NGO-like business is like a message in a bottle at sea. As you throw it out you can only hope someone gets it somewhere some time. Talking to those who are willing to act on your proposition renews the expectation of results to follow, even though following up on it is knowingly a hard task to achieve.
Years of practice demonstrate that goodwill alone does not suffice to see your well meant purposes materialized. Almost fifteen years into this line of work, the overall status quo of the relations in question does not look to have changed much. However a more detailed analysis will reveal some actual developments. The international audience we have been hammering on for so long with our message at least starts to acknowledge the existence of our mission (i.e. the integration of peoples based on a common cultural and ancestral origin). Perhaps this has to do with the way changes produce themselves, slowly and gradually, too much so for an individual's realization.
One of the insistently repeated points is to depart from the traditional concept of foreign trade. Had we not taken that view, it would be far too hard for countries so different and continents apart to engage into productive collaboration. We instead opt for the broader view of business to include not just merchandise, but also services, intellectual property and even labor.
In the case of Brazil and Lebanon that includes engaging into joint business with the latter's zone of influence and vice-versa. Lebanon hence becomes not just the small-sized though quite sophisticated marketplace. Its assets now comprise its expatriate business community in the Persian Gulf, Africa and elsewhere. Brazil in turn, apart from being in its own right a proven business frontier yet to be fully exploited, also presents itself as a partner of outmost regional relevance.
The idea of free trade between Lebanon and the Mercosul block has as primary goal to facilitate and increase imports of Lebanese products. Buying more wine and olive oil from Lebanon will definitely not harm the industries of Mercosul member countries. It should instead induce mutually beneficial Lebanese-assisted business to the interest of those same countries in the vast territory where Lebanese are present and exercise decision making influence.
Coming back to the UL students we just met, it is our view that a skillful labor-hungry Brazil should additionally incentive the immigration of qualified ambitious youngsters like those, having as bonus for their success the existence of a Lebanese community a mounting to close to 5% of the entire Brazilian population. The foreseen result: generation of wealth, employment, know-how and technology for growth and progress.
That is of course just one among our conclusions upon visiting UL. We must persevere and multiply fronts for cooperation in parallel. One instant task arising from the morning at UL is to assist them make contact with counterparts in Brazil with the aim to engage into joint projects as well as to exchange students. A brilliant move it may be, by the way.
In two week's time it will be the business delegation coming to us on the other side of the planet. Some interesting possibilities in line. A Lebanese bank considering the start of an operation there and a famous Lebanese chain of stores of the country's celebrated delicacies contemplating its first franchises there down South.
Time to move on, always.
