Rumi's Birthday Celebration: 2019

More than 50 people gathered at the Carrillo Recreation Center in Santa Barbara the evening of September 30th to celebrate Rumi’s 812th birthday.

Festivities included music, poetry, food, and conversation. Several members of UCSB’s Middle East Ensemble under the leadership of Dr. Scott Marcus set the tone for the evening with lively music as guests registered and took their seats with old and new friends. 

After a brief welcome from Board member, Dr. Anna DiStefano, Executive Director Dr. Fariba Enteshari offered “Hopeful Solutions” noting the reason for the night’s celebration and the relevance of Rumi’s work for the times in which we are living. Dr. Daryoush Khani then prefaced his reading of a poem with personal comments about the evening and poem’s significance. He recited Rumi’s “Not Muslim and Not Jewish” accompanied by Ali Pajoheshgar playing the oud.  

The program continued with readings by Nanette McIntyre, Kevin Ferguson, and Nancy Martin – all appreciatively received by the audience. It was then time to partake of the delicious refreshments provided by Jenny and Maurice Bisheff as well as Fariba’s home-made baklava!

The break was followed by two astonishing sets of music from the Ensemble which prompted dancing around the room and a call for an encore.  Maurice Bisheff closed the evening by urging those in attendance to continue their participation in all the activities of the Rumi Educational Center.

Video filmed and created by Lyza Fontana, from CreativeHowTo.