Contact: Sarah Holswade For Immediate Release
Tel: 310.657.5511
Email: sarah@levantinecenter.org

ARTISTS FOR IRAN
A Celebration of the Arts and Human Rights

Who: Visual artists, poets, writers, comedians, actors and more.

What: A night devoted to literary, visual and performing arts highlighting the issues of human rights in Iran and around the world.

Where: Levantine Cultural Center,
5998 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90035

When: Dec. 12, 2009 from 7:30pm to 12am

Details: Free to the public, donations requested, open bar.

Photo by Jessica Shokrian: © Jessica Shokrian All Rights ReservedPhoto by Shelley Gazin: © Shelley Gazin All Rights ReservedLevantine Cultural Center presents an extensive roster of artists and performers in "Artists for Iran," a celebration of the arts and human rights in conjunction with United4Iran.org, which is coordinating related programs in 27 cities worldwide. Combining cultural diplomacy and human rights, "Artists for Iran" comes on the heels of International Human Rights Day. Artists from Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East along with Americans of diverse backgrounds will merge in a space devoted to art, photography, poetry, live performance, comedy and more.  Works in the show "Artists for Iran" will remain on display at the Inside/Outside Gallery through December 31, 2009.

Dismantling the Axis of Evil (new)

This program includes a brief review of roles in film and television, followed by a spirited dicussion, and questions from the audience. Panelists include Ahmed Ahmed, comedian and actor, Reza Aslan, author of No God, but god and How to Win a Cosmic War; John Tehranian, attorney and author of Whitewashed: America's Invisible Middle Eastern Minority; Maz Jobrani, actor and comedian ("Axis of Evil Comedy Tour"; "The Interpreter"); and Shiva Rose, actress ("David & Layla," "CSI Miami"), activist and playwright.

This benefit event for the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) features its director, Jeff Halper.

ICAHD is a non-violent, direct-action group originally established to oppose and resist Israeli demolition of Palestinian houses in the Occupied Territories. As its activists gained direct knowledge of the brutalities of the Occupation, they expanded resistance activities to other areas—land expropriation, settlement expansion, by-pass road construction, policies of "closure" and "separation," the wholesale uprooting of fruit and olive trees and more. The fierce repression of Palestinian efforts to "shake off" the Occupation following the latest Intifada has only added urgency to the organization's efforts.

For over ten years, Minnesota-born, Israeli citizen Jeff Halper, the Israeli and Palestinian ICAHD staff, and Israeli, Palestinian, and international volunteers put themselves on the line to stop these demolitions.  For those demolitions which they could not stop, ICAHD is there to help the now homeless families cope, and when possible, to rebuild their demolished homes.  

Levantine BookGroup Relaunches With The Lemon Tree, Snow, and We Look Like the Enemy

On the first Wednesday of each month, from 7:30-9:30 pm, starting on October 7th with The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan, the Levantine BookGroup resumes as the only progressive Middle East book group in Southern California.

With meetings free to the public at Levantine Cultural Center and discounted books available at the Levantine bookshop, the new Levantine BookGroup returns from its early roots as a staple of the center back in 2001, 2002, 2003. This book group offers the opportunity to discuss books written by authors of Middle Eastern origin or writing about Middle Eastern cultures and societies. Non-fiction and fiction will alternatively be selected to cover the rich literary production emanating from or about this region.

United4Iran event at UCLADesmond Tutu and other Nobel Peace Laureates, Iranian Poets and Artists Support July 25th Global Day of Action Protests in Iran Continue - Global Activism Increasing

In Los Angeles a coalition of student organizations, United4Iran.org, Levantine Cultural Center and others are presenting an evening of music, poetry, speeches and solidarity messages on Saturday, July 25, from six to nine pm. Among the presenters/performers are Amnesty International's Banafsheh Akhlaghi, Levantine Cultural Center advisor and author Reza Aslan, international vocalist Sussan Deyhim, actor and comedian Maz Jobrani, vocalists Mamak Khadem and Ziba Shirazi and many others.

Come visit the Levantine Cultural Center booth and pick up your free "Free Iran" tee-shirt, courtesy of American Apparel. Support freedom and democracy for Iranians when you gather for a live concert and multimedia presentation. Let the people of Iran know that we support their human and civil rights.

A press release from United4Iran quotes several prominent leaders and others:

Doumbek Circle welcomes players of all levels and backgrounds at the beach Sunday evening.

We will meet in the parking at Washington and Venice Beach boardwalk.

Bring your drum and a chair for comfort.

Want more info? Call Noam at 818.371.3971 or email.

The Immigrant Experience Workshop

THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE
Saturdays July 18th, August 1st, 8th and 15th, 1:30 - 4:30 PM

Whether you and/or your family immigrated by choice, were exiled or displaced as a result of war, revolution or political suppression, you left one life behind and crossed a threshold into a new one. You may be living a life with the body in one place and the heart in another.

The workshop will offer inspiration from literature, art and music to usher you into a story that positions the personal against a historical/ political/ societal background.

Mixed Roots Fest: how many of us are the product of parents from different cultures or religions?How many of us are the product of parents from two different cultures, religions or nationalities?

A festival of arts helps fund a cultural center: May 23, 2009
Incredible performers dedicated to their art
Arts of the Middle East!