São Paulo – There was even a welcome sign in Arabic, written by a group that travelled from Curitiba. Some people were overwhelmed, desperate to shake hands with the president of their motherland, there were women with much gloss and well-dressed men listening carefully to the words of Bashar Al-Assad, the president of Syria. And they all heard Assad say that they play an important part in relations between Brazil and their motherland, that there is no stronger bridge between two nations than the “human bridge”.
That was the climate of the reception that the Syrian community in Brazil prepared for president Assad on Thrusday (30), at Club Homs. The Syrian leader, who is on an official visit to Brazil, spoke and was applauded. Most of those present did not even wait for the translation into Portuguese before clapping. After all, he was speaking in “Arabic”, the language of those present, or at least of their parents and grandparents. In his address to the community, Assad pointed out the importance of descendants in relations between Syria and Brazil.
"The distance is great, but the community brings us together,” said Assad. The president stated that on arriving in Brazil he understood what attracts the Syrians. According to him, one of the reasons that makes the Syrians “belong” in Brazil is the natural characteristic of the people, very similar, according to Assad, to that of the Syrian people: open and hospitable. "Continue faithful to your homeland and to this land,” said Assad, recalling that Brazil opened its doors to the Syrians in the 19th century, no matter what ethnicity and religion.
The Syrian president showed, however, concern with regard to the ties that coming generations may have with Syria and suggested the establishment of an Arab school. He himself offered Syrian government support to a project of the kind.
Assad pointed out the importance of president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the process of bringing Syria and the Arab world closer to Brazil. And he said that he started “thinking seriously” about the American continent and about Brazil after Lula’s visit to Syria. “Our relations are strong, but never had they reached the level they reached in Lula’s government,” said the Syrian president.
He said, however, that he has not seen anything concrete taking place between both regions after the summits that took place and the agreements signed. And he said that he discussed the matter during his meeting with president Lula in Brazilian capital Brasília, on Wednesday. "The ideas are good, but they have to be made concrete. Agreements and summits are important, but they do not create true relations,” said Assad. Relations between Brazil and Syria should take place, according to him, through the community. And he called on the community to visit Syria and learn Arabic.
Assad met with the president of Homs Club, Fuad Antacli, who also spoke about the blood ties between Brazil and Syria. “Ever since we were small, we learnt how to love and respect the land of our forefathers. Our parents and grandparents would certainly like to be here, present at the ceremony in honour of president Bashar," said Antacli. Like him, there were others present, anonymous, but happy for the opportunity to meet the president of their land of origin. Translator Catherine Chahinian, who was born in Aleppo, was one of them. "It is a unique opportunity to come close. I cheer for the country (Syria)", she said.
Tradesman Ricardo João Chamie was also among those present. Having a father from Damascus and a mother from Homs, he praised Assad’s attitude, his decision to visit Brazil. "The Arab community in Brazil and in São Paulo is very great. The visit is well deserved,” he said. Also present were members of the Syrian colony in other cities, like the representatives of the Syrian-Lebanese Beneficent Society of Piracicaba, in the interior of São Paulo. A group of ten was present.
Also participating in the ceremony at Homs Club were members of the board at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, among them president Salim Schahin, Marketing vice president Rubens Hannun, directors Bechara Ibrahim and Sami Roumieh, among others, as well as the secretary genera, Michel Alaby. The ceremony at Homs Club was organized in partnership with the consulate of Syria in São Paulo. The consul of Syria to the city of São Paulo, Ibrahim Issa, and the business attaché at the embassy of Syria to Brasília, Ghassan Obeid, were also present.
*Translated by Mark Ament
