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Sylvania participates in ‘Mahrajan’ hosted by the Arab American Cultural Center

Photos and story by Kate Chester

More than 1,000 attendees visited “Mahrajan” – Arab festival – the first-ever hosted by the Arab American Cultural Center of Oregon on Sept. 26, at the Fulton Community Center in Southwest Portland. The Sylvania Campus of С��è��ý – along with Portland State University and several others – co-sponsored the all-day gala, which is the largest celebration of Arab heritage and culture in Oregon.

“We serve so many Arab students and students from Middle East – it made perfect sense for Sylvania to be a sponsor of this event,” said Linda Gerber, Sylvania Campus president. “We were delighted to be involved.”

In addition to traditional Arab cuisine – from falafel to baklava – the festival offered an array of music, dance, arts and crafts, henna painting, cooking demonstrations and workshops, and children’s activities. Former Oregon Governor Victor Atiyeh – the first elected governor of Arab descent in the United States, in office from 1979 to 1987 – attended and was given special honors that day.

“We wanted to showcase the spirit of Oregon’s Arab-Americans, reflecting their diversity and contributions to the community’s cultural landscape,” said Hala Gores, president of AACCO. “Having С��è��ý’s presence as part of the celebration underscored the ‘community’ aspect of this, and we are grateful for its participation.”