São Paulo – Three garments – female, long and black, but with colourful embroidery, in green, red and yellow tones, make it clear that there is an event related to the Arab world there. It is the Arab Assets and Handicraft Exhibition, at the National Theatre, in Brasília, Brazil’s federal capital. The fair began last Friday, November 29th, and is open to the public up to December 10th.
The exhibition is one of the cultural activities of the Arab Week, an initiative aimed at bringing the Brazilian closer to the Arabs through a series of activities, from exhibition of movies and promotion of shows, to events turned to politics and trade between both regions. The Arab Week began on the same day as the exhibition, November 29th, with an event at the National Congress on the Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
At the fair, it is possible to feel a little of the climate of the Arab countries. At the space reserved to Egypt there is embroidered fabric typical of the country, hand-painted dishes and jars, large mother-of-pearl boxes, as well as pictures with paintings that illustrate a little of the past everyday life in the country, like women carrying water bottles on the bank of the Nile and women dancing in tents in the desert, while a male band plays music.
The Tunisian space brings to mind the house of Aladdin, with large metal jars, decorated mirrors, exotic clogs and a little of the country’s colour. From Algeria it is possible to see images of the country, in pictures with photographs and porticos, camels, painted ceramics, as well as female garments with exuberant embroidery in gold and other bright tones.
The exhibition includes particularities of Sudan, showing its Arab and African faces, with many photographs of nature, decorations and handmade household appliances, like dark wooden structures of elephants, camels, lion, zebras, among other animals. There is also a beautiful sofa with tapestries from Kuwait, a wooden boat and many photographs of Kuwait Towers, a symbol of the Gulf Arab nation.
At the exhibition, it is possible to see several Masbaha, Muslim prayer beads. They are at the space reserved for Saudi Arabia, in different sizes and with varied stones, and at the Lebanese area, in giant sizes. There are also cushions and tapestries from Saudi Arabia, photographs of Mauritania and Lebanon and their historic monuments, among others.
Admittance is free and is organized by the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Brazil, in partnership with the Culture Secretariat of the Federal District.
On Wednesday (4), the Brazilian capital should receive the Brazil-Arab Countries Economic Forum, promoted by the Council of Arab Ambassadors, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the National Confederation of Industries (CNI). The object of the event at the CNI headquarters is to bring Brazilian companies closer to the Arab world.
Service
Arab Assets and Handicraft Exhibition
From November 29th to December 10th
From 8:00 am at 9:00 pm
Site: Claudio Santoro National Theatre
Address: SCTN, Via N2, Asa Norte, Brasília – DF
*Translated by Mark Ament
