For the second year in a row, NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) will host Ramadaniyyat, a series of varied public events for Ramadan. The Arts Center, The Art Gallery, and The Institute, three public-facing units of NYUAD, will jointly host the activities with an Al-Andalus theme. The activities will take place from April 3 through April 6.

Nadia El Cheikh, Vice Provost for Cultural and Research Engagement at NYUAD, stated, “We are excited to once again come together and reconnect with our community and the wider public at NYUAD for the Holy Month of Ramadan. It is a time for spiritual reflection and connection, as well as an opportunity to appreciate the arts and the power of expression.”

She added, “This year’s theme, Al-Andalus, refers to the period when Muslim sovereigns ruled over parts of the Iberian Peninsula. The theme aims to share the remarkable story of a unique time in history when Muslims, Christians, and Jews forged a common cultural identity that frequently transcended their religious differences, encapsulating stories of a time when these three groups managed to sustain relationships that enabled them to coexist, collaborate, and flourish.”

The program will include a number of activities and will kick out on April 3rd at The Institute with a talk that will examine the connections between poetry, philosophy, and music. The talk will be given in Arabic with simultaneous translation into English. With poet, critic, and media expert Barween Habib, poet Mahdi Mansour and musician Faraj Abyad will delve deeper into modern poetry and music while also discussing the profound influence the Andalusian Maqamat have had on contemporary Arabic poetry. They will also discuss andalusian poetry and classical music.

Four short films by Emirati filmmakers will be screened as part of a special edition of CinemaNa, The Arts Centre’s modern Arab film series, on April 4. Collaboration between CinemaNa and the Film and New Media program at NYUAD.

The Arts Centre will also host the world premiere of Faraj Abyad’s Andalusian Love Tale on April 5. Based on a collection of love letters sent between Ibn Zaydun and Wallada Bint Al Mustakfi, the composition Andalusian Love Tale combines current and classical poetry with traditional Egyptian and Syrian sounds. On April 6, an interactive workshop on how to set Arabic poetry to music utilizing the Arabic Maqam and rhythm will be held after the musical performance.

On April 6, the Art Gallery will host a workshop led by artist and curator Zuhoor Al Sayegh, who will examine natural healing techniques passed down through generations using plants and herbs frequently sold at Hakeem spice stores, which are commonplace in the UAE and are Arabic for “wise” and “healer.” Participants’ oral histories and books on Andalusian plant medicine from the NYUAD library will be combined, and the group will be asked to record, imagine, write, and research recipes that might be still be useful and available today.