By Todd Belie
Daily Bruin Contributor
Traditional and modern Arabic music flooded the Ackerman
Viewpoint Lounge Thursday night, as an equally mixed group of
Muslims, Christians, and non-religious Arabs gathered for a
celebration sponsored by the United Arab Society.
The Sahra Night, or night out, was a time for meeting new people
with Arab backgrounds, said United Arab Society President Fadi
Amer.
“This event was an icebreaker to get people to know each
other because you can’t accomplish much if you’re not
really comfortable with others,” Amer said.
About 70 people ““ both Arabs and non-Arabs ““
attended the event, which featured belly-dancers and traditional
Arab food such as shwarmas ““ chicken sandwiches with
garbanzo-type beans made on pita bread.
“People felt comfortable because it’s not a
political club and it’s not a religious club, it’s
something for everyone,” said Zeina Zeitouni, vice-president
of UAS.
Amer, a former member of the Muslim Students Association,
founded the UAS last year under the name Arabic Student
Organization. The group reorganized this year under the new name
and is now sponsored by the Center for Near East Studies.
“Our main goal is to present an image that embodies all
the different aspects of being an Arab,” he said.
According to Amer, the UAS is distinct from MSA, which focuses
on the Islamic religion.
“Religion is not our focus,” he said.
“Religion is just one aspect of a larger picture that
includes culture, heritage, politics, and the economic hardships of
the region.”
Furthermore, he noted that MSA encompasses Muslims from all over
the world, whereas UAS concentrates on Arabs from a specific
region.
“When you talk about the UAS you are confined to the
Middle East. That includes Arabs who are Muslim, who are Christian,
who are Coptic, and who are Jews,” Amer said.
MSA President Ghaith Mahmood also noted differences between the
two groups. For example, he said MSA members consist of not only
Arabs, but Pakistanis, East Asians, African Americans and American
converts.
“We are very broad ethnically, and it’s very
interesting to see how each ethnicity and each culture helps
contribute to the mosaic that is MSA,” Mahmood said.
UAS members said they’re pleased with the distinct
characteristics of their organization.
“I like that finally for Arabs there is a group that we
have to inform people about our culture and how to get rid of
stereotypes, and also for ourselves to be able to learn about our
own culture,” Zeitouni said.
UAS members said they were pleased with Thursday’s
meeting, which was the second of the year for the group.