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Canadian Muslims Open First Summer Festival
By
Muneeb Nasir, IOL Correspondent
TORONTO, August 8 (Islamonline.net) – Canadian Muslims opened Saturday,
August 7, their first summer festival in
Toronto
, showcasing Islamic art, music, film and culture during the daylong
gala.
The
much-celebrated MuslimFest event has brought together thousands of
visitors of all backgrounds and religions," an organizer said.
“We
planned the festival to present Islam to both Muslims and non-Muslims
in a sophisticated fashion,” Fareheen Chowdhury, MuslimFest
Chairperson, told IslamOnline.net.
“For
many, art is a medium that can transcend religious boundaries and can
be appreciated by Muslims and non-Muslims alike,” she added.
Live
concerts have also been one of the main attractions in the festival,
featuring internationally famed Muslim singers like Zain Bikha (South
Africa), Dawud Wharnsby and Irfan Makki (Canada).
Sami
Yusuf of the United Kingdom was also slated to perform but much to the
disappointment of the audience, he was unable to attend.
The
festival also highlighted calligraphic art, ancient manuscripts of the
Qur’an, a display of the cloth that ornaments the Ka'aba, and a
model of the Ka'aba directly from
Saudi Arabia
.
Children
Win
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The festival’s logo
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Children
also got the lion’s share of the festival with displaying several
puppet shows and animation videos.
A
puppet show featured the two characters, Adam and Aneesah from the
Adam’s World video series, who have become household names among
Muslim families in the West.
Along
with the puppet show, interactive storytelling sessions by popular
authors of children’s books educated children about various aspects
of Islam, ranging from kindness to neighbors to respect for the
elderly and acceptance of other cultures.
The
Greater Toronto Area is home to one of the highest percentages of
Muslims in
North America
and the community forms a unique mosaic of individuals from different
ethnic and racial groups.
The
event has been greeted with great excitement in the Muslim community.
“The
response has been tremendous from the community,” Chowdhury
told IOL.
“From
children to youth to adults, the festival has something for everyone
and promises to true family event.”
The
event has been one year in planning and has been organized mainly by
youths in the Toronto Muslim community and coordinated by Young
Muslims, SoundVision, and DawaNet.
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