{"id":174599,"date":"2018-05-06T17:59:21","date_gmt":"2018-05-06T19:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/?p=174599"},"modified":"2018-05-06T20:15:46","modified_gmt":"2018-05-06T22:15:46","slug":"syrian-sports-club-launched-centennial-landmark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/syrian-sports-club-launched-centennial-landmark\/","title":{"rendered":"Syrian Sports Club launched centennial landmark"},"content":{"rendered":"

S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 S\u00e3o Paulo\u2019s Syrian Sports Club launched this Sunday (6) a landmark to celebrate its 100th<\/sup> anniversary: an 8.4-ton rock (pictured)<\/em> from Palmira, Syria, where the Club\u2019s founders came from. The Club was established in 1917 by young immigrants for socialization, leisure, sports, and to keep alive their Arab cultural roots.<\/p>\n

A gift from the Syrian government, the rock was taken from the same site as the ones that were used in building the historical city of Palmira. At the Club, it was set in a tree-lined outdoor area that clubgoers pass through. The launch event was attended by clubgoers and leaders from the Club and other organizations.<\/p>\n

The Club\u2019s Centennial Committee chairman Roberto Cabariti\u00a0told the story of the landmark. According to him, it all began nearly two years ago, when the idea came up to find an original item from Syria to symbolize the centennial. In 2016, during a solidarity mission of the Federation of American-Arab Organizations (Federa\u00e7\u00e3o de Entidades Americano-\u00c1rabes – Fearab) to Syria, the Club\u2019s members Fuad Achcar Jr. and Rezkalla Tuma (since deceased)<\/em>, who were part of the mission, made the request to the Syrian government, and it was promptly met.<\/p>\n

The Syrian Sports Club relied on support from the General Consulate of Syria in S\u00e3o Paulo to bring in the rock. It got shipped from Syrian in September 2017, arrived in Santos in October, and made it to its destination in November. The Club\u2019s centennial year was 2017. \u201cIt\u2019s here within the reach of our hands, with its symbolic strength,\u201d Cabariti said regarding the rock.<\/p>\n

Syria\u2019s consul general to S\u00e3o Paulo, Sami Salameh, attended the rock\u2019s launch and said it signifies the \u201cgood-heartedness\u201d of the third and fourth generations of Syrians in Brazil towards their ancestors. \u201cIt\u2019s a piece of a country that belongs to us all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Syrian Sports Club president Fabio Kadi\u00a0told those in attendance that the rock\u2019s arrival is reminiscent of the arrival of the immigrants who established the place in 1917. \u201cI am sure they knew we would be here today, celebrating their dream,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Kadi said the Club, as well as Damascus, had its moments of grief and glory. \u201cMay this rock, this monolith, lead us to reflect through times of trouble, through times of joy, so we may keep radiating what represents our people, which is perseverance, a heart full of love, and the will to live,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n