Many things made Ahlan 2018 special: spontaneous creativity at our art-making stations, the beauty and joy of dancing dabkeh with Sally El Haj Ibrahim, Sameer Dahan and Osama Herkel’s expertly-prepared Arab cuisine, and of course, all the wonderful guests.
Those who attended this year were especially lucky — they saw Ahlan’s first ever comedy set, as Amer Zahr kicked the event off with hilarious and insightful reflections on his childhood as a Palestinian immigrant and the unique situation of Arabs in America in 2018. His performance set the tone for the afternoon, bringing the Al-Bustan community together through laughter before everyone made their way home with bellies full, bags laden with art, hands shining with henna, and feet moving to the rhythms of the tableh. Hafez Kotain‘s drumming circle drew large numbers of Moffet students and parents as well as other guests who could not resist the urge to drum along. Thank you to everyone who helped make our fourth annual Ahlan a success!
Thanks to our co-presenter Trinity Center for Urban Life and Alf Shukr to our Co-Sponsor University of Pennsylvania’s Middle East Center.
