San Jose City College will be presenting a series of events to mark the beginning of Middle Eastern Heritage Month in April.

Sami Ibrahim, chair of the Middle Eastern Heritage month planning committee said, “The purpose of this annual event, is to inform the college community about the history, rich culture, and the aspirations of all peoples of the Middle East.

The goal of the events is that, “we hope to accomplish a better understanding between the American people and those of the Middle East and the Muslim world,” said Ibrahim.

“This year we shall stress the importance of dialogue between American students and those in the Islamic world. Also, we shall reflect on the 2010 SJCC educational trip to Egypt, and its ramifications. A new feature this year is to shed more light on the Jan. 25 Egyptian revolution and Middle Eastern Poetry.”

Gershon Celniker, a member of Hillel of Silicon valley, an on campus Jewish college community will present the film, “Avia, My Love.”

“The film is a light humorous story of a young couple who fall in love.

The viewers should enjoy his story very much.” Celniker said, “ Our Hillel group will also provide the Holy Land Folk dance scheduled for Wednesday April 13.”

Philosophy Professor Gerald Grudzen, said he will show photos of his recent trip to Egypt.

“Aside from visiting many monuments and museums between Aswan and Alexandria, our faculty and students met and had face to face encounters with their Egyptian counterparts at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. …Private meetings were also held between a few members of our delegation with the administrative staff and faculty at both Al-Azhar University and the University of Alexandria, in order to draft memoranda.”

Ibrahim commented on the Poetry reading scheduled for April 12, “In the Middle East, poetry has always been the most admired and practiced form of literary expression.”