Photos from Syria

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Images from the Collection of Salaam Cultural Museum

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Salaam Cultural Museum Founder and Board Member Honored

Rita Zawaideh Receives International Women’s Day Honor
SEATTLE, WA – 3/9/11 – On Wednesday, March 8, 2011, International Women’s Day, Rita Zawaideh, Founder of Salaam Cultural Museum and owner of Caravan-Serai Tours, was honored along with several other women, for their  service to their communities. The honor was bestowed at the Seattle International Women’s Day Community Celebration Awards Dinner. 
 
Rita Zawaideh receiving award.
 
From the National Organization of Women website: “This March 8th, celebrate the 100 year anniversary of International Women’s Day (IWD) with Seattle NOW and the local women’s community as we honor fabulous Sistahs who work hard to make the world a brighter place!” Click on the link to see a list of all honorees at this event.
International Women’s Day Seattle NOW Awards
 
Rita has garnered much acclaim for both her community service and her business. She has received an award from the Greater Council of Churches and a United Nations Peace Award. Rita is a seven-time winner of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine’s Top Travel Specialists awards for travel to the Middle East and for two years in a row has been recognized by National Geographic Traveler Magazine for her tours to Yemen as one of NGT’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime. She has also received the Travel Age West Trendsetter Award for Best Community Service Effort. 
 
Congratulations Rita!

Caravan-Serai Tours is a Seattle-based tour company that specializes in the Middle East and North Africa. It offers small group tours and custom independent tour across the region. For info on tours and country data: www.caravan-serai.com.

Karam Salem and The Sparkling Choir of Love

Iraqi Student Project Presents:

Karam Salem and The Sparkling Choir of Love
An evening of music and conversation
Friday, March 18 at 7:30pm
Ballard Trinity United Methodist Church
“I compose music as a way to reflect upon something that I have experienced, something that someone has told me or something that people need to know about.  I am very sure that, through my music, I can build bridges to let people know who Iraqis are and what Iraq is. I am like a journalist: my way to publish is by composing music.”
– Karam Salem
 
Seattle, WA – On March 18, the local chapter of the Iraqi Student Project (ISP) proudly presents a performance by visiting artist Karam Salem, playing his original compositions, with a special selection of songs from Ballard’s Sparkling Choir of Love.
Karam Salem is an accomplished pianist who will combine his compositions with discussion about his home country, Iraq, and the impact of ISP on his life. Karam is an ISP student in his third year of study at Holy Cross College in South Bend, Indiana.
The Iraqi Student Project (ISP) helps young Iraqi students complete their college educations by working with US schools to arrange scholarships and tuition waivers for the students.
Karam will be joined by The Sparkling Choir of Love, an exuberant, mixed-voice ensemble based in Seattle, Washington, which specializes in the performance of American spirituals, gospel, and sacred folk music.  The choir seeks “to promote the opening of people’s hearts to love and healing through inspired performances of wonderful music.“
About The Iraqi Student Project
The Iraqi Student Project (ISP) is a grass-roots effort to help young people who have studied in Iraq acquire the education they need to participate in rebuilding their country.  ISP began operating in 2006, after founders Gabe Huck and Theresa Kubasak moved to Damascus to study Arabic.  The couple met and befriended a number of young Iraqis who’d fled to Syria with their families, and whose educations had been interrupted by violence and occupation.
Recognizing the students’ passion and the need for an entire generation to pursue an education, Gabe and Theresa reached out to colleges in the United States to provide scholarships for qualified students.  Over the past three years, ISP has placed 35 students at colleges all across the US, from Union College in New York to Dominican University in San Rafael, California.  Please check out the website (www.iraqistudentproject.org) to learn more.
The Seattle chapter works with colleges in Pacific Northwest to explore potential tuition waivers for ISP students.  Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA plans to welcome an ISP student for Fall 2011.  
Funds raised by the concert will go to support sophomore Andrew Birwari in Olympia, who studied with ISP in Damascus and whose tuition waiver at The Evergreen State College was arranged by ISP and a group of Evergreen students.
TICKETS:    
$15 general admission.
$12 for students and seniors.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/158336 or by calling 1(800) 838-3006.

Link to piece Karam played in New York (scroll down to “Recent Recordings”): http://www.instantencore.com/contributor/contributor.aspx?CId=5131536
Link to our Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=202275039786374
Ballard Trinity United Methodist Church:
6512 23rd Avenue Northwest
Seattle, WA 98117-5728
(206) 784-2227

Posthumous Award for Omar Batist

The Ethnic Heritage Council

February 26, 2011

The Gordon Ekvall Tracie Award is given to an ethnic performing artist who has made significant contributions to the development and presentation of the traditional arts in our community.

This year we honor Omar Batiste. Omar’s personal objective: To improve personal contributions to positive human expression through Dance, Art, Music, Literature, Languages and socio-economic endeavors that aid global balance and compatibility. Omar has accomplished his objective, sharing his wonderful spirit and knowledge of Greek, Balkan, Middle Eastern cultures across the Northwest and the world.

The Omar Batiste Foundation

Friends of Omar Batiste are establishing a foundation in his name to honor his contribution to the ethnic dance community. Donations will be used to fund concerts, workshops, and research. The foundation will be part of the Salaam Cultural Museum, a 501 (c) (3) charitable non-profit  corporation, so all donations are tax deductible. Checks can be made out to “Salaam Cultural Museum/Omar” with Omar’s name on the bottom line of the check. Mail checks to: Salaam Cultural Museum, 3806 Whitman Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103. Questions? Email Rita Zawaideh: ritazawaideh [at] hotmail.com

Celebration of the Life of Omar Batiste . . . this evening . . . Music, Songs, and Dance

This evening, Friday 25 February 2011, friends and acquaintances of the late Omar Batiste are celebrating his life at 7:00 PM at the Continental Restaurant, in Seattle near the UW, at 4549 University Way NE. 206-632-4700. A special dinner menu and unique wine selection will be available.

Performers:

Stephen Elaimy, Oud

Walid Farhoud, Qanoun / Vocals

David McGrath, Nay

Eric Brown, Tbla

George Sadak, Daff