São Paulo – The Arabic Language Month in Brazil wrapped up this Thursday (24) in São Paulo. The event was held by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz International Center for Arabic Language (KAICAL).
The closing dinner (pictured above) at the Pullman Ibirapuera Hotel was attended by delegates from the Saudi center, including its secretary-general Mahmoud Ismail Saleh, and diplomats such as Saudi ambassador to Brazil Ali Abdullah Bahittam.
The event’s first-ever edition was held by the KAICAL Brazil, with cultural support from the Center for Promotion of Islam in Latin America (CDIAL). “This month [has taken place] in Foz do Iguaçu, then Florianópolis, São Bernardo do Campo and São Paulo, at USP. This event symbolizes most of all the importance of having people learn Arabic in Brazil. We hope to have other events soon,” said CDIAL commercial director Elias Hadi.
In his closing address, the Saudi ambassador pointed out the historic relevance of the language. “Arabic language helped spread knowledge such as philosophy and culture to humanity. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always worked to spread Arabic language. This Center (KAICAL) helps Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Saudi-Brazilian cooperation is wide-ranging and we will work to enhance it even further,” he said.
Bahittam also told ANBA that initiatives such as this can bring results to Saudi-Brazilian relations. “This is the first time we have the Arabic month in Brazil. We hope to have other events next year, and to build even stronger ties between Brazil and Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce Marketing vice president Riad Younes also joined the celebration. “This is an event designed to spread Arabic language across Latin America and especially Brazil. It’s really interesting, because only 30 countries in the world have hosted this monthlong language-learning event. For the Arab Chamber, it’s a key event, because the Chamber’s mission statement includes bridging the gap between the cultures of Brazilian and Arab peoples. A program like this one enables a better comprehension of Arab culture and traditions,” said Younes.
The Arabic Month in Brazil wrap-up ceremony was also attended by authorities including UAE consul general to São Paulo Ibrahim Salem Alalawi. During the ceremony, Brazilian Islamic School made presentations in Arabic and awards were given to students who joined Arabic contests.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
