Date: Saturday, October 14, and Sunday, October 15, 2023
Time: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day
Admission: FREE
Asalaamu Alaikum (Peace Be Upon You)! Celebrate Islamic History Month this October, by experiencing the vibrancy, diversity, and innovation of Islamic cultural heritage! Join us for a free, two day celebration of Islamic cultural heritage, featuring exhibitors, food, vendors, performances, and speakers! This year the theme of Islamic History Month is “Celebrating Muslim Women in the Arts and Sciences.” We'll be celebrating the great contributions Islam has had to arts and culture as a whole, and also give credit to some of the most important inventions, historical and modern, that come from Islam. Explore little known facts about Islamic history and culture and discover how vast and diverse it is. Our schedule of events recognizes the past, present, and future contributions by Muslim women in the fields of art and science.
Vendors and Exhibitors
Stop by to shop and explore community vendors both days.Vendors
- Books Beyond Words
- Elevate
- Jijo’s Kitchen and Grill
- Crushed Almond Bakery Café
- Berry Expressions
Exhibitors
- Al-Sakeenah
- Young Muslims Sisters
- Rohingya Cultural Centre
- Qur’an booth with UW Islamic team
- Canadian Multicultural Inventors Museum
- Islamic Relief
Lineup of Events
Ongoing Activities
Join us for ongoing activities Saturday and Sunday
- Go outside to see partial solar eclipse
Join us to see a partial solar eclipse, on Saturday only from 12 to 2:00 p.m. This activity is weather-dependent. - Make a craft and play with playdough
- Make a simple astrolabe on Saturday, code robots on Sunday
- VR experience
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA Canada) is offering a one-of-a-kind experience that takes viewers back in time to experience historic Islamic sites and events such as pre-Islamic Mecca, Israa & Miraj, the Prophet PBUH’s Mawlid and more! These seven-minute immersive experiences are equipped with crisp 8K resolution pictures and sensory stimuli. The exhibit will be located in Classroom B and will cost $5 per experience! - Wiggle Cars
- Games (chess, mancala)
Workshops
You must register for workshops in advance. Click link to sign up.
2 to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday - Traditional Persian and Arabic Calligraphy with Ati Zar |
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Join Ati Zar for an immersive workshop at Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum. In this unique experience, participants will discover the art's history, cultural context, and the transformative power of calligraphy. Ati's workshops are not just about learning the art; they're an exploration of the beauty, heritage, and creativity that calligraphy brings to life. Whether you're an aspiring artist, a lover of culture, or simply curious about the magic of calligraphy, this workshop is your opportunity to unlock the secrets of this captivating art form. Come, join us for an inspiring journey into the world of calligraphy with Ati Zar Artisan and take home your own calligraphic creation. All supplies are provided during the workshop. |
In The Theatre
11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Calligraphy demonstration with Ati Zar |
| Join Ati Zar for a live demonstration and discover the art's history, cultural context, and the transformative power of calligraphy. View Ati Zar's Bio |
12:05 to 12:30 p.m. and 12:50 to 1:05 p.m. - Oud performance with Manar Naeem |
| Listen to the melodic sounds of the oud, with musician Manar Naeem! An oudist for the Canadian Arabic Orchestra, Manar was featured on CBC Music’s Classical 30 under 30 list for 2020. A fretless stringed instrument, the oud is sure to bring peace to your heart and a smile to your face. View Manar Naeem's Bio |
1:05 to 1:35 p.m. - Spoken word performance with Labibah Salim |
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Experience powerful spoken word poetry, with spoken word artist Labibah Salim! Labibah is an incredibly talented and passionate activist and spoken word artist, using her courageous voice to raise awareness on critical topics in society. |
2:10 to 3 p.m. - Minding the Skies: A Journey Through the History of Muslim Contributions to Astronomy |
| Presentation with Dr. Aycha Tammour This presentation will offer insights into the rich tradition of Islamic astronomy and its impact on contemporary perspectives on the cosmos. We will explore notable achievements in both observation and theory, showcasing how Muslim astronomers built upon preexisting knowledge while making innovative contributions that addressed practical problems and deepened our comprehension of the heavens. View Dr. Aycha Tammour's Bio |
3:10 to 4 p.m. - Expressions of Faith: A History of Muslim Women’s Art |
| Presentation with Hassam Munir Muslim women throughout history and around the world have been patrons and creators of art – poetry, calligraphy, architecture, culinary arts, and more. Around the world (including in Canada!) Muslim women have used art as a means to thrive spiritually, to express themselves, to give back to their communities, and to resist injustice. This presentation will share their stories and the ways in which they can inspire us to beautify everything around us. View Hassam Munir's Bio |
Speaker and Performer Bios
Ati Zar
Ati Zar Artisan is a captivating journey into the world of calligraphy. With a deep-rooted passion for this timeless art form, Ati has dedicated over a decade to honing the craft of Persian and Arabic traditional calligraphy.
Although Ati's educational background lies in the field of science, a chance encounter with calligraphy in 2006 sparked a lifelong fascination. Through relentless training and self-dedication, Ati has become a master of the intricate strokes, flowing lines, and rich cultural significance that define Persian and Arabic calligraphy.
Born and raised in Qazvin, which is known as the calligraphy capital of Iran, Ati learned traditional calligraphy from professional masters in her hometown. She is motivated by employing art as an efficient tool to strengthen the bonds within a diverse community. Ati was recognized for her artistic accomplishments and received the “Women Who Inspire” Award from KW-Coalition of Muslim Women in 2020.
Dr. Aycha Tammour
Dr. Aycha Tammour is a Syrian-Canadian astrophysicist and Data Scientist. She received her MSc in physics from Minnesota State University where she was a Fulbright fellow and her PhD in astronomy from the University of Western Ontario where she studied quasar spectra using machine learning techniques.
Dr. Tammour is interested in the classic islamic sciences and in the history and philosophy of science (both islamic and in general), and hopes to contribute to reviving the interest of muslims in astronomy. She is also passionate about elevating women in STEM and has mentored many young women interested in pursuing career paths in those fields. She currently resides in Waterloo, Ontario.
Hassam Munir
Hassam Munir is an Islamic history researcher and public educator, currently pursuing an MA in History at the University of Toronto. He focuses on multimedia public history work and is the founder of the iHistory project. He has led Islamic history seminars in Canada, the US, and Uzbekistan. He has previously worked with the Ontario Historical Society, and was recognized by Heritage Toronto as an Emerging Historian in 2017. He is part of the marketing team at the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research.
Labibah Salim
Labibah is an aspiring poet. A current student of the University of Waterloo. She has been writing poetry for years and only started performing in grade 10 for small crowds. Labibah has made a name for herself performing on the regional and national of the MIST spoken word competition, MuslimFest, RIS convention and the Naseeha Education retreat. She has worked with the Tawheed Community Centre to judge their poetry slam. She has most recently presented at we are project up gala which caters to the Muslim black community in the Kitchener Waterloo region.