Sister Cities: The Rio-Beirut Case as a Tool to Promote the Lebanese Cultural Identity in Brazil

O Caso Rio-Beirute como instrumento para promoção da Identidade Cultural Libanesa no Brasil

Abstract

This paper presents the case of the Rio-Beirut sister cities as a potential instrument for promoting Lebanese cultural identity in Brazil. In the field of International Relations, the concept of sister cities refers to the formalization of cooperation relations between municipalities located in different countries and is discussed in the literature on decentralized international cooperation, characterized by international relations between sub-national entities, such as federal states and municipalities. Cultural identity can be understood as a set of values, customs, beliefs and behaviors related to certain social groups. This paper seeks to contribute to the literature based on the case of the sisterhood between the municipalities of Beirut (Lebanon) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), which formalized their ties as sister cities in 2009. In 2019, the Consulate General of Lebanon launched the project "Rio-Beirut: Paths for two cities", with proposals for actions in different areas. Using a qualitative approach to the case and content analysis of primary and secondary sources, this exploratory study seeks to answer the following question: to what extent do the actions developed under the sister cities agreement contribute to the promotion of Lebanese cultural identity in Brazil? The aim is to prove or disprove the hypothesis that sister city arrangements serve as a tool for promoting cultural identity. The results suggest that the actions of the Rio-Beirut Project have the potential to promote certain aspects of cultural identity, especially in terms of traditions, customs, cuisine, arts and literature, which will need to be evaluated when they are effectively implemented.