Calendar of Events › Boston
May 19, 2012
[Boston] PALINDROME: The commissioning of a musical journey
Pre-reception with light refreshments – 7:00 p.m.
Pre-concert Discussion – 7:30 p.m.
Concert – 8:00 p.m.
Join us for the exclusive debut of a unique jazz composition from a Grammy-nominated musician. The New England Foundation for the Arts funded AIC to commission an original piece by DUNYA co-founder Mehmet Ali Sanlikol. The product is Palindrome, a Turkish-influenced jazz composition close to Sanlikol’s heart. Palindrome is a musical journey mirroring Mehmet’s own voyage from Turkey to the U.S. and from a jazz-centric virtuoso to curator of multiple musical styles.
On May 19, Mehmet and members of the DUNYA collective will take us on a journey back to his cultural and musical roots. It’s not everyday a musician of Mehmet’s caliber performs a tailor-made jazz serenade, just for you. Don’t miss this concert! The event is open to the public, but space is limited!
Reserve your seat at: http://palindromeamusicaljourney.eventbrite.com/
May 23, 2012
[Boston] Witness Series: ‘Dreams of the Middle East’s Next-Generation Reformers’
“Arab Spring Dreams” is a new book spotlighting remarkable writing by young Middle Easterners on individual rights and their dreams for a better future. It features a foreword by Gloria Steinem, praise from Nobel Laureate Lech Walesa, and has been hailed by ABC News’ Lara Setrakian as ““an essential portrait of a generation.”
This special edition of the Witness Series features the anthology’s editors Nasser Weddady and Sohrab Ahmari sharing their own stories of growing up under repression and how they selected the writings for the book from the American Islamic Congress’ annual “Dream Deferred” essay contest.
As the son of a diplomat, Nasser Weddady grew up meeting dictators like Hafez Al-Assad and Moamar Qaddafi. Despite his privileged status, he bristled at repression and rebelled to become a civil rights activist. Sohrab Ahmari grew up in Tehran after the revolution and experienced Islamist repression as a student. The editors will read brief excerpts of their favorite essays from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and beyond. They will be available to autograph copies of the book.