Rio de Janeiro – In order to promote the next Alliance of Civilizations Forum, which will be held in Doha, in Qatar, the Arab country has a booth at the ongoing edition of the UN’s event, in Rio de Janeiro, and it is attracting Brazilian youths.
Filled with lights, colourful, and featuring several photographs of the tall, modern buildings under construction in Doha, the booth attracts the attention of passersby at the lobby of the Museum of Modern Art (MAM). “We have brought 21 boxes filled with books and leaflets about Islam, maps, the Alliance’s objectives, and there is none left,” claimed the chairman of Qatar Youth Leaders, Mohammed Al Hamadi.
According to him, this is his first visit to a country in South America. Dressed in garments typical of the Arab countries in the Gulf, i.e. in white and with his head covered, Hamadi draws the attention of Brazilian youths.
“They stop by and want to learn about Qatar, they want to take my picture. It is amazing,” he said. According to him, if he were to turn up dressed like this in the United States, for instance, the gazes would be different. “Here, the people come up to me smiling,” he added.
Aside from promoting the forum, Hamadi wants to promote the country as a tourist destination, considering that the first direct flight between Doha and São Paulo will be inaugurated by Qatar Airways in June.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
