UNESCO. (2022, August 31). “Arab Latinos!” initiative promotes intercultural dialogue for social cohesion.
Building on the centuries-old ties between the Arab region and Latin America and the Caribbean, UNESCO organized the first expert meeting on “Arab Latinos!” in São Paulo, Brazil, on 22 August 2022. The main purpose of this initiative of UNESCO Social and Human Sciences Sector is to encourage intercultural dialogue and tolerance for social cohesion.
The event, hosted by the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, took place on 23 – 24 August 2022 in São Paulo, kicked off by an official ceremony followed by an expert meeting. The discussions between fifteen experts from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico resulted in a five-year Plan of Action for a potential new route of intercultural dialogue at UNESCO. The proposed Plan of action would be articulated over four pillars: 1) Research and Knowledge production; 2) Awareness-raising; 3) Capacity-building; and 4) International Coalition.
Since the end of the 19th century, significant migratory flows from the Arab countries arrived in Latin America and the Caribbean. Today the population of Arab descent in the region is currently estimated to be between 17 and 20 million.
Center for Intercultural Dialogue 