Dec. 16 Concert to Benefit Syrian Refugees!

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Date: Wednesday December 16, 2015
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Red Room at Cafe 939
939 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02115
 

Curated and organized by musicians Gabriela Martina (CH), Sophie Maricq (ESP/UK/BE) and Jussi Reijonen (FIN) in collaboration with Berklee College of Music’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion, SONIC RELIEF is a humanitarian fundraising concert to gather donations and raise awareness to aid refugees of the war in Syria. Now in its fifth year, the war has cost the lives of more than 250,000 people, and displaced over 11 million people, creating a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale.

 

This concert brings together musicians from around the world who will perform classical repertoire of their respective traditions to promote social awareness of the Syrian humanitarian crisis. Performing onstage will be world-renowned Arabic oud (11-string fretless lute) and violin virtuoso Simon Shaheen, as well as the Lee Swensen Katz Trio with Cleveland Quartet founding member and Grammy-award winning cellist Paul Katz. All artists are forgoing their performance fees to support the cause.

 

All proceeds will be donated towards humanitarian aid in refugee camps and conflict-affected areas in Syria and Jordan via Questscope, an international 501(c)(3) organization based in Jordan. All gifts to Questscope qualify as charitable contributions and are 100% tax-deductible.

 

Also appearing as a guest speaker and sharing his experience as a Syrian displaced by the conflict will be Mr. Razek Siriani from Aleppo, as well as Ms.Nadia Rhodes Schroeder from Questscope giving a presentation on the organization’s work in the conflict-affected areas.

 

Tickets can be purchased through the following link: http://bit.ly/1TQNttn

 

If by any means you can’t make it but still would like to contribute, you can donate through the following direct link: http://www.classy.org/sonicrelief

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

The SONIC RELIEF Team

 

December 11th Film Screening

 

The CAC and Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT Present:

 

TUNISIA, YEAR ZERO

“The story of the first democracy in the Arab world.”
A Film by Feriel Ben Mahmoud
 
December Film

 

We will be joined by Guest Speaker Professor Rachid Aadnani
for a discussion after the film.

Date: December 11, 2o15

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: Center for Arabic Culture

191 Highland Av. Suit 6B. Somerville, MA 02143

About the Film:

On January 14th, 2011, the people of Tunisia took to the streets in mass protest and toppled the government of Ben Ali. The event has a tremendous impact in the region which triggers the Arab Spring. Following the revolution, Tunisians make the radical choice to draft a new state constitution. Called to the urns for the first free elections of their history, the citizens of Tunisia will have to choose which model of society they wish to live in. Islam, secularism and women’s status become the major themes of a campaign under high pressure.

Following the events day by day, TUNISIA, YEAR ZERO tells the story of a difficult birth: that of the first democracy in the Arab world. In 6 months, no less than 110 political parties were created. In this political turmoil, a few of them emerge: the Islamist party Ennhada seduces those disappointed with the revolution. Some other modernist parties, such as Ettakatol and the PDP, are divided on the content of their policies as well as on which strategy to adopt. Leading the polls, Ennahdha will confirm its success in the elections with more than 90 seats out of 217.

How could these results be predicted? TUNISIA, YEAR ZERO gives the reasons for the outcome of the elections.

This Event is Free and Open to the Public

Donations Welcome

 

The Aida Camp Alphabet

Come hear about this bilingual storybook made by children of Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, The West Bank!

Book Reading Event with Professor Amahl Bishara

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Saturday, December 5, 4:30-6:00

191 Highland Av. Suite 6B. Somerville, MA 02143

Middle Eastern Reception & Light refreshments will be served. Free to the Public 

Children of Aida Refugee Camp at Lajee Center made this bilingual storybook. It is for people of all ages (5-105) to learn about everyday life in a Palestinian refugee camp. You will pick up some Arabic, too!

Copies are $20, bulk rates available. Also available is The Boy and the Wall (2005, $15), a bilingual children’s book about how a young boy dreams of resisting the wall that oppresses his community every day, and how his mother supports his dreams for freedom and his imagination. Both books feature collage art made collectively by children at Lajee Center.

For more information, email Amahl Bishara at friendsoflajee@gmail.com.

All proceeds benefit Lajee Center, www.lajee.org.

Thank you for your support of our work!

Massachusetts Peace Action Event! Nov. 14, 2015

A New Day? Organizing to Change US Policy on Israel and Palestine

November 14 @ 12:30 pm4:30 pm

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A half-day conference 

Speakers

Rami Khouri: a Palestinian-Jordanian and U.S. citizen whose family resides in Beirut, Amman, and Nazareth. He is director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut and he is a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Middle East Initiative . His journalistic work includes writing books and an internationally syndicated column, and he also serves as editor at large of the Beirut-based Daily Star newspaper.

MJ Rosenberg: A thirty-five-year career on Capitol Hill, at the State Department and, significantly, four years at AIPAC led Rosenberg to become a champion of Israeli-Palestinian peace and a vocal opponent of the right-wing “pro-Israel” lobby. Rosenberg writes for The Nation, Washington Spectator, and has a weekly column for the Huffington Post.  He blogs at  http://mjrosenberg.net/

Nadia Ben-Youssef: a lawyer and human rights advocate serving as the first USA Representative for Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel. After four years in the Naqab (Negev) in southern Israel leading Adalah’s international advocacy efforts on behalf of the Palestinian Bedouin community, she is now developing Adalah’s US advocacy strategy to shape American discourse and influence American policy and practice towards a human rights-based approach in Israel/Palestine. Nadia holds a BA in Sociology from Princeton University, and J.D. from Boston College Law School.

Waves of violence and reprisals, demolitions and detentions, religious incitement and “extrajudicial executions” are once again the norm in occupied Palestine, even as Israel’s Prime Minister comes to the White House in November to collect billions more in US military aid.  For a time, this horrible pattern was seemingly about to change.  Is change still possible?

Our conference will bring together activists from a variety of local organizations and movements to ask:

• What is the current state of the US politics and policy regarding Israel-Palestine?

• What are the new opportunities arising from the growing partisan divide on the issue?

• What are the lessons from the struggle against South African apartheid?

• How can we organize more consistently and effectively to pressure our elected representatives?

The conference as a whole will assess the two Massachusetts senators, and also break up into workshops based on Congressional districts, with workshop leaders able to outline the experience so far and the members voting record.  It is expected that the conference will establish the organizational basis and mechanisms for improved ongoing work in this arena.

We invite area groups, activists and all those interested in Palestine/Israel/Peace issues to help better organize our efforts to challenge US government policy more effectively. In addition to other ongoing important campaigns such as direct solidarity, BDS and public education, we see the need for a simultaneous campaign to contest the reigning US government policies which enable Israeli occupation, oppression and military aggression.

Harvard University, William James Hall, room B1, 33 Kirkland St at Divinity Ave, Cambridge

Sponsored by the Massachusetts Peace Action Palestine/Israel Working Group.

Cosponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace – Boston, United for Justice with Peace, Arlington UJP, Greater Boston Code Pink, Friends of Sabeel North America – New England Chapter, Dorchester People for Peace, Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment, North Shore Coalition for Peace & Justice, Tree of Life Educational Fund, Jewish Women for Justice in Israel/Palestine, Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East – Massachusetts chapter, Palestine Israel Task Team of First Church in Cambridge, Congregational, UCC, Cambridge Bethlehem People to People Project, Grassroots International (list in formation).

RegisterButton300Sign up to attend.  $5 donation requested / No one turned away.

For information contact pi@masspeaceaction.org or call 617-354-2169

Performing Troupe from Somerville's Moroccan Sister City, Tiznit. Nov. 1, 2015

Brickbottom Artists Association
Presents:

PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP

Sunday, November 1, 2015
The Brickbottom Gallery would like to welcome the Dramatic Association for Artistic Creation, a two-man performing troupe from Somerville’s Moroccan Sister City, Tiznit.
-2 p.m.  Theater workshop:  Art and culture are the pillars of tolerance
-7 p.m. Performance:  “What a Beautiful Life!”
All events are FREE and open to the public!
Jamal Taamart and Yassine Enssimi have been touring France, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Turkey, and Russia with the sponsorship of Royal Air Maroc.

to read more: Press Here

Call for Bi-lingual Volunteers at Boston Children Hospital

Call for Bi-lingual Volunteers at Boston Children Hospital- Cultural Navigator Program
BCH
Cultural Navigator Volunteers – At the Boston Campus, work closely with our International Health Center and Front Line Team to welcome patients and families from around the world and acquaint them with the Boston Children’s Hospital community.
We are seeking bi-lingual and multi-cultural volunteers that are fluent in Arabic.
As a Cultural Navigator Volunteer, expect to:
* Act as a connector between patients and families and hospital services
* Offer tour and introduction to BCH resources and amenities
* Escort families to appointments within BCH or to BCH affiliates
* Engage and play with patients (and/or siblings)
* Support social interpreting situations
Cultural Navigator Volunteers will NEVER:
* Provide medical or clinical interpretation for patients or staff
* Hold patients, babies or children
* Provide “babysitting services” to patients, babies or children
* Bring children that are unaccompanied by an authorized adult to the Center for Families
* Offer to relay medical or psychosocial issues to Care Team (Direct to Interpreter)
* Assist with completing clinical, financial or confidential paperwork (Direct to Interpreter)
What we’re looking for are people who love people. Ideally, we need individuals with rich interpersonal skills typically from a background in customer service, retail, or hospitality.
For More Information please contact us directly at:
VOLUNTEER SERVICES
culturalnavigators@childrens.harvard.edu
Sarra AbuSamra, Program Coordinator
Aisha Boykin, Program Coordinator

October Film Screening

 

The Center for Arabic Culture &
The Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT
Present
Creative Dissent Exhibit Film Screening of

October Film

A Documentary by Lillie Paquiett

Going beyond the headlines, this story—filmed in the fourteen months leading up to the Revolution— highlights the years of mounting resentment against the ruling regime. Filmmaker Lillie Paquette follows key opposition figures and young democracy activists as they struggle against extraordinary odds to remove an uncompromising US-backed authoritarian regime determined to stay in power.

Date: Friday October 30, 2015

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: Center for Arabic Culture

191 Highland Av. Suit 6B. Somerville, MA 02143

Free and Open to the Public

Followed by an Open Discussion with director Lillie Paquette

Fall 2015 Film Screenings

The CAC & the Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT
Are collaborating this fall
to present 3 award-winning documentaries! 
These films are part of the  Creative Dissent Exhibit at MIT.

CAC logoMIT


November Film

November filim

Directed by Emad Burnat & Guy Davidi

“Winner at the Sundance Film Festival, 5 Broken Cameras is a deeply personal, first-hand account of non-violent resistance in Bil’in, a West Bank village threatened by encroaching Israeli settlements.”

Date: Friday November 20, 2015

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: Center for Arabic Culture

191 Highland Av. Suite 6B. Somerville, MA 02143

Free and Open to the Public


December Film

TUNISIA, YEAR ZERO

“The story of the first democracy in the Arab world.”

December Film

A Film by Feriel Ben Mahmoud

On January 14th, 2011, the people of Tunisia took to the streets in mass protest and toppled the government of Ben Ali. The event has a tremendous impact in the region which triggers the Arab Spring. Following the revolution, Tunisians make the radical choice to draft a new state constitution. Called to the urns for the first free elections of their history, the citizens of Tunisia will have to choose which model of society they wish to live in. Islam, secularism and women’s status become the major themes of a campaign under high pressure.

Following the events day by day, TUNISIA, YEAR ZERO tells the story of a difficult birth: that of the first democracy in the Arab world. In 6 months, no less than 110 political parties were created. In this political turmoil, a few of them emerge: the Islamist party Ennhada seduces those disappointed with the revolution. Some other modernist parties, such as Ettakatol and the PDP, are divided on the content of their policies as well as on which strategy to adopt. Leading the polls, Ennahdha will confirm its success in the elections with more than 90 seats out of 217.

How could these results be predicted? TUNISIA, YEAR ZERO gives the reasons for the outcome of the elections.

Date: Friday December 11, 2015

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: Center for Arabic Culture

191 Highland Av. Suit 6B. Somerville, MA 02143

Free and Open to the Public


October Film

October Film

A Documentary by Lillie Paquiett

Going beyond the headlines, this story—filmed in the fourteen months leading up to the Revolution— highlights the years of mounting resentment against the ruling regime. Filmmaker Lillie Paquette follows key opposition figures and young democracy activists as they struggle against extraordinary odds to remove an uncompromising US-backed authoritarian regime determined to stay in power.

Date: Friday October 30, 2015

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: Center for Arabic Culture

191 Highland Av. Suit 6B. Somerville, MA 02143

Free and Open to the Public

Followed by an Open Discussion with director Lillie Paquette

 


Art Exhibition: Creative Dissent

 

Creative Dissent: Arts of the Arab World Uprisings

 

This exhibit explores the visual arts and other expressive media of the recent Arab World Uprisings.

Art Exhibition September 10 – December 23, 2015

Opening Reception Thursday, September 17, 2015, 5:30-7 pm

The Elliot K. Wolk Gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 9AM – 5PM. The gallery is located in MIT Building 7, Room 338, at 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge.

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About the Exhibition:

Images are often used as communicative devices to present politicized messages. During the recent Arab World uprisings, demonstrators created images to express opposition to incumbent governments and members of the ruling elite. Over and again, activists, protesters, artists, and other individuals adopted the expressive media—including videos, photographs, painted and digital images, as well as slogans, music, and even puppets—to create visualized and performed modes of dissent within public space, both in the streets and online.

www.artsofthearabworlduprisings.com

 

The CAC will be showing three films this Fall as a part of the Creative Dissent Exhibition – Stay tuned for more information!

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