São Paulo – Brazilian capital city Brasilia will host an Arab Week from November 29th to December 4th. The initiative celebrates the Arab Day and the International Day for Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Over the days there will be a broad programme in Brasília, with themes involving cultural, economic and political aspects of the region. On the last day, a forum will discuss the trade relations between Brazil and the Arab countries.
“We want to express interest in the Arab world, strengthen relations with the Arab people and show them in Brazil” said dean of the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Brazil, the ambassador of Palestine in Brasília, Ibrahim Alzeben. According to the diplomat, this is the first time that the country receives an Arab Week of this magnitude, due to the quantity and quality of the programme. The Council of Ambassadors of Brazil is the promoter of the initiative.
The agenda will be opened on Friday (29), at 3:00 pm, with a sovereign session at the National Congress due to the International Day of Solidarity with the Arab People. The programme should include a handicraft and Arab heritage exhibition, cultural presentations by seven groups coming from the Arab world, a march for solidarity and peace, as well as an economic forum.
The organisation of the seminar is sponsored by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), where the event will be promoted. It will take place on November 4th, and is turned to businessmen. The themes will be trade, investment and tourism, always focussing on relations between Brazil and the Arab countries. According to Alzeben, the objective is to identify the possible spheres for exchange between both regions.
The cultural programme should take place at the National Theatre. At the site the Exhibition of Arab Assets and Handicraft will take place, to be opened on Friday (29), at 7:00 pm, with a reception. It will be at the site up to December 10th. Still on opening day, at 8:30, there will be Palestine dance and folklore presentations by Alkofieh band, from Palestine.
Also participating in the Arab Week will be a choir from Saudi Arabia, named Blessed Nation, Egyptian dance group and band Attanorah, Brazilian-Algerian music group El Ferda, folk group Popular Art, from Qatar (which is yet to confirm its presence), and Al Majd Popular Art, from Oman. There will also be presentations by Moroccan lute player Haj Younes, a reference in the area and art ambassador of Morocco in the United States.
A cinema exhibit will also take place at the National Theatre, in Alberto Nepomuceno Room, and will have films from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, France, Morocco, Tunisia, the Netherlands, Egypt, Oman, Belgium and Italy. The entire programme is free of charge. The March for Solidarity and Peace will take place on Sunday, December 1st, at 10:00 am, at Parque da Cidade.
*Translated by Mark Ament
