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MSGP PRESENTS:

NOWRUZ SPRING FESTIVAL EVENT

Where: Wallace Hall

When: Wednesday, March 27, 2013

What time? 9:30pm-12:00am

**Expect food, music, and dancing

Download a copy of the event poster (885KB)

On behalf our work-study students, Filza Naveed, M. Ali Parsa, Irfan Tahiri, and myself, I'd like to invite Queen's students, staff, and faculty to join a Nowruz celebration. It will be held on March 27, 2013 between 9:30 and midnight at Wallace Hall in the John Deutsch University Centre (Union Street at University).



Hosting a Nowruz celebration on campus is a joyous way to introduce Queen’s students to an ancient Iranian holiday (still celebrated by Zoroastrians, Muslims and Bahá'ís as well as by Jews, Christians, and Hindus from the Crimea and Kurdistan to Kashmir). It is also an opportunity for Canadians to participate in one of the vibrant and living examples of the multi-religious heritage of the Balkans, Middle East, Central and South Asia. In 2009, the Parliament of Canada designated the first day of spring and the vernal equinox, March 21st, as Nowruz Day. The following year, International Nowruz Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.



The party will begin with a brief introduction to this pre-Islamic holiday, an explanation of its symbols (the Haft-Sin table), and a performance of the Afghan (Pastun) Attan dance. Food, non-alcoholic beverages, and a general party, featuring Middle Eastern pop, hip-hop and rock, will follow. This event has received support from the Muslim Societies, Global Perspectives Initiative and other campus organizations and departments.



We would appreciate your help in publicizing this event.

Happy Nowruz to all,





Ariel Salzmann,

Associate Professor,

Islamic and World History

Department of History