Palestinian Heritage FoundationNewsletter of the Palestinian Heritage Foundation |
ADC New Jersey Honors Foundation
On Saturday, May 2, 2009, the Palestinian Heritage Foundation was graciously honored by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, New Jersey Chapter, at the Chapter’s Annual Banquet.
In the presence of over three hundred ADC members and friends, Foundation co-founders Hanan Karaman Munayyer and Farah Munayyer received the The Leila Haddad Memorial Achievement Award for 2009 in appreciation of their work to promote Arab art and culture in the United States and around the world through lectures and exhibitions. This recognition comes on the twenty-second anniversary of the commencement of this cultural activity and twenty years after the establishment of the Palestinian Heritage Foundation.
In a letter addressed to the New Jersey ADC Chapter on this occasion, the Honorable Jon Corzine, Governor of the State of New Jersey, congratulated Farah and Hanan Munayyer for having “lead by generous example and demonstrated exceptional leadership through their unwavering commitment to others.”
In an April 11, 2009 letter addressed to Farah and Hanan Munayyer, Salah Mustafa, ADC New Jersey Chapter President wrote:
Dear Farah and Hanan,
On behalf of the ADC New Jersey Chapter and its Executive Board, we are honored by your acceptance of our Leila Haddad Memorial Achievement Award. We very much look forward to bestowing this honor upon you and extend an invitation to your family, friends and colleagues to attend the Annual Banquet.
Your tireless efforts on behalf of our community are already legend. We are fortunate here in New Jersey because we have been able to witness and in many cases participate in the groundbreaking work that you have both made a life’s mission. Through your efforts, the Palestinian Heritage Foundation has become one of the preeminent cultural institutions promoting the proud and rich heritage and history of the Palestinian people and the wider Arab world. Your work has been recognized the nation over and has touched so many people from within our community and even more significantly from the diverse communities that make up the tapestry of our nation.
We of course would also be remiss if we did not also thank you for the foundational work that you put together with this very organization. We still have a steep hill to climb here in New Jersey but we have made tremendous progress. And much of that progress is based on the foundation that you put together years ago.
We are truly indebted to both of you and of course your family for your tireless efforts and the sacrifices that you have made on behalf of our community.
Respectfully,
Salaheddin Mustafa
President – ADC NJ
Governor Corzine Appoints Hanan to the Arab-American Heritage Commission
Mrs. Hanan Karaman Munayyer was recently appointed by the Honorable Jon Corzine, Governor of the State of New Jersey, to the State’s Arab-American Heritage Commission.
Foundation Adopts New Arabic Logo
“Splendor of Damascus:
Textiles and Artifacts of Traditional Syria”
Curated by
Hanan Karaman Munayyer
“The Splendor of Damascus: Textiles and Artifacts of Traditional Syria”, curated by Mrs. Hanan Munayyer, will be on display at the Antiochian Heritage Museum in Bolivar, Pennsylvania. The exhibit will be open to the public from June 1, 2009 through March 2010. The display includes Syrian bridal costumes from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century covering all regions of Syria, brass, inlaid mother-of-pearl antique and contemporary furniture from the collection of Farah and Hanan Munayyer, with a selection from the permanent collection of the Antiochian Heritage Museum.
Syria has been known since antiquity as a center of arts and crafts, and the center of a very important textile production industry. Since the 6th century, Syria and Lebanon have been silk-producing areas, relying on the mulberry trees that grow well in that area to feed the silkworm. To this day, silk is still produced and woven locally in Syria on Jacquard looms, but on a lesser scale than at the beginning of the 20th century. Cotton had for centuries been grown, and wool from sheep was easily accessible. Situated on the Mediterranean coast, Syria was a crucially important part of the ancient Silk Road, serving as an end point for the long trip across the Asian continent from China and the Far East. From Syria, valuable trade goods were shipped to Europe, especially to Venice. The Syrian cities of Damascus and Aleppo were famous textile centers. The economic importance of this industry to this area was so great that some historians have labeled it a “textile culture”. Syrian textiles were highly valued in Europe, and many fabric names in Europe were derived from their Syrian origin, like “damask”.
The metal and wood crafts of Syria have for centuries been famous in Europe for their high quality, and were important trade items with Venice in medieval times. Numerous museums all over the world contain silver decorated brass pieces made in Syria from the 13th century onwards. Although the transition to modernization has rapidly destroyed the economic basis of these industries and many skills are disappearing with time, Syria remains one of the best sources of these arts and its craftsmen, to this day.
Mail……….
The following correspondence is in response to Arabesque: Arts from the Arab World an all Arab festival held for three week at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
Dear Hanan and Farah
wonderful work….I would have loved to see the Arabesque festival! thanks for all the hard work.
Sandra, Montreal, Canada.
Congratulations! I missed reading this email and viewing this marvelous amazing work of the two giants: Farah and Hanan! Just so fulfilling to see this when so much else is going wrong in Palestine, at least some can see the aesthetic of our culture and how beautiful it is!
Love
Samia Costandi, UAE
Congratulations for a successful exhibit at the Kennedy Center!
Sincerely
Nadia Sawabini, Lebanon
It was beautiful and made us very proud!
Albert Mokhiber, DC
Great job Hanan and Farah
Best regards
Reema Ali, DC
Mabrook. This is a great achievement!!
May Seikaly, DC
Dear Farah and Hanan,
We visited Washington, DC last weekend and were so very impressed with the beautiful exhibits which were a part of “Arabesque.” Congratulations to the Palestinian Heritage Foundation for having a part in this important cultural event.
Raymond and Diane Barsa, NJ
Congratulations ! Bravo !
M. Hilmi, NY
Very nice display. Congratulations, you always do a nice job and your commitment and dedication are commendable.
Keep up the good work.
Regards
Dean Hamdan, NJ
You guys make us proud and cheerful during these troubled times.
Keep up the good work and hope to see you soon.
Kind Regards
Hadi & Suzan Barghash, Belgium
Our Dear Hanan and Farrah,
You make us all so proud to be Palestinians. God bless you and Alf Alf Mabrouk.
Khalil & Samar Sakakini, CT
Ammo Farah and Aunti Hanan,
This is a breathtaking extra special production… it’s very moving and literary made me cry with pride. Thank you for the important role you’re playing in preserving our culture and history
love you both,
Manal Hazzan, Nazareth
Very nice work. May God grant both of you and your family many years of good health and happiness. Keep up the wonderful work. You make us all so very proud!
Ziad and Claudia Barghash, NJ
As usual, you and Hanan are doing the best for the cause by keeping the Palestinian heritage alive.
Bishara El Masri, NJ
You do not fail to amaze and mesmerize us by the beautiful display to show the world our rich heritage. You nurture pride in every Palestinian.
Ya’teekom Alf Afieh
Najat El Khairy, Montreal, Canada
عزيزي فرح
كل الاحترام على ما تقومو به من أجل الحفاظ على التراث العربي العريق
تحياتي
د. رياض اغبارية – ام-الفحم
It is very moving as it shows the heritage of this region, The Arab World….!
Hussein Ibrahim, Jordan
Thanks a lot for forwarding the newsletter, I was looking forward to it. Amazing, as usual!!
Juman Feidi, UAE
Palestinian Costumes & Embroidery: A Precious Legacy
Available in VHS and DVD formats
A Review By Shira
For the review by Shira click the link below: