Arabic Culture Club hosts event to celebrate Arab entertainment, food and identity

Hummus, falafel and baklava filled Business 104 with colors and delicious smells at The Arabic Culture Club’s culture and entertainment night on Feb. 26. Before anyone could fill up their plates, music was provided in the background by artists like WAMA.

After everyone was settled with their food, there was a screening of “Three-Quarters Decent,” an Arabic movie about the life of a cartoonist who finds himself in a situation that changes him forever.

Esraa Alqutawna, a senior biology major, is the founder and former president of Arabic Culture Club. As the founder of the club, it is her mission to educate people on the often unrecognized parts of Arab culture, specifically that Arabs practice many religions and not just Islam.

“I wanted people to experience Arabs and experience another side of us that isn’t what’s presented on media. Just come in, have the food, the music, the movies. I would like to present a different side to us other then what is forced down people’s throats through the media,” Alqutawna said.

The club aims to spread awareness about Arabic culture through the powers of conversation, music and food. It hosts special events to provide fun nights out for students and to educate people about the Arabic culture and its many layers. 

Yasmine Abed, a senior psychology major, feels passionately about the Arabic Culture Club and what it does for students.

“About a year ago, we started this organization to bring awareness to what we do, and then also have a safe space for people who have similar backgrounds to come together and enjoy all of the things that are entailed in our culture,” Abed said.

Kazi Zahir Uddin, a senior mechanical engineering major, is from Bangladesh and came out to the Arabic Culture event ready to eat good food and meet new people.

“The Arabic tradition has a lot of similarities and a lot of cultural things, so I would like to know more about them,” Uddin said. “Their music, song and their food are very delicious, so that’s why I am here today. And this is a place to know new people, that’s why I am here.”

“The most beautiful part that I like here is that everybody is appreciating me. I am coming here, and everybody is very welcoming and very friendly,” Uddin added.

For comments/questions about this story, email features@thewhitonline.com or tweet @TheWhitOnline.