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| 03-26-2004 | Previous edition: 03-25-2004 |
        
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Printer-friendly version Musical New Year’s celebration aids Iranian earthquake victimsBy Paul GlasserCity Editor On Saturday, a folk singer will come to West Lafayette to help raise money for the children of Bam, Iran. Kristin Lems will perform songs in English and in Persian for Norooz, the Iranian new year celebration, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation, 435 W. State St. Bam was destroyed by an earthquake in December 2003 with most schools damaged beyond repair. All proceeds will go toward rebuilding schools in the city. Admission is $10 and the event will feature slide shows, refreshments and live music performed by Lems. Lems lived in Ahwaz, Iran, for a year during the 1970s and taught English at Jundishapur University. She also sang in a Persian rock band and performed at university functions. She said she wanted to help because she had a keen appreciation for the suffering of the earthquake victims. "I wanted to help make a small dent in the huge magnitude of the suffering those poor souls are experiencing," she said. Lems said she fell in love with Persian music the first time she heard it. "Music is a wonderful bridge between cultures and it has made my life much richer," she said. Mehrzad Mahmoudia, 39, of West Lafayette organized the event. She said she wanted Lems to perform because she has contributed to humanitarian causes before. After the music program, there will be a presentation about the traditions and history of Norooz. "It’s the most ancient celebration of spring and we wanted to share it with the community," Mahmoudia said. There will also be slide shows portraying the situation in Bam and exploring the country’s rich history and culture. Mahmoudia said that visitors can try some baklava, free of charge, because it was prepared and donated by Café Moka and Tarboush. "Even if we can’t raise too much money, the opportunity to share this experience with this community is enough," Mahmoudia said. Printer-friendly version |
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