Portraits Of Brazil Of Arab Origin

(MENAFN- Brazil-Arab News Agency (ANBA)) São Paulo – On this March 25, National Arab Community Day in Brazil, ANBA revisits the stories of Brazilians of Arab descent and their contributions across different fields in the country. Revisit profiles published by the agency from early 2025 through early 2026 of personalities who stand out in the arts, business sector, judiciary, and culture in Brazil.

March 25 was chosen as the date to honor Arabs due to the street of the same name in São Paulo, which was a hub for shops run by the first Arab immigrants in Brazil. The street was named after the date of Brazil's first Constitution, enacted on March 25, 1824, and still hosts some businesses owned by families of Arab origin, although it now includes many other entrepreneurs as well.

Arabs and their descendants total 11.6 million people in Brazil, according to a survey commissioned by the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC ) in 2020 from H2R Insights & Trends and the then Ibope Inteligência polling firm. The survey showed that within this community, most are of Lebanese origin (27% of respondents), followed by Syrian origin (13%).

Check out some of this community's stories:

In a piece published in January 2026, ANBA featured the trajectory of Brazilian artist Valéria Arbex, who turned stories passed down by her grandmother, a Syrian immigrant, into material for her work in theater and literature.

In September 2025, ANBA published the story of entrepreneur Omar Hassan El Eis, the son of a Palestinian. He entered the swimming pool business at a young age, at 22, and has found success with franchises in the sector.

Also in September 2025, ballerina Dalal Achcar was the subject of an ANBA feature. With a childhood split between Brazil and Lebanon, she built an international career and founded a social dance project for new generations.

In July 2025, ANBA readers got to know the story of Andréa Maciel Pachá, the granddaughter of Arabs with a distinguished career in Brazil's judiciary. She has also written books, worked in the arts, and created initiatives in support of adoption and the fight against violence against women.

In January 2025, ANBA told the story of actor of Arab origin Mouhamed Harfouch, a performer in TV Globo soap operas. At the time, he was preparing to premiere the play Meu Remédio, in which he uncovers the story behind his name and explores his Syrian heritage.

Also discover the story of Syrian-descendant Gabriel Sayegh, published in June 2025. The engineer recounts his work to keep Arab culture alive in spaces across the city of São Paulo.

*The profiles include information on each person's story up to the date the report was published (see each text), with no more recent updates for this publication.

Translated by Guilherme Miranda

Supplied

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