São Paulo – Until next Friday (6th), The Council of Brazilian Representatives Abroad, which represents expatriates in four different regions of the world, is in Brasília to discuss the main requests of Brazilians living overseas. At the meeting, apart from obtaining information on the workings of the Itamaraty (Brazilian foreign ministry) and its activities, council members are having a chance to speak directly to officials from Brazilian ministries, including Foreign Relations, for feedback on actions being implemented to benefit Brazilian expatriate communities overseas.
According to the undersecretary general for Brazilian Communities Abroad, ambassador Eduardo Gradilone, a request of most regions is the teaching of Portuguese language. Brazilians living in other countries do not wish to lose their fluency in their native language, and they want to make sure that their children, many of whom were born abroad, may study the language too. To that end, according to him, information must be disclosed as to what is already available for the communities in each country.
Legalization of status is a demand in most countries. It is usually not a problem in regions such as Japan, where most are legal, or the Middle East, to where Brazilians usually move to work in high-profile jobs, study, or get married, but rather in regions such as the United States, Europe, Paraguay and Bolivia, among others. In South American countries, by the way, the Brazilian government is engaging in talks and establishing partnerships to solve immigration issues.
In the Middle East, according to Gradilone, one of the requests is protection to women, due to violence and ill treatment inflicted on them. In the Council, the Middle East is part of the “Asia, Africa, Middle East and Oceania” group, comprising three full members from Japan and one from Lebanon. The Council also comprises the “South and Central Americas,” “North America and the Caribbean” and “Europe” groups. Each section also has four substitute members. For the Asia, Africa, Middle East and Oceania group, there are two substitutes from Japan and two from Lebanon. According to Gradilone, two Lebanese representatives are attending the meeting in Brasília, full member Siham Harati and first substitute Khaled Haymor.
The council was elected in November last year and took office in December. Prior to that, a provisional group was in effect. This was the first meeting of the group, which bases its work around the “consolidated minute of demands,” a document comprising discussions and actions implemented since the Brazilians in the World Conference, held in 2008, 2009 and 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, featuring representatives of Brazilian communities overseas. The next one, due October this year, will be held in Brasília, according to Gradilone.
The diplomat explains that emigration from Brazil is recent, having taken place in the mid-1980s and in particular in the 1990s. “We established the council by request of the Brazilians,” says the ambassador. The group is attending a series of lectures in Brasília to gain better understanding and interaction with the government’s foreign relations. The meeting is promoted by the Itamaraty and organized by the Alexandre de Gusmão Foundation.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
