São Paulo – The cities of Jericho, in Palestine, and Foz do Iguaçu, in Paraná, will be sister cities. The agreement making them sister cities was signed between the ambassador of Palestine in Brasília, Ibrahim Azeben, and the mayor of Foz do Iguaçu, Paulo Mac Donald Ghisi, this month, and the process is already in progress.
"Jericho and Foz have similar characteristics,” said Azeben, during a visit to the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, last week. "Both have a triple frontier,” he pointed out. Jericho has frontiers with Jordan and Israel, while Foz borders Argentina and Paraguay. "This sisterly relationship is favourable to mutual growth,” said the ambassador.
Azeben was in the city in Paraná between June 16th and 18th, to participate in the Iguaçu Tourism Festival. The festival, which traditionally brings together only travel agents from Latin American countries, this time had a Palestinian stand for the first time.
“We believe that the best support that the countries of Latin America can grant the peace process (between Palestinians and Israelis) is fostering tourism, establishing bridges between the nations,” said Azeben. At the Palestinian stand, there was promotion of images from the country, exhibition of handicraft and also distribution of a paper published especially for the event.
"We want to bring the nations closer so that they may learn about each other. This opens doors for human and product exchange and the exchange of experiences. It is more than bringing the peoples together, it also opens opportunities for greater trade,” finished off Azeben. Among the visitors at the Palestinian stand at the festival were the Minister of Tourism of Brazil, Pedro Novaes, and Paraguayan Tourism minister Liz Cramer.
*Translated by Mark Ament
