São Paulo – Brazilian writers anthology Da Diáspora para a Terra Natal (From the Diaspora to the Homeland) was launched this Friday (26) at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in the UAE. The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce is one of the book’s sponsors, alongside the Consulate of the UAE in São Paulo and the Kalima Project for Translation of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, which works to promote Arabic versions of world literature.
The book comprises texts by 12 Brazilian authors. The writers attending the launch event were Ana Miranda, Marcelo Maluf and Marco Lucchesi. They sat on a panel with the anthology’s creator and editor Mirna Queiroz, and a moderator from the Kalima Project (pictured above). Arab Brazilian Chamber Cultural director Silvia Antibas was in attendance, as were the ambassador of Brazil to the UAE, Fernando Igreja, and the head of the Arab Chamber’s international office in Dubai, Rafael Solimeo.
“The launch of the Brazilian literary anthology in the UAE, in a joint project with the Chamber and the Kalima Project, is a watershed in Brazil-UAE cultural cooperation. It means another step forward in the ongoing process of building closer ties between our countries, this time through culture. It’s a way for us to get to know each other better. I hope this project will be the first of many cultural cooperation projects, so that we may learn more and more about the culture and literature of these two countries,” said Igreja.
During the event, Kalima distributed some copies of the work in Arabic. “The authors’ talks were moving; they are extremely flattered by the invite. After their speeches, the mediator asked if someone in the public would want to talk, and there were some Brazilians and people from Kalima who asked questions about the authors’ relation with the Arab world and the Arab culture in Brazil,” reported Silvia Antibas.
For her, the project contributed to the Chamber’s goal to connect Arabs and Brazilians. “That is what we are doing translating Brazilian books to Arabic. Bringing Brazilian culture to the Arabs. So much so that the title about the diaspora return to the homeland talk a little about that,” stressed Antibas. Many immigrants in Brazil are from the Arab world.
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair runs until April 30. The Brazilians will participate this Saturday (27) from 6 to 7pm at Al Multaq literary salon, talking about the third culture, which is the relation between art and science, technology and philosophy, the dialogue between writers and scientists for the good of humanity.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda & Gabriel Pomerancblum
