Following a series of talks conducted by the Center of Studies and Cultures of Latin America at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (CECAL – USEK), in the person of its Director Mr. Roberto Khatlab and Dr. Aclizio Calazans, a bilateral exchange agreement was signed between the Federation of Volley-Ball of Rio de Janeiro (FVR - www.voleirio.com.lb – President Carlos Reinaldo Pereira Souto) and USEK, represented by its President, Rev. Fr. Hady Mahfouz.

The first outcome of this cooperation will be the “First International Cup of Volley- Ball Rio-Lebanon”, organized by the FVR, CECAL-USEK and the Municipality of Teresopolis, Rio de Janeiro (Mayor Dr. Jorge Mario).

Brazilian teams: Flamengo, Botafogo and Tijuca
Lebanese team: USEK

In terms of exchange and reciprocity, a Brazilian sports team will visit Lebanon in 2011 to play matches against Lebanese teams.

It is worth mentioning that this cup is a competition organized in solidarity with the people of Teresopolis, a village which has suffered in January 2011 of a severe natural disaster due to torrential rains resulting in more than 1000 victims in the region. The USEK team is going to express this solidarity on behalf of Lebanon. All the cup matches will be played in the Pedro Hage Jahara Gym, named after the former mayor of the village, himself from a Lebanese origin. Teresopolis has a large Lebanese diaspora of Lebanese and their descendants.