In celebration of Arab Awareness Week, finance sophomore Ruba Farah (left) and packaging junior Vera Fram, take a few puffs on the hookah at the rock on Farm Lane on Thursday afternoon. The Arab Cultural Society gave away free henna tattoos, Arabic style bread called “manaeesh” and T-shirts with the ACS logo.
With offerings of free cheese, meat and spinach pies, as well as printed T-shirts at the rock on Farm Lane on Thursday, the Arab Cultural Society, or ACS, hoped to make their presence known on campus.
This week they hosted their first Arab Awareness Week which was full of lectures, films and student interaction. On Thursday, ACS focused on give-aways so passers-by could get a taste of Arab culture on campus.
“A lot of people were responding by saying, ‘Wow, I didn’t know you existed,’” said Farah Farah, ACS community service coordinator.
Many MSU students enrolled in classes relating to Arab and Middle Eastern studies attended lectures earlier in the week which touched on subjects like modern women in the Middle East and historical aspects of the Arab world, he said.
In the past, Farah said he has seen a lack of Arab events on campus, but he’s hoping the executive board of ACS can help fill some of that void.
“It’s a lot of work to get things going, but in the end it’s worth it,” he said. “I feel strongly that with the executive board this year, next year and the years to come, we can grow and make a real future for ACS.”
To top off the week, ACS is holding Aladdin Night, an event complete with a disk jockey playing American and Arabic music, more free Middle Eastern cuisine, hookah and lounge seating. The event runs from 6-10 p.m. tonight at the rock on Farm Lane.
Rania Badin, ACS’ director of media affairs, said she’s excited for the event and eager for the group to get more exposure.
“We want to kill stereotypes about Arabs and show people what we’re really like,” she said. “I think people are curious and they want to know about our culture.”
Mohammed Al-Kabour said he was looking to increase Saudi Arabian students’ involvement when he joined the executive board of ACS.
Half-Saudi Arabian himself, Al-Kabour said he saw the week as an opportunity to promote awareness and education between American and Arab students.
“I’m hoping to be a bridge between the two,” he said.
In the future, he said he hopes ACS can help start an Arab culture center at MSU in order to provide students with more cultural resources.
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