The night also featured a live presentation by Jason Hamacher, a punk drummer and founder of Lost Origin Sound Series and Lost Origin Productions.
Hamacher began his Syrian journey in 2001, when he was granted
permission to record the oldest chants of the Syrian Orthodox Church.
This experience shaped a unique view on the country and its people.
“Governments do not represent the people that live inside of the
government,” said Hamacher. “Everyone has disagreements with the way
things are run, but this has little to do with the way people live. What
I wanted to do, facing what has happened, is to expose the public to
the way that Syrians really work.”
Those in the audience were then invited to socialize, meet others
from around the world, and have a meaningful discussion around heritage,
culture and how people define themselves.
“The greatest thing about tonight was meeting my friend Omar Alamri,” said Jacob Verbanas, a Delaware Diplomat and mechanical engineering major. “We were told to meet somebody from a different country, and by chance we clicked.”
It is these kinds of connections that the AiR and Arts Bridging Cultures programs hope to continue to facilitate.
This event was supported by the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), the English Language Institute (ELI) and the Office of the Provost.
To learn more about the International Artist in Residence or Arts Bridging Cultures programs, contact Colin Miller or ELI orientation coordinator Tim Kim.
About the International Artist in Residence Program
The College of Arts and Sciences’ International Artist in Residence
(AiR) Program is designed to promote cultural understanding and to
further internationalize campus life through integrating art and artists
from around the world into classroom and extracurricular learning.
Each year, AiR hosts at least two international artists, who interact
with the University and larger Delaware community through workshops,
performances, exhibits and other similar activities while also producing
original work. Through these programs, the artist enables UD faculty,
staff and students to see the world through their own distinctive eye.
Artists who participate in the program are at various stages in their
careers and work in all disciplines, including the visual, performing,
literary, technical and interdisciplinary arts.
About the Arts Bridging Cultures Series
The Arts Bridging Cultures Series is an initiative by the English Language Institute
(ELI) to promote cross-cultural interaction and create a campus in
which the lives of students are enriched through meaningful,
experiential exploration of diversity.
The increased presence of students from diverse background presents
numerous challenges but, more importantly, provides unique opportunities
for cross-cultural exchange.