São Paulo – The Consulate General of Lebanon in Rio de Janeiro will celebrate the Arab country’s National Day, November 22nd, with new cultural activities. The consulate will launch a photo exhibition, open a bookstore offering publications about Lebanon, and enlarge the premises at its offices, in Rio’s Botafogo district, for educational cultural actions such as Arabic language classes. In doing so, the consulate intends to bring Lebanese culture closer to the Arab colony and the Brazilians who live in the city.
The photo exhibit will focus on Lebanese immigration to Brazil, and will feature old documents on the topic. The pictures are from the collection of the exhibit’s curator, the Lebanon-based Brazilian historian and writer Roberto Khatlab. It will be open to guests, including professors and diplomats, on November 23rd, and then it will travel to other events in Rio, such as the Brazil-Lebanon International Seminar due at Candido Mendes University on November 25th. The show will return to the consulate in December, when it will open to the public, with visits scheduled by email at cultura@consuladogeraldolibanorj.com.br. The exhibit is held by the Brazil-Lebanon Culture Institute and sponsored by the consulate.
According to the consul general of Lebanon in Rio de Janeiro, Ziad Itani, at first the bookstore will offer books from the publisher Hachette Antoine. “They have children’s and adult books, books on history, on cuisine,” explains Itani, noting that these works must be made available to the Lebanese community in Rio de Janeiro. The books will be sold at cost price, with no profits to the consulate, according to the consul and eventually partnerships with other publishers will be in place. Hechette Antoine is a joint venture between a Lebanese and a French publishing house. The books will be on sale at the consulate from 3pm to 9pm on weekdays. Most are written in Arabic, but publications in English will also be available.
The consulate’s cultural space opened a year and four months ago and currently offers Arabic lessons to 110 students. “Forty percent are of Lebanese descent,” says Itani. The course costs BRL 300 per 32-hour module. Since demand is strong, the space where the classes and other cultural activities take place will be enlarged. The area will now feature a mini-auditorium, besides the bookstore. The auditorium will host film screenings, lectures and debates on Lebanese culture-related topics. According to Itani, such events already take place at the consulate, but frequency will increase from now on.
The Lebanese National Day marks the independence of the Arab country, when the French released the Lebanese political leaders they were holding captive and recognized the country’s autonomy.
General Consulate of Lebanon in Rio de Janeiro
Rua Dona Mariana, 39 – Botafogo – Rio de Janeiro – Rio de Janeiro
Website: http://www.consuladogeraldolibanorj.com.br/site/index.php
Telephone: +55 (21) 2539 2125
Email: cultura@consuladogeraldolibanorj.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
