{"id":277298,"date":"2020-07-22T21:04:51","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T00:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/?p=277298"},"modified":"2024-02-29T18:28:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T21:28:24","slug":"arab-brazilian-chamber-announces-creation-of-arab-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/arab-brazilian-chamber-announces-creation-of-arab-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Arab Brazilian Chamber announces creation of Arab House"},"content":{"rendered":"

S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 During an online event on Wednesday (22) that marked its 68th<\/sup> year in existence, Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce<\/strong> (ABCC) president Rubens Hannun announced the creation of the Arab House. The event also saw the release of a survey of Arab immigrants in Brazil. The newly established House of Arabs is expected to play a key role in asserting the identity of the Arab-Brazilian community.<\/p>\n

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Yazigi discussed Arab immigration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe will need to provide access to the culture, the history and the traditions to grownups, young people and children in each and every corner of Brazil. That is why today we are launching the Arab House, which will start out in virtual fashion and then materialize in physical form over time,\u201d said Hannun. According to him, the House will focus on culture as well as cuisine, economics, society, and identity issues.<\/p>\n

The survey presented during the event showed that some of the Arab descendants \u2013 especially the younger ones \u2013 are drifting away from their roots. The idea is to have the Arab House counter that, Hannun explained. The initiative will be available online at first, so it can be available across Brazil and elsewhere in the world. \u201cThere will be a place for all things Arab in this House,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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Tamer Mansour: both Egyptian and Brazilian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The survey on immigration conducted by Ibope Intelig\u00eancia and H2R Pesquisas Avan\u00e7adas\u00a0demonstrated that Brazil is home to 11.6 million Arabs and Arab descendants. \u201cThis is the biggest population of Arab origin away from the Arab territories,\u201d Hannun remarked. The ABCC\u2019s Policy Council chairman Walid Yazigi noted that prior to the survey, numbers regarding the community used to be guesswork, to an extent. \u201cThat uncertainty prompted the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce to take a scientific approach to doing this census,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Hannun spoke of the joy of having an immense and successful Arab community in Brazil, and pointed out that these people identify themselves as Brazilians as well as Arabs. ABCC secretary-general and CEO Tamer Mansour is a case in point. \u201cI was born in Egypt. I arrived in Brazil over 19 years ago. I am part of this history, and I am proud of being an Arab Brazilian, as well as a Brazilian Arab,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Regarding the survey data, Hannun said doing collaborative work to the benefit of Brazil is a characteristic of the Arab community, and the ABCC itself is an example of that. He also mentioned other defining features of Arabs that the survey unearthed, such as entrepreneurship, productivity and leadership. \u201cArabs are genuine protagonists,\u201d he said, adding that Arabs had their beginnings in Brazil as traveling salespeople, and now they are corporate leaders.<\/p>\n

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Testimonial footage was shown of the Arab League’s Aboul Gheit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hannun said the ABCC will embrace the purpose of connecting the Arab community to itself and its roots. Besides creating the Arab House, the organization is planning to release the results of its studies on Arab presence in Brazil in book form. The publication should include a reflection from Walid Yazigi and it will be made available in Brazilian Portuguese, English, and Arabic.<\/p>\n

The ABCC Policy Board chairman reminded viewers of the history of Arab immigration, going back to Brazilian emperor Dom Pedro II’s tours of Arab countries, which encouraged immigration to Brazil. He also mentioned that people flocked in from Syria and Lebanon seeking better living conditions, and discussed Arab tours made by Brazilian presidents.<\/p>\n

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Alzeben was featured in online event<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Featured in previously filmed footage, Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Brazilian-Arab relations are outstandingly solid. He said Brazil has repeatedly supported Arab causes, particularly the Palestinian one, through political positions underpinned by the observance of international law. \u201cWe hope that this will continue to be the case,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The dean of the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Brazil and ambassador of Palestine, Ibrahim Alzeben, joined the event from Bras\u00edlia. He congratulated the ABCC on its 68th<\/sup> anniversary and the immigration survey initiative. He said work is in order to enhance Brazilian-Arab exchange. According to Alzeben, all Arab countries from Mauritania to the Gulf have a lot to offer Brazil, and this goes both ways.<\/p>\n

The event also featured H2R Pesquisas Avan\u00e7adas director Alessandra Frisso and Ibope Intelig\u00eancia CEO M\u00e1rcia Cavallari Nunes, who discussed survey data. Testimonial footage was shown of Arab descendants who have risen to prominence in their professions.<\/p>\n

For more on the survey and the virtual event please check out:<\/em><\/p>\n

Arabs, descendants are 6% of Brazil\u2019s population: survey<\/a><\/p>\n

Ten pct of Brazil\u2019s business leaders are Arab or descendants<\/a><\/p>\n

Arab descendants: 41% are third-generation immigrants<\/a><\/p>\n

Pride in Arab roots ties together generations<\/a><\/p>\n

You can watch the full webinar here:<\/em>
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