São Paulo – The aim of the Brazil-Lebanon Cultural Centre (BrasiLiban) is to be a space for promotion of the Brazilian language, art, dance, literature, sports, music and cinema. The organisation should open its doors to the public on April 27th, in Beirut. An initiative of the embassy of Brazil to the Arab country, the centre plans to attract audiences interested in learning more about or coming closer to all that brings Brazil to mind.
“It is an ancient request of the Lebanese, as a whole, and especially of the Lebanese community of Brazilian origin," explained Roberto Medeiros, a minister, councillor and head of the cultural department of the Brazilian embassy, regarding the initiative of establishing the centre. "In social or cultural meetings with the members of the embassy to Beirut, the Lebanese always asked Brazil to establish an institution whose main objective was promoting Portuguese and Brazilian culture," he added.
The institution will offer courses in Portuguese and Brazilian culture, as well as classes in dances like samba, forró and lambada, capoeira and jiu-jitsu martial arts courses as well as lessons in Brazilian cuisine, piano and choir and the Lebanese Arabic dialect (for Brazilians). “Regarding specific activities, we are going to promote exhibitions, conferences, debates and music and dance presentations," said Medeiros. Children will also have activities dedicated to them, with storytelling in Portuguese and Arabic and initiation in Brazilian folklore, among others. The centre should also offer regular cinema sessions with Brazilian films.
The audience going to the centre will also have free access to a library with Brazilian literature, a multimedia library with music CDs and DVDs with films, documentaries and Brazilian musical shows. According to the councillor, this cultural collection is still being set up and the centre is seeking donations from people and institutions interested in helping.
One of the tasks of the centre will also be making contact with universities and Brazilian and Lebanese researchers, and to apply Celpe-Bras tests for proficiency of foreigners in Portuguese. "We are negotiating with teaching institutions in Brazil to offer courses in the Brazilian school curriculum, in Portuguese, for students interested in returning to Brazil to continue their studies there, but that will only be in future," said Medeiros, regarding the embassy’s plans for BrasiLiban.
Medeiros also explained that BrasiLiban is bringing together works by Brazilian artists aimed at assembling a permanent exhibition. "We are working hard to decorate the institution’s walls with works of art from several regions of Brazil," he said. "We would like to show works of art from all states, in a permanent exhibition. We would like to count on the assistance of Brazilians and of the Lebanese community living in Brazil, to send donations. We have already received works of art from Rio de Janeiro and are in contact with the community of Lebanese origin in Pará and Ceará," he explained.
For relaxation, the centre will count on a coffee-bar, to serve typically Brazilian snacks, like coxinha (little chicken cakes in the form of a drumstick), cheese bread and risole (little stuffed cakes). To drink, the traditional coffee will not be lacking, neither will guaraná and the famous caipirinha. While enjoying the gastronomic moment, the soundtrack will include musicians like Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque and Caetano Veloso, helping create a more Brazilian climate.
According to Medeiros, despite the centre opening this week, there should, later, be a party for official inauguration, but the date has not yet been defined. The event will include the presence of a high-level representative of the government of Brazil.
Service
Brazil-Lebanon Cultural Centre (BrasiLiban)
Address: Mar Mitr Street, Sami Fouad Trad House, n˚ 176, Achrafieh, Beirut
Working hours: from 9:30 am to 9:30 pm
Tel: (+961 1) 322905 / 6 / 7
E-mails: centreculturelbresilliban@gmail.com and cultural@brazilembassy.org.lb
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/BrasiLiban
*Translated by Mark Ament
