grew 33%. "That shows the importance of these relations," he said. "If the government continues acting for generation of closer ties, the Arabs will know how to answer in the same intensity," he said.
Schahin also said that Brazil had a strong trade surplus with the Arabs in 2010. "This contributes for Brazil to have a healthy trade balance," he said, adding that large Arab investors are interested in Brazilian enterprises.
The president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber pointed out that Brazil is currently seen as "a shining star" around the Arab world and that in the recent experience of the country, in the political, economic and social areas, may serve as an example to nations in that region. The ceremony took place during roundtables covering the "Arab Sprint", in reference to the popular protests that are spreading throughout countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
In this respect, he recalled that the government of Brazil officially recognised Palestine as a state last year, which caused other South American nations to do the same. "It was an extraordinary position, a demonstration of appreciation for a region that suffers," he said, to a standing ovation.
Schahin also said that the government of Brazil may always count on the Chamber as an ally and told minister Patriota that the organisation plans to build an Arab Culture House in São Paulo, dedicated to showing Brazilians "the enormous contribution that the Arabs have granted to the world" and to being a memorial to the "great contribution that the Arab community has granted to Brazil".
Celebration
Also honoured was the president at the Women’s Beneficent Society, which maintains the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital, in São Paulo, Violeta Jafet. "I would like to thank you for this celebration by our nation, Brazil, as I feel it is a wonderful country," she said. "It is the land of love, sincerity and fraternity," she added. Violeta will be honoured by the Arab Brazilian Chamber on Friday, at a dinner at the Mount Lebanon Club, in São Paulo.
Also honoured were University of São Paulo (USP) professor and Bibliaspa director Paulo Farah, USP professor Benjamin Abdala Júnior and the medical director of the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital, Riad Younes.
The event took place in the scope of the 2nd South American Arab Culture Festival, promoted by the Bibliaspa. At the closing, Patriota inaugurated a panel on the wall of the institution’s head office painted by graffiti artists Gregone, Neo, Smesh, Jota, Her and Frenesi. It shows the Arab, African and South American peoples.
March 25th is the date chosen in honour of Arab migration to Brazil and was established by Federal Law, thus the series of events promoted this week by the Arab community. Yesterday, for example, former president Lula was honoured by the Federation of Muslim Associations of Brazil (Fambras). On Friday, apart from Violeta, the Arab Brazilian Chamber should also honour cardiologist Adib Jatene, the former minister of Health.
*Translated by Mark Ament
