Brasília – A technical cooperation agreement signed today (26), in Rio de Janeiro, by the president of Lebanon, Michel Sleiman, and the board of directors of the National Archive of Brazil is going to enable Brazilians of Lebanese origin to retrieve their Lebanese nationality.
Before the document was signed, Lebanese descendents had to choose one of the two citizenships. According to estimates, there are over 7 million people of Lebanese origin living in Brazil. The figure is higher than the population of Lebanon itself.
“The agreement is going to be a gateway into the Middle East for Latin America. Brazilians of Lebanese origin need to hold the key to this gateway. I am calling out for them to go back to Lebanon and apply for the citizenship,” requested president Sleiman, who considered the document to be an opportunity to the population of his country.
Many people left Lebanon fleeing from wars and occupations or seeking work in other nations. Migration into Brazil was strong in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, when the Brazilian government created incentives to attract foreign workers.
The cooperation agreement signed today also provides for the exchange of documents and historical, economic and cultural records, and encourages a systematic study of mutual influences among the two nations.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
