Concert of Three Cultures in Barcelona | 01.02.2024
On Thursday, February 1st, Barcelona was enveloped in harmony as part of the World Interfaith Harmony Week. Thanks to the warm welcome extended by the Migra Studium Foundation and the collaboration of Casa Turca de Barcelona, we were treated to an unforgettable evening at the Nuestra Señora de la Victoria Church. The event commenced with the heartfelt welcoming words from Alicia Guidonet. The introduction of the Protone Project by Arco Forum's Executive Director, Temir Naziri, showcased the commitment to safeguarding places of worship in Europe. During the concert, the outstanding performance by the whirling dervish Alperen Dikici transported us to another dimension. Equally magnificent were the contributions of clarinetist and vocalist Marta Alicja Kurzyca, violinist Mai Choma, neyzen Arif Erkovan, and guitarist and percussionist Osman Secmen. Gratitude and gifts were presented with affection to our talented musicians and collaborators, strengthening bonds between cultures. Special thanks to Fàtima Ahmed and Mercè Amor, co-founders of the Intercultural Association Diàlegs de Dona, Seniha Güner, volunteer coordinator of Arco Forum in Barcelona, Jordi Rubies, representative of the GTER (Stable Working Group of Religions), and Jesuit Pau Vidal, Delegate of the Apostolic Platform of the Jesuits in Catalonia, for their support during the gift presentations. The family photo symbolised diversity and unity, adorned with messages of peace pertinent to the World Interfaith Harmony Week such as shalom, salam, peace, pax, interfaith harmony, friendship, which we encourage everyone to continue spreading throughout the year. To conclude the evening, Casa Turca de Barcelona treated the attendees to refreshments as we shared experiences and enjoyed reading the Cascada Magazine, which attendees could take home following the event. At the close of the evening, the Executive Director of Arco Forum had the honour of presenting Pau Vidal with the book "Fundamentals of Rumi's Thought: A Mevlevi Sufi Perspective" by Şefik Can, with a foreword by Fethullah Gülen. Arco Forum would like to thank everyone who participated in this celebration of cultural and religious diversity. We look forward to future events as we continue to build a more inclusive and harmonious world together.