Arab traditions, culture are center stage at Youngstown festival

Arab traditions, culture are center stage at Youngstown festival

YOUNGSTOWN

Nawal Picard, an Iraqi native who has lived in the Youngstown area 24 years and is married to a Christian pastor, understands that it’s not easy for average Americans to understand her culture.

At the Second Annual Arab American Festival of Youngstown on Saturday, Picard said there’s diversity in the Arab world, but also simplicity.

“The purpose [of the festival] is to inform our community of our rich Arab traditions and culture and to let people know that no matter what they hear, we are a people who seek peace. We are family oriented people.”

At first it may be confusing to understand how the Arab culture takes in Christian, Muslim and Jewish people and residents of 21 countries in North Africa and the Middle East, Picard said.

But she introduced several Arab friends — two each from Libya and Morocco — to provide a fuller explanation.

“Even though we are different religions, it doesn’t matter,” said Magda Fathi of Boardman, from Tripoli, Libya. “This is how we live in our big Arab nation.”

Libya is frequently in the news for political and economic strife, but Fathi said she asks her family back home, and they say “Everything is fine,” she said.

Read the full story Sunday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.