Salaam Music Village Festival in London

London, UK – Salaam Music Village Festival, a celebration of arts & culture from
across the Islamic world, will be held in London June 28 – July 14, 2006.

The cream of the world’s Muslim artists assembles in London this summer for the
21st Music Village festival. Guest visiting artists from all over the Islamic
world unite with leading UK-based Muslim performers, storytellers, speakers and
workshop leaders in a 17-day program of free events across the city.

The Salaam Music Village festival unveils a spectrum of Muslim cultures
worldwide and celebrates their immense contribution over the centuries to the
world’s intellectual and creative heritage. The program reveals for Muslims and
non-Muslim alike the breathtaking diversity of artistic forms generated by
Muslim communities around the world as an expression of their faith.

“Salaam” means “peace” in Arabic and peace is at the very core of Islamic
belief. The festival is a call to peace that aims to draw attention to key
examples of peaceful co-existence and constructive engagement between Muslims
and followers of other faiths – and none, relations that far outweigh periodic
episodes of interfaith conflict.

All public events are free admission to allow all members of Britain’s diverse
national and faith communities to attend, regardless of income.

Key events include: Open-air Festival Weekends in Kew Gardens* (1 & 2 July) and
Regent’s Park (8 & 9 July); Evening concerts at 16 venues around the city,
including 2 special showcase concerts at Union Chapel, a lunchtime Festival Club
at the October Gallery and a pre-booked Schools Program at 3 national museums.

Guest visiting artists include:

· BOSNIA: Sultan Mehmet Fatih Sufi group from Sarajevo

· CHINA: Dao Lang Maqam Uyghur ensemble from Xinjiang

· EGYPT: Sheikh Yaseen el Tuhamy, Sufi singer from Assyut

· INDIA: Rani Khanam, Kathak dance

· INDONESIA: Rafly & Kande from Aceh

· IRAQ: Angam al-Rafidain traditional music ensemble from Baghdad

· KENYA: Zein L’Abdin, Taarab music from Mombasa

· MOROCCO: Aissawa Sufi Brotherhood of Said Guissi from Fes

· PAKISTAN: Mehr Ali & Sher Ali, Qawaali from Faisalabad

· TURKEY: Latif Bolat, Sufi instrumental

· YEMEN: Fanoun al Yemen ensemble from Sana’a

· UNITED KINGDOM: 9 outstanding ensembles from the London’s Muslim communities
including Fantazia (UK/Algeria) Yusuf Mahmood (Afghanistan) and Amir Khan
(Pakistan) Nara (Syria) Sabari (Senegal).

*Entry to Kew Gardens is normally £11.75 (£8.75 concs) but is FREE with an entry
voucher. See website for details.

The Salaam Music Village festival is organized by Cultural Co-operation, an
independent London-based arts charity that promotes cross-cultural contact,
dialogue and understanding.

Financially supported by: The Ford Foundation; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Royal
Parks Agency; City of Westminster; the governments of China, Egypt, India,
Indonesia, Yemen, British Embassy, Sarajevo; British Council (China; Egypt;
India; Morocco; Pakistan; Yemen)