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| Photos by MK Metz |
The music of Arabia echoed over Brooklyn Heights on Sunday, as the
Arab-American Heritage Music Festival was celebrated in Cadman Plaza Park in Downtown Brooklyn.
Performers hailed from many different countries, including Syria, Turkey and Egypt, and the music ranged from upbeat to transcendent.
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| Singer Naela Saman |
This is the ninth annual festival. It's usually held in Prospect Park, but moved to Downtown Brooklyn this year due to space and scheduling considerations (including the timing of Ramadan), and the fact that there are more Arabs living near Cadman Plaza.
The
Arab-American Family Support Center organized the event, and Maimonides Hospital sponsored it. AAFSC provides services to immigrants, health services, youth programs, adult literacy programs and more.
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| Photos by MK Metz |
There were also art and crafts like hennaing. Vendors sold felafel's, sweet pastries, corn grilled, meat and more.
During the festival, participants tweeted photos of themselves holding boards with the names of some of the
373 children killed in Gaza during the latest offensive.
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Cadman Plaza Park is too small to be hosting all these events. Each event takes over literally half the park, and most of the events do not have much participation from local residents. They should move the events to bigger parks in locations more suited to their constituencies.
ReplyDeletePlease correct the name of the above singer to Naela Saman not omna hijazy. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for updating us on Naela Saman's correct name. What a talented singer!
ReplyDeleteWe tend to agree with you, commenter #1. As much as we enjoy many of these events, this heavy usage has been going on almost every weekend, Saturdays and Sundays, for a month or longer.
ReplyDeleteIt's too much use for what is supposed to be the neighborhood's "backyard."
No money is put into reseeding the north circle's grass or fixing the soil where groups have been setting up their bandstands and vendor tables.