São Paulo – The store in the Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai highlights female talents in literature. Since December, books written by Brazilian women, mainly expatriates living in the United Arab Emirates, can be purchased in the commercial space of the pavilion. On February 26 and 27, Saturday and Sunday, the authors will hold an autograph session for the public of the world expo.
The company managing the store, On Duty Events, decided to take advantage of the presence of Brazilian women in the country of Expo 2020 Dubai to promote literature. Books by expatriates are sold at the store, such as children’s works ‘The Garden of the Moon’ [‘O Jardim da Lua’], by Wiana Kell; ‘Cissa and diversity’ [‘Cissa e a Diversidade’], by Veronika Eleutério; ‘My name is Ali. What is your name?,’ by Ladimari Hoeppler; and ‘Dora – the coolest dog in the world’ [‘Dora – A cachorra mais legal do planeta’] by Sueli Bianchi.
Visitors can also find the fiction novel ‘Maid in Dubai,’ by Zana Bonafe; the study guide ‘Portuguese Express’ [‘Expresso Português’], by Anapaula Villa Boas Neves; the adventure book ‘Climbing Giants’ [‘Escalando Gigantes’], by Fernanda Degow; and the self-help book Be Inspired, by Érika Cristina. There are books in Portuguese and English. Except for Neves, the other authors will participate in the autograph session at the Expo, divided into two groups, one on Saturday and another on Sunday.
The Brazilian women are part of the UAEscreve writers club, which meets monthly to exchange experiences and discuss editorial and literary matters. One of the group members, Wiana Kell, came up with the idea to sell the books on her first visit to the Brazil pavilion at the Expo when she saw the Brazilian products store and made the proposal to On Duty.
Wiana is a partner in the UAE of A Taba, a Brazilian children’s book subscription club. Some books by other Brazilian authors distributed by the publishing house are also available at the store in the Brazil pavilion, like ‘History of Brazilian Animals’ [‘História de Bichos Brasileiros’], by Vera do Val; and ‘Carnival Classes and Other Poems’ [‘Aulas de Carnaval e Outros Poemas’], by Ricardo Azevedo.
On Duty’s project manager, Gabriela Daher, says the idea of having the books in the store is to show Brazilian intellectual and literary production as part of the values presented by Brazil at Expo 2020 Dubai. “Books are a part of that,” Daher told ANBA over a phone call. She says the works have been generating interest in a very mixed audience, but natives and residents are the ones who buy the most.
The Brazilian female authors’ autograph session will be next to Parque das Águas [the Water Park], a reflecting pool that is the central attraction of the Brazil pavilion. Each author will have a table to autograph books and chat with interested readers. Daher says this will also be an opportunity for visitors to taste Brazilian coffee, coxinha, açaí, or pão de queijo, specialties sold at the cafeteria.
The store
On Duty is responsible for the commercial operations of the pavilion, and Daher says the store was designed based on the values of the Brazilian space, which has sustainability as its central theme, divided into three mottos: together for nature, together for tomorrow, and together for people. The souvenirs offered at the point of sale are stamped with images designed by a Brazilian artist, which illustrate these subjects and refer to the country.
“There’s a whole story behind it; whoever buys a product is acquiring knowledge about the country and what we have, what we have built,” explains Daher. Another strategy of the store is to prove this theory through the products. This is how items such as Brazilian-branded vegan shoes and products made in the Pipa social project, collective creation hub by people living in low-income communities in Rio de Janeiro, earned a spot at the space.
Quick facts:
Brazilian Female Authors Autograph Session
February 26 and 27, 2022
From 3 to 6 pm
Brazil Pavilion – Expo 2020 Dubai
Dubai – United Arab Emirates
On Duty: gabriela.daher@ondutyevents.com
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
