Follow and subscribe to Sergio Semerdjian's Official Channel / @brfanaticosporparreirasdeu6006 São Paulo is a city known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. Japanese, Portuguese, Italians and descendants from several other countries, mainly from Europe and Asia, helped to build the identity of Brazil's largest city. Sometimes, we see these stories told in books, films and exhibitions. However, the Armenian community is one of those that does not receive this attention. Recording the memory of the Armenian people and narrating the arrival of these immigrants to Brazil was what led historian Sonia Maria de Freitas to delve into a long research project and produce the work 'Armenian Presence in São Paulo: immigration, business, identity, religion and social interaction', the 11th book published by the author. Throughout the 236 pages of the publication, the reader will find testimonies from Armenian descendants, hundreds of photos and documents that report the arrival of the first groups of immigrants in São Paulo, at the beginning of the 20th century, in the hope of finding an opportunity to start their lives over in Brazil. At that time, many Armenians left the country after the genocide that killed more than 1.5 million people between 1915 and 1923. The author highlights this fact as one of the reasons that drew her attention to the Armenian people. “In 2000, at the Immigration Museum in São Paulo, I had contact with some survivors of the genocide and the opportunity to perceive the strength of the Armenian people, who have an admirable trajectory of much struggle, work and faith”, highlights the writer. The book was written based on extensive research in public and private archives, interviews with Armenians who came as refugees to Brazil and also with their descendants, who kept the country's culture alive, including religious traditions, language, family customs and Armenian cuisine. Another highlight of the work is the record of the journey that these people have taken over the last century, such as the importance of the Presidente Altino neighborhood in Osasco for the establishment of the Armenian community in the region and its participation in the footwear sector, which was one of the main sources of income for many of the immigrants, who arrived in the country without financial resources. “The research is very well documented, including previously unpublished information and with the important participation of Armenian families, who were the main characters in this beautiful story that deserves to be told,” concludes the author. Armenian families helped in the realization of this project Almost two decades passed between the beginning of the research and the publication of the book. Sonia Freitas reports that during this time she received a lot of support from some Armenian families, and not only in oral interviews and by opening the doors of their homes and sharing photos, documents and stories, but also financially to cover the costs involved in producing a book like this. Businessman Sérgio Semerdjian, who is the son of Armenian parents, was the person responsible for inviting Sonia to gather her research and transform what was initially a doctoral thesis into a book. An enthusiast of his culture, his descendant sponsored the book's curation and other costs that made it possible. In addition to Sérgio's family, other Armenian families also collaborated with the author in collecting data and giving testimonies, including the families: Manissadjian, Rizkallah, Kurdjian, Markossian, Burbulhan, Pamboukian, Kahvegian, Cumrian and Dichtchekenian. Launch and sales The book already has a date and time to be launched and will have a special celebration. On November 2, from 3 to 7 pm, the book will be launched at the Armênio Club, Rua Professor Ascendino Reis, 1450, Vila Clementino, in São Paulo. The book will be available for sale at the Club itself and at other Armenian community organizations in São Paulo, as well as online. Sonia Maria de Freitas holds a PhD in Social History from the University of São Paulo (USP) and has worked as a researcher and curator at the Museum of Image and Sound and the Museum of Immigration in São Paulo. For the past 25 years, she has dedicated herself to the theme of immigrants who settled in São Paulo, especially the Portuguese. Throughout her career, she has published eleven books, many of which deal with the theme of immigration in the city of São Paulo, including the work Presença portuguesa em São Paulo (Imprensa Oficial, 2006). Thanks to her commitment to studying and portraying the history of emigration of these people, she was honored with several awards and tributes, including tributes from the São Paulo City Council for holding the exhibition Memories of Spanish Immigration (1998) and for the relevant services provided to the Portuguese community (2010), in addition to the 30th Clio History Award, from the São Paulo Academy of Histor