2008 Woodie Awards
SBCC celebrates Middle Eastern culture
Saira Masood
Issue date: 10/18/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
City College's first-ever Middle Eastern Cultural Appreciation Month kicked off its opening Oct. 5 with films, lectures and discussions, hoping to inform students about Middle Eastern culture and religious practices.
"We must try to understand each other. There are biases everywhere, but there is also hope and that's the main message we want to spread," said Azadeh Rassaf, one of the organizers for the multicultural event.
The event is a collaborative effort by 10 students, Political Science Professor Monou Eskandari and History Instructor Elizabeth Mizrahi.
The festivities are being held in light of the month of Ramadan, a month of intensive prayer, sacrifice and Divine worship, in which Muslims fast from sun up to sun down.
"The purpose of [fasting], other than it being part of our five pillars of our religion, is it's something spiritual that we do and it allows us to understand how hungry the poor are. We are able to break our fast and eat a dinner afterwards, but imagine the rest of the world that is not able to have something at the table," said Fatemeh Hassoun, an active member who promotes cultural awareness.
In addition to this month's celebration there will also be a new Middle Eastern club, a study abroad trip to Greece and Turkey, and a Middle Eastern Studies major starting next year at City College.
Eskandari and Mizrahi have teamed up to help create the events that will run through October as well as acting as chaperons for the study abroad trip to Greece and Turkey.
"We aren't denying that there are problems in the Middle East, but everybody is aware that there are problems. We are trying to look at the positive, look at the hopeful, look for a future," Mizrahi said.
A panel of 40 students who spoke during the "What It's Like to Be a Muslim" event held on Oct. 11 discussed misconceptions about Middle Easterners.
Hassoun said people are quick to judge someone because they have a scarf covering their hair.
"You can't take a criminal and say, 'look he is a Christian and all Christians are this way,'" Hassoun said.
Almost everyone on the panel said artificial barriers separate them from other cultures and people. Many said they were optimistic about closing the gap between different cultures.
The 10 student organizers said they want people to understand that everyone is an individual and you cannot categorize someone because of what they look like.
"We are hoping to establish a culture on the campus of learning about the Middle East," Eskandari said.
The month-long celebration will close with a Middle Eastern extravaganza on West Campus Oct. 26.
"We must try to understand each other. There are biases everywhere, but there is also hope and that's the main message we want to spread," said Azadeh Rassaf, one of the organizers for the multicultural event.
The event is a collaborative effort by 10 students, Political Science Professor Monou Eskandari and History Instructor Elizabeth Mizrahi.
The festivities are being held in light of the month of Ramadan, a month of intensive prayer, sacrifice and Divine worship, in which Muslims fast from sun up to sun down.
"The purpose of [fasting], other than it being part of our five pillars of our religion, is it's something spiritual that we do and it allows us to understand how hungry the poor are. We are able to break our fast and eat a dinner afterwards, but imagine the rest of the world that is not able to have something at the table," said Fatemeh Hassoun, an active member who promotes cultural awareness.
In addition to this month's celebration there will also be a new Middle Eastern club, a study abroad trip to Greece and Turkey, and a Middle Eastern Studies major starting next year at City College.
Eskandari and Mizrahi have teamed up to help create the events that will run through October as well as acting as chaperons for the study abroad trip to Greece and Turkey.
"We aren't denying that there are problems in the Middle East, but everybody is aware that there are problems. We are trying to look at the positive, look at the hopeful, look for a future," Mizrahi said.
A panel of 40 students who spoke during the "What It's Like to Be a Muslim" event held on Oct. 11 discussed misconceptions about Middle Easterners.
Hassoun said people are quick to judge someone because they have a scarf covering their hair.
"You can't take a criminal and say, 'look he is a Christian and all Christians are this way,'" Hassoun said.
Almost everyone on the panel said artificial barriers separate them from other cultures and people. Many said they were optimistic about closing the gap between different cultures.
The 10 student organizers said they want people to understand that everyone is an individual and you cannot categorize someone because of what they look like.
"We are hoping to establish a culture on the campus of learning about the Middle East," Eskandari said.
The month-long celebration will close with a Middle Eastern extravaganza on West Campus Oct. 26.
Be the first to comment on this story