São Paulo – The Syrian minister of Expatriates, Joseph Sweed, arrives in Brazil today (6th) for a four-day visit. He is responsible for issues pertaining to expatriates from his country and is going to meet with Syrian immigrants and descendents, as well as visiting institutions founded and maintained by the community of Arab origin.
The trip to Brazil is part of a tour of South America. He has already been to Venezuela and Argentina, and after Brazil he should head to Chile. In Buenos Aires, for example, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (Sana), Sweed stated that Syrian colonies in foreign countries are an essential part of his country’s culture, and that they play an outstanding role in the establishment of closer bilateral ties.
In the city of São Paulo, the minister is going to meet with mayor Gilberto Kassab, visit the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, the Consulate General of Syria, the Syrian Sports Club, the Club Homs, the Brazil Mosque, the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital, the Islamic Charitable Association of Brazil (Abib), the Arab Syrian Cultural Centre, The Orthodox Cathedral and the Pro-Infancy Syrian Home. He is also going to Rio de Janeiro.
Syrians and their descendents comprise a significant share of the community of Arab origin in Brazil, estimated at 10 million people. They are outnumbered only by the Lebanese. Immigration began in the last decades of the 19th century.
Sweed has occupied the position of minister of Expatriates since July 2008. Born in 1958, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Damascus and is a member of the Syrian Parliament.
*Translated by Gabriel Blum