Welcome to Ramadan

1:00–5:00 p.m. 

Join us for our community event Welcome to Ramadan, organized by Shireen Soliman and MoMI’s Neighborhood Council. On Sunday, March 3, immerse yourself in the joyful spirit of Ramadan as we celebrate with a day of fun programming for all ages. For Muslims around the world, Ramadan marks a holy month of community, prayer, fasting, and nightly feasts. This year, according to the Lunar Calendar, Ramadan is expected to begin the evening of Sunday, March 10 and end Tuesday, April 9. During this festive celebration, visitors are invited to watch a screening of the 2017 Oscar-nominated animated film The Breadwinner followed by a panel discussion about representation of Muslims and Ramadan in film and other media. Next, guests may attend drop-in animation and green screen workshops inspired by the rich traditions of the holiday. Guests are also welcome to read a book in our story–time nook or join a Bengali-language tour of our Behind the Screen exhibition. 

Schedule of events: 

1:00–3:00 p.m.: Screening of The Breadwinner followed by a panel discussion. (Bartos Screening Room)  

2:00–5:00 p.m.: Animation and green screen media-making activities (Digital Learning Suite)  

4:00 p.m.: Behind the Screen Exhibition Public Tour in Bengali. Sign up here for the tour. (Meet in the Lobby) 

The Breadwinner, directed by Nora Twomey, is based on Deborah Ellis’s novel about a young girl, Parvana, growing up under Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as the War on Terror begins. When Parvana’s father is arrested, she decides to disguise herself as a boy to help support her family. Working alongside her friend, Parvana experiences more freedom and danger than before as she tries to reunite her family. 

All programs are included with Museum admission. Museum admission includes a film ticket*, but it must be requested upon arrival. Purchase general admission here.  

*Please note: Tickets for the screening are limited and will be distributed first-come, first-served. You can also purchase a film ticket in advance here and add on Museum admission upon arrival. 

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Noran Omar is a video journalist with 15 Emmy nominations who works at Queens Public Television Station. At the age of 15, she became the youngest Middle Eastern American journalist in New York, garnering recognition from the White House to NBC Studios. Today, Omar dedicates her time to journalism both as practitioner and educator, shaping the future of the field at the Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria during the day. 

Shireen Soliman is an educator, artist, and advocate. Soliman is a professor at Parsons and Pratt design colleges with a focus on fashion, education, art, and design communication.  Shireen also offers workshops and speaks on topics ranging from fashion, art and technology to Muslim-American identity, culture, and representation. Soliman uses her platforms to foster inclusive spaces for storytellers to leverage the power of narrative for increased connection and understanding, through fashion, media, and image.   

Daleelah Saleh is an Egyptian-American multimedia storyteller and Posse alumna from Astoria, Queens. Her work is rooted in a fierce love for her communities and a desire to challenge dominant narratives. She has a degree in film and media studies from Middlebury College, where her research focused on the representation of Arab and Muslim women on-screen. She’s currently a video producer at WNYC’s The Greene Space and a freelance journalist at The Queens Ledger.