We had the perfect finish to our two week long ‘Celebrating Syria’ Festival, on Sunday 23rd July 2017, with a lively afternoon of Syrian tradition and culture.

This open event included:

• Delicious homemade Syrian food… Irresistible.

• Syrian coffee…It is NOT the same as Turkish coffee.

• Syrian quiz – what do you know about Syria? A prize for the winner.

• Quran recital – Syria has one of the best Quran lectors of all time.

• Arabic poetry

• Maté Tea – a much more sophisticated drink than green tea. Syria is the biggest importer of maté outside Latin America. Maté is enjoyed by Syrians of all religions and sects. It is a unifying force!

• Mawlid – Syrian traditional singing, with religious and spiritual connotations, famous in Damascus and Aleppo.

• A traditional Syrian dance form – just like the one that Anthony Quinn teaches Alan Bates in the film Zorba the Greek (1964), but Syrian dabkeh is the best!

• Derbakeh (Darbukah/Goblet Drum); it goes with Dabkeh, one of the oldest drumming instruments in the world.

It was a very enjoyable, happy afternoon at Rethink Rebuild Society, Manchester!

Please watch this short clip showing various events and activities from our successful Celebrating Syria 2017 festival: