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| Ambassador of Brazil to Korea Luis Henrique Sobreira Lopes, left, pins the Order of Rio Branco medal on Soleiman Dias, founder and president of the Brazil-Korea Association, at the Embassy of Brazil in central Seoul, April 21. Courtesy of Chae Hee-jun |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Soleiman Dias, founder and president of the Brazil-Korea Association, received the Order of Rio Branco, an honorific order of Brazil, April 21, for his efforts to provide a "valuable and unrelenting contribution to the deepening of relations between Brazil and South Korea" for more than 20 years.
Brazil Ambassador to Korea Luis Henrique Sobreira Lopes bestowed the medal, conferred by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, during a ceremony at the Brazilian Embassy in central Seoul.
The ambassador introduced Dias as a leading personality in the Brazilian community of Korea.
"During my stay I came to realize that there is a prominent Brazilian residing in Korea for more than 20 years. He has been playing a particularly relevant role in the promotion and defense of Brazilian interests in this country," Ambassador Sobreira Lopes said.
"(The medal) is meant to be awarded to Brazilian citizens and foreign personalities who have made a significant contribution to strengthening the relationship between Brazil and foreign countries."
Dias wears multiple hats ― he is currently the director of alumni and international relations at Chadwick International, a member of the Academy of Social Sciences in Brazil and honorary citizen of Seoul. He also is the founder and president of the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) Foreign Advisory Board.
"I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this recognition. Honored because I can still remember ― exactly two decades ago ― the day I came to talk to the ambassador and other diplomats here at the embassy and I asked them if there was any Brazilian community in Korea and if I could start an association," Dias said during his acceptance speech.
"My hope is that this serves as an inspiration to many others to do exactly what I did: if you cannot find something you're looking for, create it. If you think what is out there is not what you're looking for, recreate it.
"Always say yes when you strongly feel you should do something for a good cause. Promoting my country and culture, in my opinion, is a good cause. Helping other Brazilians to have a happier life in Korea and enjoy this incredible country is a good cause, for sure it is my mission here in Korea."
The ceremony doubled as an opening for "South Korea: Images of Beauty," an exhibition showcasing photos taken by Dias around Korea in recent years.
"After much thinking, some advice and time going through hundreds of files, I selected these 23 pictures that portray, very superficially, the images of beauty I find in Korea every weekend, every break I have, almost every day," Dias said.
"The pandemic forced me to stay in the country. What a blessing that was. I spent my vacations, after 20 years, in Korea, going everywhere."
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