Film Screening - Jan. 19

You are invited to join the Middle East Justice and Peace Group to view Koran by Heart - Film will be shown Thursday January 19, 2012 at 7PM in the Auditorium on the first level of Valentine Hall, on the campus of Gettysburg Seminary in Gettysburg - Discussion and refreshments to follow film - Free and open to the public

Koran by Heart:

One of Islam's most revered traditions, Koran recitation reaches its pinnacle at the world's preeminent recitation competition in Cairo, where Muslim children come from across the globe to perform in front of a panel of prominent judges. Contestants as young as seven are ranked against kids more than twice their age for both their comprehensive memorization of the 600-page text as well as their improvised melodies. A diverse spectrum of Muslims competes for top prize: Ten-year-old Senegalese entrant Djamil navigates the competition alone while his community anxiously awaits his results; Rifdha, from a small island in the Maldives, enters as one of the competition's few female participants; and Nabiollah, from rural Tajikistan, mesmerizes judges with his angelic voice in spite of not speaking Arabic. 

Following these talented youngsters from their intense preparation regimes through the rigorous rounds of the tournament, director Greg Barker creates both an inspirational competition film and an engaging survey of the unique experiences of Muslim children throughout the world, using the cultural crossroads of the international competition to examine the issues facing the next generation of Muslims.

--Ian Hollander