Summer 09 - Children's Festival 2009

An estimated 1500 people visited the BAYCC Annual International Children's Festival held on May 9th, at the Music Concourse Bandshell Area in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. The organizing committee really moved it up a notch at the 4th festival of its kind, with fourteen groups taking the stage with their colorful dresses, lively songs and authentic folk dances. April 23rd is the International Children's Day in Turkey, having the same theme, and BAYCC has been bringing the tradition to the U.S., with its large Turkish member base. This year, Turkish food was on the menu too, nothing less then the authentic home-made Turkish delicacies, sold at several booths served by BAYCC volunteers. The venue was excellent for the event, at the world-renown beautiful Golden Gate Park, right between the California Academy of Sciences and de Young Museum, frequented by masses during the weekends. The festival turned out to be such a big hit that the organizing committee will find its hands full next year, to up the bar. There are already plans to expand performances, attractions and food booths, so there is much to look forward to, for next year's festival.

Bay Area Cultural Connections (BAYCC) has been celebrating International Children's Day every spring, since 2006. International Children's Day is celebrated in Turkey on April 23rd, commemorating the of inauguration of the Grand National Assembly in 1920. Following the tradition in Turkey, BAYCC invites the schools of different ethnicities throughout the Bay Area, to perform their folk dances, with their authentic clothes and native songs. For the past years, the program was held at community centers in Palo Alto, with 5-7 participating groups. This year's program was held in the open at the Golden Gate Park, and 14 groups performed for a much larger audience. This year's program was co-sponsored by Pacifica Institute . Venue Golden Gate Park is located in the sunset district of, San Francisco, spanning 1017 acres of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but slightly larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. With 13 million visitors annually, Golden Gate is the third most visited city park in the U.S. It is the home to many landmarks, including Conservatory of Flowers, Kezar Stadium, and Japanese Tea Garden. Near the northern border of the park, is the The Music Concourse area, an oval-shaped open-air plaza. This year's festival was held at the focal point of Music Concourse area, the Spreckels Temple of Music, also called the "Bandshell", where numerous music performance have been staged. The constant flow of people entering and exiting the two nearby museums, California Academy of Sciences and De Young Museum provided a good source of audience. An estimated 1500 people stopped by to watch performances and taste Turkish delicacies. Parking was a breeze (not really). Well, not everything can be perfect, and this is San Franciso we are talking about. Regular visitors of Golden Gate Park were not surprised to walk a long distance after they park, though, and the day was exceptionally warm, so it was a nice excuse to get some exercise.

Performances

Fifteen groups performed with their traditional songs and dances, including Turkish, Bosnian, Chinese, Mexican, Scottish, Meskhetian Turkish, Indian, Bangladeshi, and Hawaian groups. Surveying favorite performances, we found out that there is no consensus on a single best-performer group, although some groups were mentioned more frequently than others (no, we will not announce them here). This was not a competition, after all, nor were the performers professional dancers. The goal was to celebrate diversity and kindle friendship, and mission was accomplished.

Food

A welcome development of this year's festival was the serving of authentic home-made Turkish food. A quick survey revealed manti , Turkish meat ravioli, as the favorite food at the festival. Small pieces of dough filled with ground beef, manti takes long to prepare, even for a small number of guests. Feeding hoards of guests undoubtedly took many Turkish-lady-hours. Or time of helping/grunting Turkish husbands, for that matter. So, next time you are munching on a spoonful of manti (with a topping of yogurt with spices, mmm) think of how long it takes to prepare this delicacy. Other attractions were doner (gyros), lahmacun (sometimes called Turkish pizza), gozleme (pastry, usually filled with feta cheese), and lentil kofte. Many of those were quickly out of supply though (mental note for next festival). For those of us mere mortals that did not have a chance to taste those, there was a variety of Turkish dessert. So, that was my favorite. My son, on the other hand, loved cotton candy, cup cakes and popcorn (no surprise there).

Plans

There was much good feedback about the festival. I think the highlight of the entire festival is the delicious blend of a variety of cultures, as italicized under BAYCC's name: where the cultures meet. The guests left the festival happy and well-fed. Plans are already on the way, to make next year's festival bigger and better, with a wider spectrum of groups and richer variety of Turkish food. The pictures can be viewed on BAYCC web site, and we always welcome your comments or suggestions via e-mail.

Summer 09 - Interesting Facts

Where did Noah's Ark Land? 

The Great Flood and Noah´s Ark has been a subject of research for centuries, just like other biblical stories. Whereas some approach it with doubt and consider it no more than a fable, some truly believe in its existence and show tremendous efforts in locating Noah´s Ark. All with the hope of proving that there was an Ark, built by Noah, which survived the flood with the help of God.

Although some claim that the flood was a global one, most researchers think more evidence is needed to imply one existed. However, they suggest a local flood occurred in Mesopotamia (today´s Iraq and surrounding area). This is signified by the Assyrian and Sumerian texts that were discovered during archeological diggings. [1] In addition to the stories of the flood mentioned in both the Bible and the Qur´an, a similar story is mentioned in the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh. [2]

"and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat." [Genesis 8:4]

Genesis 8:4 mentions "Mountains of rrt", since Mosoretic Hebrew did not have any vowels, "rrt" had been translated as "Urartu" and later during Armenian times as "Ararat". Urartu was an Iron Age Kingdom in Eastern Anatolia which was established in 1350 BC and conquered by Media (ancient Iranian People) during the early 6th century BC. The word rrt (Ararat/Urartu) is also mentioned in Jeremiah 51:27 as a Kingdom in Anatolia. Urartu Kingdom was lying on a mountainous area. The highest mountain in this region is Mount Ararat which is known as Agri Dagi in Turkey. Due to this fact, it had been the most popular research site for ark-hunters for years. Although there have been many expeditions, accounts, alleged sightings, anomalies, and claims of discovery in Mount Ararat, none of the researchers could find scientific evidence. The volcanic Mount Ararat is cylindrical and some geologists claim its formation was after the flood. There are differing views on the accounts of the formation of Mount Ararat on whether it was formed after the flood or during the flood. However, there is no real scientific evidence to support either of these views. Since there is no account of a visible ark on the mountain, most claim it must be preserved under the ice cap on the peak of the mountain. There have been two Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) attempts in the past to look under the ice cap for the remains of an ark. No trace of an ark could be found, although, it would be wrong to conclude its nonexistence until the mountain is completely scanned. Researchers also point out that since the upper reaches of the 17,000 feet mountain is covered with broken lava rock, it is not considered an ideal place for any walking creature to ascend or descend from.

Another site near Mount Ararat was Durupinar, named after Turkish Captain llhan Durupinar, who had identified a formation in a Turkish Air Force aerial photo while on a NATO mapping mission in 1959. This big formation was shaped like a large canoe. A study of Durupinar was conducted in 1960 by the Archeological Research Foundation. Its study on the canoe shaped formation revealed soil and rocks. The official news release concluded that "there were no visible archaeological remains" and that the formation "was a freak of nature and not man-made."[3]

At the beginning of the Christian era, the lands referred to as Ararat was only a northern subdivision of Armenia, near the Araxes River. As a result, when interpreting the location of Mount Ararat, post-Christian writers and Armenians restricted this location to the smaller Araxes River. However, during the time the Old Testament was revealed to Moses, the Urartian region was much more extensive. One might also conclude that the ark could have landed on any of the mountains in the area. This fact and the following verse from the Qur'an moved the attention of the researchers to another Mountain in the area: Mount Judi (Cudi Dagh).

"Then the word went forth: "O earth! swallow up thy water, and O sky! Withhold (thy rain)!" and the water abated, and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and the word went forth: "Away with those who do wrong!" [11:44]

Like Mount Ararat, Mount Judi resides within the borders of Turkey. Mount Judi is the first mountain from a chain of mountains on the border of the Biblical Ararat region which separates the region from the Mesopotamian plains. Compared to Mount Ararat, Mount Judi is a lower peak, standing at 6853 feet. There are numerous monasteries on this mountain built by the Christian Nestorians, including one on the summit called "Cloister of Ark". Also on the summit is a stone structure called "Sefinet Nebi Nuh" ("The Ship of Noah"), named by the locals. Every September 14, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sabians and Yezidis gather on the mountain to celebrate Noah´s sacrifice. According to Zakariya ibn Muhammad al Qazvini, a geographer of the 13th century, wood from Noah´s ark still existed on Mount Judi as late as the eighth and ninth centuries AD, until it was removed and used to construct a mosque. If we assume that an ark of giant dimensions and high durability once existed and rested upon a mountain, even though it is expected to be grounded to bits, one would expect this to take centuries, even millenniums to happen. Such a religiously and historically significant relic would be highly respected, talked about from generation to generation. People would want to see it and own a piece of it. Therefore, this historical structure and commemorative tradition on Mount Judi suggests that for thousands of years, people believed Noah's Ark landed on this area. Furthermore, Dr. Friedrich Bender, a German geologist, found pea-sized wood buried in the soil during his expedition on the mountain in April 1953. The carbon-test he conducted on the samples dated the remains to be 6500 years old. [4]

"The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth." [Genesis 8:11] Olive trees do not normally grow today on Mount Ararat (Mount Agri) or the surrounding region. However, olive trees have been grown at Judi from antiquity to current times as its proximity to the Mediterranean region. "Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded [a] to plant a vineyard." [Genesis 9:20] Grapevines are typical of this region, and even in recent times numerous vineyards are grown along the Tigris River valley around Mount Judi as well as the area surrounding Mount Ararat. Mount Judi rises in the borders of Turkish city, Sirnak. The name Sirnak comes from Sehr-i Nuh (City of Noah), which later transformed into Sernah and then into Sirnak. The first village from the summit of Mount Judi is Yogurtcular koyu. This was previously known as Hestan (meaning eighty in Kurdish) until recent times. Hestan is believed to be founded by the eighty people who had survived the flood in the ark. The village has three main streets, Ham, Sam and Yafes named after Noah´s three sons.

Scientists are excited about this new location as the possible ark landing. However, as this article mentions the latest geological researches were made on the area decades ago due to military conflict in the area. With hope, the mountains in the area will be safe enough one day to allow scientists to conduct their research.

[1] Sumerian Eridu Genesis

[2] Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh

[3] Durupinar

[4] Lynchburg man looking for Noah´s Ark

[5] Bible & Spade Vol.19 No.4

Summer 09 - "Sharing Ideas" Luncheon

"Sharing Ideas" luncheon was held by Pacifica Institute’s Bay Area branch on March 29, 2009 at the Cultural Center in Sunnyvale. After an enchanted lunch, people from the Turkish community and St. Robert’s Catholic Church of San Bruno community brainstormed two essential questions: “What does peace mean to you?” and “How can you contribute to peace in our community?” People between the ages of eleven and late seventies from diverse cultural backgrounds exchanged their thoughts about peace in an inspiring environment. Surprisingly, the whole luncheon was the idea of an eleven year old son of a journalist.

Guests were not only delighted by admirable Turkish foods, they were also acquainted with the mission and activities of the Pacifica Institute by watching a short video. Sheral Marshall from the St. Robert’s Catholic Church made an informative speech about the story of St. Francis and the Sultan of Egypt, whose encounter was a step for the Muslim-Christian dialogue in the 13th century. Afterwards, participants brainstormed the questions in moderated round table discussions. At the end of the program, following ideas were harvested as the fruits of dialogue:

What Does Peace Mean to You?

• Love and respect for one another
• To have a peaceful mind
• Praying for being peaceful, which is deeper than being happy
• Loving God and loving each other
• To have a state of tranquility
• Having no hostility against anyone
• Getting along with each other
• Feeling safe
• Appreciating diversity
• Not being self-centric
• Respecting each other
• Following right
• Preventing violence
• Understanding yourself & others
• Good relationship with God, self, and others
• praying for/with others
• coexistence
• accepting others without judging
• friendship between people without much conflict
• Enjoying the moment with elements that God gave to us to live in a peaceful world

How Can You Contribute to Peace in Our Community?

• Sharing small things everyday
• Being a good example and helping others
• Volunteering your skills and knowledge
• Accepting people no matter color, race, culture, etc.
• Maintaining discipline and order in your own family.
• Help out with charity around community
• Real peace comes from real justice/respect
• Be friendly and open to everyone’s ideas
• Speak out for those without much say
• Try to understand each other
• Participate in outreach
• Have peace within yourself
• Emphasize similarities, not differences
• Empathize with others
• Do voluntary work
• Visit neighbors
• Visit nursing homes, orphanages, etc.
• Make more dialogue

Now, we are hoping to proactively apply these ideas into our lives to contribute peace in the community!

Summer 09 - A Night of Dessert Inherited from Noah

Every tradition has a story behind it. Noah´s Pudding, a hodgepodge just like America, has an interesting one to be told.

When Noah's ark landed on the mountain after the flood, Noah and his friends prepared a delicacy with a little bit of everything left in the ark: grains, dried fruits, and pulses on the vessel such as figs, nuts, wheat, chickpeas, almonds and apricots. Sugar and love combination worked in a mysterious way, and the outcome was not bad at all as one might think. It turned out to be a delicious, sweet, rich dish called "Ashura" passing from generation to generation to be cooked and shared with family, friends and neighbors once a year in Turkey.

It is in Pacifica Institute's agenda to celebrate annual "Noah´s Pudding Nights" as a symbol of harmonic blend and unity of community members with different backgrounds, nationalities, religions and age groups. This is the very essence of America, "a melting pot". This year, the event was hosted at the Pacifica Institute Center on the night of January 31st with an extensive program including the speeches, music and presentations.

There were about hundred guests at the event, re-experiencing the great joy and the feast we presumably inherited from Noah and his companions. It started with the dinner. The opening speech was about the history of Noah´s pudding and its metaphoric representation of unity despite the differences. Following the speech, there was a precise slide show on how to cook the pudding. "I know one day the recipe will be handy for me and a bunch of other people in the room." said one of the guests.

Finally, ashura was served. "Ashura has its own distinctive flavor, the flavors meld, and that is how community functions." said the Reverend Matthew Broadbent, senior pastor of Foothills Congregational Church-UCC in Los Altos.

"When members of my church gathered for this year´s celebration, it was wonderful that we sat at different tables and met different people and learned, once again, what a wonderful time it is when people gather in peace and goodwill. It is the essence of community. The pudding, each ingredient features a variety of what would seem to be disparate items: beans and apricots and sugar and wheat and other additions, depending on the cook. It´s a lot of work, no doubt, but the end result is a tasty pudding that reminds us that after the storm passes and we have safely landed, God remembers us still and gives us the fruit of the earth to share with one another." The Reverend Evelyn Vigil from the same church added. "The moment when I had a scoop of ashura, I realized this country offers many opportunities to me because of its diverse nature just like ashura. If I had stayed in my home country, Japan, I would have never been able to meet those people and taste this dessert. I would have missed a chance to hear the story of how it is prepared with care and affection after a long process which takes hours. While I am scooping this dessert, I could feel the weight of history behind it. It is not a random type of pudding. It has joy, happiness, and caring for others." Motoko, a member of the cooking club who was present at the event, shared her thoughts.

Another significance of the night was "Group Anatolia", a sufi music band from Los Angeles. The music included a healing combination of the reed and the drum accompanied by voice. "I felt like my soul was taking a rest in the presence of the music." Meryem Halbutogullari, who were among the guests, commented. Pacifica Institute took over what Noah left, and multiplied it with thousands of years of love. Ashure Night was a night of peaceful and joyous fellowship, a reminder that we are all in this together.

Summer 09 - Discovering Turkey - Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival

Hosgeldiniz, Welcome to the festival

From April 2nd to April 5th, Orange County Fairground in Costa Mesa, California, witnessed a very special event, the First Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival. Nearly 35000 people came to experience it with family and friends. For many Americans and Turks, it was a wonderful opportunity to explore the rich culture and history of Turkey and enjoy the festivities. Coincidentally, the event took place while President Obama visited Turkey. The main sponsor of the event was Pacifica Institute. To-date, Pacifica Institute was known chiefly by its annual dialogue dinners, cultural trips to Turkey, and luncheons. The festival, which took years of meticulous planning and months of execution, was easily the biggest challenge faced by the organizers. Now that it became a huge hit, it will likely repeat annually and be the trademark event of Pacifica Institute. The event was organized with immaculate perfection, and amenities for every age were taken into consideration. Each visitor was given a map of the festival fairgrounds and a schedule for the day at the entrance.

As you enter the gates of the festival, you find yourself walking through the many civilizations - Roman, Ottoman, Greek and Seljuk - and welcomed by the smiles of costumed greeters. The gates were constructed in the architectural style of the respective civilizations, and the greeters´ costumes were also reminiscent of the clothes worn by the people of those times. Large signs provided detailed explanations of the civilizations, and many guests spent a great deal of time educating themselves in front of these signs. Attentions were definitely attracted to the fact that many civilizations were born and died in Anatolian region before it became home to Turks, as evidenced by the path of the civilizations. Undoubtedly, many Americans were not familiar with the name Anatolia before the event. The organizers evidently did all they can to be inclusive of many religious and ethnic minorities living in Turkey without alienating any of those. Many Turks drove and flew long distances to attend the event. The festival was an opportunity for families and friends across the United States to reunite. While they were nostalgic having previously visited Turkey, diverse groups of people came together and discovered Turkey for the first time. As a result of outreach efforts of Pacifica Institute to bring two communities together, many Armenians visited the festival as well despite the tension between Armenian and Turkish communities regarding historical tragic events. The festival provided a unique opportunity to those who left Turkey years ago and still feel a strong belonging to it. The Islamic call to prayer, adhan, brought tears to the eyes of some of the Armenian guests, who are Christian, nevertheless moved by the memories adhan brings back. There were many activities to choose from - comedy and musical performances, movie nights, exhibitions, handcraft demonstrations, live theatre, games for kids, live outdoor concerts and dance performances.

A man with a traditional red outfit was shouting for lemonade. The Sultan Ahmed III fountain, which beautifies the Uskudar square in Istanbul, was replicated as a fountain drink center serving iced tea and Ayran, a popular summer drink made out of yogurt. What set this festival apart from others is the Disneyland-like structures with their detailed calligraphic designs, ornate motifs and realistic photo backdrops of famous Turkish landmarks like Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia. Indeed, great care was taken to imitate the original structures in painstaking detail. The festival grounds highlighted 5 cities- Istanbul, Konya, Antalya, Mardin and Van, featuring photo exhibits, handicrafts. Furthermore, each city had a gateway structure unique to their city. For example, the city of Van featured the famous Van cat, a breed of all-white cat with eyes of different color, which was popular amongst visitors who took photos and looked at with curiosity and wonderment. Meanwhile, Konya showcased their famous whirling dervishes, Sufi music performances and the tomb of Rumi.

Each of the city booths included information about the art and crafts. The entrance gate of each city displayed photos and description of the famous landmarks and significant historical events that took place. The open courtyard was designed in the architectural style of the famous grand bazaar in Istanbul, replete with domes and pillars. There were many talented painters, musicians, craftsmen and performers brought from Turkey for the duration of the festival. Not only did we all get to enjoy the savory foods of Turkey, but we witnessed a wonderful demonstration of Anatolian Turkish cuisine cooking live on stage. The chef allowed audience members to participate in the cooking of dolma, kabob and desserts. The festival even included a children´s version called `Kids Land´. For many parents, it was an added bonus to drop off their kids at `Kids Land´ where all took part in several entertaining activities that included puppet shows, games, painting lessons, toys and performances. A special thanks and praise goes out to all the volunteers and staff for the festival who worked tirelessly and generously to serve the festival attendees. I was most impressed by the level of commitment and volunteer time they gave to all the visitors. I met two girls who flew in from another state to help their friend serve food all day. Those who were serving food would often stand behind all day without taking a break to eat themselves.

The highlights of the festival included the marching of the Ottoman Military Band, performances of traditional Anatolian songs and hands-on demonstrations of art unique to Turkey such as `Ebru,' a form of marble design painting on water. The festival included many wonderful traditional and regional dances of Turkey. While Circassian dancers were performing in the main stage, Sirtaki took place in Aspendos Amphitheatre. Reyhani of Mardin was probably the crowd´s most favourite since they were able to participate with the performers. Overall the festival was a great success. Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan issued a congratulatory of well wishes. For many visitors to the festival, it was an enlightening and wonderful experience.

If you missed the festival, don't worry, you can always look forward to next year.

Summer 09 - Respect for the Sacred

In all faith traditions, respect for the sacred involves both worship of God and love for one's neighbor. In fact, all of the prophets tell us that the two are actually one and the same.

The following include examples of what it means to have "respect for the sacred." The absolute, irreducible, non-negotiable requirement for recognizing the sacred and respecting the sacred is to acknowledge the infinite value of every human being. Not just the ones who share my blood or my background or my belief. Not just those who are intelligent or courageous or kind. Not just those who smile back at me when I smile at them. But each and every person, starting with those who can offer me the least: the very old, the very young, the very sick; the fearful, the mentally disturbed, the just plain mean and hateful; the prisoner, the homeless person, the stranger, and even the enemy, especially the enemy. These human beings are the ones who can teach me respect for the sacred, because I recognize their worth and value not on the basis of what they can do for me, but simply on the basis of the gift of life that God has given them.

French Jewish philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas has said that "ethics is the first philosophy." When I look at another person face-to-face, I see a vulnerable human being who has a claim on me. I am responsible for my neighbor. Why? We might say we are responsible for each other because God commands us to love one another. However, Levinas suggests that it works in an opposite fashion. Precisely in the face of another is where God speaks to me. In other words, my relationship with the person starts first and subsequently leads to my relationship with God.

Christian monk, St. Pachomius, was a founder of a large monastery in Egypt in the 4th century. There once was a man who went to Pachomius and asked to be shown God. St. Pachomius decided to oblige the man and proceeded to take him out to the monastery garden and show him an elderly, unkempt, and unpleasant monk. He told the man that if he could not see God by looking at this monk, it would be impossible to see Him anywhere else.

Drawing upon Jewish and Christian philosophies, I now quote from an Islamic source. A hadith (saying of the Prophet Muhammad) further explains. "He is not a believer who eats his fill when his neighbor beside him is hungry." Note that the Prophet does not just say that believers ought to feed the hungry as though faith in Allah comes first, and then the believer decides whether or not to feed the hungry person. The Prophet says that the person who fills up on food while the neighbor goes hungry is not a believer at all. I am not a scholar of Islamic literature, but the meaning seems pretty clear. Seeing a hungry person and sharing food from one's own table is what makes someone close to God, a believer if you will, and not the other way around. Actions of mercy and compassion toward one's neighbor come first and foremost, which then lead further into a relationship with the One who is All-Merciful and All-Compassionate. End of story. So be it. Amen.

This article has been adapted from the Reverend Arthur G. Holder´s speech during Pacifica Institute's San Francisco Friendship Dinner in 2006. The Reverend Arthur G. Holder is Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Christian Spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He is a priest of the Episcopal Diocese of California. Dean Holder received a bachelor´s degree from Duke University, a Master of Divinity degree from the General Theological Seminary in New York City, and a Ph.D. in Historical Theology, also from Duke. He has published translations of medieval Latin Christian texts as well as articles on biblical interpretation, pastoral ministry, and education in early and medieval Christianity. He is also the editor of The Blackwell Companion to Christian Spirituality (Blackwell Publishers, 2005). Dean Holder lives in Albany, California with his wife Sarah and their son Charles.

Summer 09 - Editor's Message

Anatolia Relived in LA

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the second issue of Pacifica Institute's quarterly local newsletter for the Bay Area community.

This issue is woven around two festivals that Pacifica Institute sponsered in the past months and the ashura activities in the area.

The "WOW!" factor for the month of April was surely the Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival held at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, CA. The whole region of Anatolia, including cross sections from many other civilizations appeared in Los Angeles for four days. It was exciting to see the green tomb of Rumi under the LA skies. Tea and simit, a Turkish style pretzel, tasted just as great as the ones at Blue Mosque Square in Istanbul. We have included pictures and an article written by a festival goer entitled "Discovering Turkey: Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival" for those who were unable to attend the festival.

The highlight of May was the 4th Annual International Children´s Celebration. In the previous years, the Children's Celebration was held indoor with only a few nation participating. This year the organizing committee raised the bar, with fourteen nations taking the stage outdoors at Golden Gate Park. An article is included highlighting the event .

Pacifica Institute organized the Noah's Pudding activities in January. Many volunteers were busy cooking the traditional pudding, while others were distributing it to sister communities and organizations. "Pacifica Diary: A Night of Dessert Inherited from Noah" provides an in-depth look at the Noah's Pudding Night activity. The article "Interesting Facts: Where did Noah's Ark Land?" is for those who are wondering the whereabouts of the Ark. A delicious Ashure recipe is in Recipe Corner along with the traditional stuffed bulgur-ground meat recipe from Southeastern Turkey.

Please energize the connection from your end by letting us know what you think about the newsletter (pacificasv@pacificainstitute.org). We are looking forward to getting your feedback. Have a great summer!