São Paulo – There are infinite spaces in São Paulo dedicated to promotion of the culture of places, artistic expression and even religion. And Arab culture could not be forgotten among this universe of addresses. One of them is number 639 on Baronesa de Itu street, in Santa Cecília neighbourhood. There, at the offices of the Library and Centre of South American and Arab Research (Bibliaspa), there are not only exhibitions of objects related to the Arab world, but also a space dedicated to literature and to research in a redone house.
Those visiting the Bibliaspa will find books about one of the main artists of the 19th Century: Lebanese painter and author Gibran Khalil Gibran (1883-1931). There are also copies of the holy book of Islam, the Koran. These are among the books most read by those visiting the site. But that is not all. There are picture books like "Image of women" by Middle East researcher Sarah Graham Brown. In this work she explains, through pictures and texts, stories of Arab women between the 19th and 20th centuries. Comics artist Joe Sacco, famous for showing the Palestinian reality in his drawings, is also included in the collection with book "Palestine".
There are books in Portuguese, Arabic, English, French and Spanish. There are encyclopaedias, novels, philosophy books and even reports of trips, as is the case with "The Shadow of the Sun", by Polish author Ryzsard Kapuscinski. In this book he reports his travels in Africa. There are also books that tell the story of the arrival of Arab Culture in distant regions, like “The Arab Colony of the Amazon”, by Gaitano Antonaccio.
Not all books at the site have direct relations with the Arab world. After all, Bibliaspa promotes the exchange of experience between the Arab, Brazilian and South American culture. If between one and another book about the Arabs you start feeling a longing for the great Brazilian authors, there you may find "50 selected short stories by Machado de Assis" and "Death and Life Severina", by João Cabral de Melo Neto. Most of the Bibliaspa works, donations, are turned to helping readers understand more and more about the Arab world. And that is no surprise.
Bibliaspa, according to University of São Paulo (USP) professor Paulo Farah, was established to change the opinion people have regarding Arab culture. For this reason, it is a site where you may research the Middle East and North Africa and promote cultural and educational events on the matter. "People feel that Arab culture is something from the past. We want to show that it is modern, diverse and that it has much to discuss with the culture of countries like Brazil and Latin America. We have much to learn with them,” said Farah, who is the Bibliaspa director.
Books are fundamental for the Bibliaspa collection, but are not all. The space also shows objects used in the Islamic world, like the Koran holder and works of art that are references in the Arab world. This is the case with exhibition "Arab Watercolours". Apart from that, it offers courses for youths and adults. In the second half, the site should offer Arab dance lessons, an Arab literature course and a history course. There are also free Arabic lessons for youths aged 14 to 19. And the Bibliaspa activities do not end there.
In March, the space received the 2nd South American Arab Culture Festival. In December it should promote a cinema exhibit. Theatre presentations are also scheduled to take place there. Many of those visiting the site are students and researchers of the Arab and Islamic world. But Bibliaspa is open to anyone who wants to learn more about one of the many cultures found in São Paulo.
Bibliaspa is the cultural arm of the Summit of South American-Arab Countries (Aspa), an initiative to bring the Arab and South American governments closer together. Apart from the space in São Paulo, the organisation also promotes cultural relations between both regions.
Service
Bibliaspa is at Rua Baronesa de Itu, 639, Santa Cecília, São Paulo – SP.
Further information may be obtained at telephone number +55 11 3661-0904 or on site http://www.bibliaspa.com.br/.
*Translated by Mark Ament
