Sanyog 2018 Dubai, a cultural and musical event to be held on February 16 at the Consulate General of India auditorium in Dubai, promises to bring together two noted exponents of their respective languages.
Dr Shihab M Ganem, one of the most celebrated Emirati poets, and Indrani Sen, a renowned figure in Rabindra Sangeet and Bengali music for the last four decades, will be felicitated on the eve of International Mother Language Day on February 21.
The St Xavier’s College Alumni associations of Kolkata and UAE, along with St Xavier’s College, Kolkata, is hosting the event — which marks the Dubai leg of an international peace tour to commemorate International Mother Language Day.
February 21 is recognised as International Mother Language Day by Unesco to recognise the 1952 Bengali Language Movement — a freedom movement borne out of the fight to establish Bengali as their mother language.
It will be a rare opportunity for the Bengali expat community of the UAE to listen to Sen, who is a cult figure in Bengali music with her range cutting across Indian classical music, songs of Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrulgeeti (songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam) as well as Bengali films.
Rev Fr (Dr) Dominic Savio S.J., Principal of St Xavier’s College, Kolkata, will felicitate Dr Ganem, the first Arab poet to win The Tagore Peace Award in 2012 from the Asian Society in Kolkata; the Poetry Award for Culture & Humanism in 2013 from the World Poetry Society Intercontinental, Chennai; and the Cultural Personality of the Year in 2013 from Al Owais Creativity Award, Dubai. His poems have been translated into 12 languages.
Entry is free but those interested need to carry their Emirates ID cards.
