Mr. Roberto Khatlab, CECAL Director, was invited during April to Brazil, on the occasion of the visit of the president of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Sleiman (from April 21 to 27, 2010). On this occasion, Mr. Khatlab gave a lecture on April 27 at the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV - www.fgv.br) in São Paulo, on the theme of “+130 years of Lebanese Emigration to Brazil” and presented an overview on CECAL, which represented a cultural support during the commemorations of “+130 years of Lebanese Emigration to Brazil. He seized the opportunity to launch his book at the legislative Assembly of São Paulo, along with the Cultural Association Brazil-Lebanon.

On April 29, Mr. Khatlab visited São Paulo University (USP – www.usp.br), one of the biggest universities of Latin America, and Instituto de Cultura Árabe – ICArabe (www.icarabe.com.br). The commemoration has participated during 5 years to the creation of ICArabe at Sirio Club of São Paulo.

On April 31, Mr. Khatlab visited in the State of Paraná, the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR – www.ufpr.br) in the capital of the state, Curitiba, and met with its President, Dr. Saki Akel Sobrinho, of Syrian Lebanese origins, and his International Assistant, Dr. Alzir Felippe Buffara Antunes, of Lebanese origins as well. Both were highly interested to establish cooperation agreements between UFPR and USEK. Mr. Khatlab met as well with Dr. Jamil Zugheib Neto who proposed the idea of presenting a conference, along with a delegation, on “Post War Identity”.

On May 2, Mr. Khatlab,visited the town of Maringá, in the State of Paraná, wherein he met with the mayor, Dr. Silvio Magalhães Barros, and visited the University Center of Maringá (CESUMAR - www.cesumar.br). He visited as well the town of Londrina, wherein he met with professors from the University of Londrina (UEL - www.uel.br), and presented a lecture on the relations between brazil and Lebanon, organized by the professors Ricado Sahão, Jos and Abdallah. During all these visits, Mr. Khatlab presented an overview on CECAL.

At Rio de Janeiro, Mr. Khatlab met on May 4 with Dr. Aclizio Calazans, lawyer and sports consultant, and discussed together the sports exchanges possibilities between both countries, especially as during the visit of the President of the Lebanese Republic, a “Memorandum of Sports Intention between Brazil and Lebanon” was signed. Messrs. Khatlab and Calazans started to initiate necessary contacts to carry out a sports activity between CECAL and Brazil in 2011.