Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture is pleased to launch a concert series presenting a resident music ensemble performing classical Arab music repertoire that features a different guest soloist for each program. Led by Music Director Hanna Khoury, the ensemble brings together musicians of exceptional experience, providing opportunities to hear exemplary live Arab music on a regular basis in Philadelphia. See inside for details on upcoming concerts.

On February 6th, 29 students from the Parkway Northwest High School for Peace and Social Justice traveled to New York City with Philadelphia-based organization, Global Education Motivators, to the UN Student Leadership Conference on Development (UNSLCD) at the United Nations. UNSLCD provided a videoconference format for youth to talk and make commitments across cultures to human rights in development. Two of those Parkway Northwest students, Adriona Jenkins and Queen Neal, reflect on what they learned at the event here:

This year, according to the New York Times, “Pentagon spending will total $531 billion. In 2017, it will rise to $567 billion.” So, while Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s talk of $487 billion reductions over 10 years is impressive, most of the cuts are reductions in the rate of growth. In fact, after inflation, the cuts are less than 2%/year in real dollars.

The Free Library's One Book, One Philadelphia series for 2012 highlights a stirring collection of essays by Edwidge Danticat, Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work. In this, the One Book, One Philadelphia 10th Anniversary year, the Free Library of Philadelphia will once again present an incredibly rich and diverse series of events to supplement the reading experience. Attached is a detailed Calendar of Events which also includes a Resource Guide that contains supplemental reading suggestions and discussion questions for classrooms and book groups. The 2012 program runs from January 25 to March 17, 2012.