Tag: university of bristol

Ramadan Kareem – Celebrate and Learn

A virtual event for students and staff, Muslim and non-Muslim, to celebrate and learn about Ramadan, share tips and win some prizes!

 

 

Join us in celebrating the Islamic month of Ramadan – a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, devotion and worship.

Please access the webinar link using Google Chrome or Firefox browser, as other browsers do not support this platform.

The Global Lounge, in partnership with BME Success Programme welcomes all students and staff, Muslim and non-Muslim, to come together and, for those who are not Muslim, learn about this important time in the Islamic calendar; and for those who are Muslim – to join the community and gain some tips and tricks from others on how they fast during these unprecedented times.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and much like Lunar New Year, Islam uses a calendar based on the cycles of the Moon, meaning that the exact dates of Ramadan change every year. In 2020 in the UK, Ramadan will begin, depending on the New Moon sighting, on the evening of Thursday 23 April and will end on Saturday 23 May.

What can I expect from this event?

During the online webinar there will be guest speakers talking us through the importance of Ramadan and its cultural significance, plus tips will be shared from those of you who do fast and have some wisdom to impart to others about how to stay focused through the day without fuel!

The webinar will be introduced by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Provost, Prof Judith Squires, and chaired by Global Lounge. Our Muslim speakers include:

  • Hussain Abass, President of Bristol Islamic Society: What is Ramadan and why is it significant for Muslims?

  • Nimra Naeem, BME Success Advocate: Experience of a Muslim student during Ramadan

  • Robiu Salisu, BAME Student Inclusion Officer:Launch of the inclusive guide for supporting Muslim students

  • Munira Hashmi, Muslim chaplain: Coping in Ramadan during the Covid-19 crisis 

There will be opportunities to ask questions and contribute to the topics discussed by the speakers. 

What is Ramadan?

For those of you who don’t know, Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islam. Muslims observe the month of Ramadan, to mark when Allah (or God) gave the first chapters of the Quran (Holy Book) to the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims fast – there is no eating or drinking during the hours of daylight.

Could you fast for a day?

To better understand fellow students and staff who are fasting – why not try fasting for a day yourself? Join this event to find out more about our fasting for a day reward!

Every Muslim event attendee, and non-Muslims that try a fast will be given a Just Eat voucher , giving you the chance to enjoy a free iftar (break of fast) meal.

Send us your questions or tips for fasting here.

Please access the webinar link using Google Chrome or Firefox browser, as other browsers do not support this platform.

Join in with this online event via the the blackboard on Thursday 30 April.

A Glimpse into the World of Indian Dance

Posted on by lizzie.feltham

University of Bristol staff and students came together for the first big Global Lounge event of 2020; a Glimpse into the World of Indian Dance.

Attendees enjoyed classical dance performances and a delicious meal, organised by the Global Lounge in collaboration with students Aditya Sharma and Deepa Lakshmi.

Showtime

Just under 200 people attended the Indian dance event, held in Anson Rooms in the Richmond Building on Thursday 6 Febraury. A free delicious, authentic Indian meal and refreshments were provided after the show which many stayed on to enjoy whilst socialising and chatting to the performers.

Aditya and Deepa showcased two very distinct and popular forms of Indian dance: Kathak and Bharatanatyam. Their performances were accompanied by their stories, which explained each dance and its cultural significance, presenting a modern, fresh and personal take on the traditional roots of Indian choreography.

Meet Deepa and Aditya

Aditya Sharma approached the Global Lounge to hold this event and, along with Deepa Lakshmi, curated their performances especially for the Global Lounge, putting much time and effort into the event.

Aditya Sharma is a senior Kathak dancer with eight years of experience. He is the founder and artistic director of Yatra Dance productions, a classical dance choreography unit in Bangalore. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Management (Marketing).

Deepa Lakshmi is a senior Bharatanatyam artist from Chennai. She has been training in the discipline since the age of four and has received many accolades. Deepa is currently pursuing a Master’s in Law.

The elaborate performances and beautiful outfits made it an immersive and entertaining experience for the audience. The dancers carefully curated their technique and style to showcase the art form in a modern and exciting way, while maintaining the roots and traditions of the choreography, music and performances.

Speaking of the success of the event, Deepa and Aditya said:

“We did not expect this kind of reaction. We were very nervous; thinking, how are [the audience] going to bounce back to us, would they be able to relate to it – we didn’t know whether they would know the history about it or not. But it just shows that art, music, dance; you don’t need a lot of commonalities to understand it. If you have the music, your feet are going to start tapping, and you start dancing – so you don’t need to know the background to enjoy anything.”

A Glimpse into the World of Indian Dance from Global Lounge on Vimeo.