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Visiting Ambassador Shows a Softer Side of Syria By SHARON BOGAS
The most startling thing about the event was that it took place at all. For the final event of the Juilliard Current Affairs Society last year, Syrian-born clarinetist Kinan Azmeh suggested that we invite the Syrian ambassador to the United States, Dr. Imad Moustapha, to Juilliard. I have to admit that I was unsure whether such an event would be approved. Syria has been much in the news in the past year here in America. The Bush administration has made no secret about the fact that Syria's government is the next "domino" it would like to see fall in its plan to democratize the Middle East. Additionally, Syria and Israel have a relationship that would curdle milk, and there were sure to be objections to the visit by Israeli members of the Juilliard community.
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| Dr. Imad Moustapha, Syrian ambassador to the United States, spoke to the Juilliard community on April 30. (Photo by Lisa Yelon) |
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One faculty member wondered whether the event, though billed as a presentation on the cultural history of Syria, might not become politicized in a negative way. On subjects such as the Middle East, where politics can hardly be separated from daily life, and emotions run high, this was a valid concern. However, I was pleased that, after careful consideration and conversation with concerned members of the community, club faculty advisor President Polisi stood firm behind the principle of free speech, and allowed the invitation to be extended. As a club event, the visit in no way represented the beliefs and viewpoints of the School, political or otherwise.As it turns out, hosting an ambassador is no simple matter. Everything from hotel arrangements to security questions needed to be addressed. I would like to acknowledge the contributions of Sabrina Tanbara and Clara Jackson in the Office of Student Affairs, whose professionalism and attention to detail helped make the event such a successful one. In the end, there was only one minor slip: I ordered bacon-wrapped scallops for a group that included many Muslims and Jews. Fortunately, none of the guests seemed to be offended by my faux pas, and in the future, I will certainly take cultural dietary preferences into account.The ambassador began his presentation by reading aloud from the Epic of Gilgamesh, the ancient Sumerian tale. Modern Syria is part of the Tigris-Euphrates River valley, where the legend was written. He then narrated a slide show of Syrian works of art and of Syria itself. This was followed by a live performance of contemporary Syrian music: Kinan Azmeh played his own compositions. Through these diverse means, Dr. Moustapha strove to show us a more balanced vision of his country than one might get from American news sources."The West assumes that Syria is all Islamic," Dr. Moustapha explained, as he showed us slides of churches standing side by side with mosques. In fact, Syria has an ancient Christian tradition. There are both Muslim and Christian national holidays, and in some villages, Aramaic, the language of ancient Christianity, is still spoken. Today, fully 20 percent of Syrians are Christian.In an interesting personal anecdote, Dr. Moustapha told of attending a concert of the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra playing Western classical music, including Mozart and Bach. Dr. Moustapha and the United States ambassador to Syria were present, as were the patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church and the Grand Mufti (his Muslim counterpart), who were sitting together and chatting amicably. Such East-meets-West camaraderie is not generally thought of in connection with Syria.Dr. Moustapha has been at the helm of Syria's diplomatic cadre in Washington at a very difficult time. Regularly called in for meetings with senior Bush administration officials during the early stages of the war in Iraq, the ambassador was warned repeatedly that his country was next. However, as our decisive military victory in Iraq metamorphosed into what promises to be a long-term reconstruction commitment, the threatening implications for Syria slackened considerably.I a meeting earlier this year with President Bush, Dr. Moustapha arrived with a gift from his country: a replica of an ancient wooden door that is one of Syria's prized artifacts. Dr. Moustapha told us, only half jokingly, that he hoped the door, by reminding the president of Syria's wealth of historical artworks and artifacts, would dissuade him from launching a bombing campaign or an invasion similar to the one that resulted in the destruction and pillaging of countless Iraqi treasures.The question-and-answer period highlighted some of the more important political questions which were undoubtedly on everyone's mind. Leading off the questioning, President Polisi asked how we could increase understanding between Syria, Islam, and the United States. Appropriately enough for Juilliard students, Dr. Moustapha's reply stressed the idea of cultural exchange, and his belief that cultures can enrich each other through these exchanges. Noting the success of Juilliard in bringing together students and faculty from diverse cultural backgrounds, the ambassador cautioned that the School "is an isolated island," implying that the tolerance found on our campus is noticeably absent from much of the nation.Some of the thornier questions were those articulated by Avner Dorman, a 26-year-old Israeli doctoral candidate in composition. Mr. Dorman asked the ambassador about Syria's designation of certain groups that Israel and the U.S. have labeled terrorists as "freedom fighters." Dr. Moustapha responded with a condemnation of the tendency of both Israelis and Arabs to focus on each other's inflammatory rhetoric, cleverly dodging the question while making the point that cooperation on areas in which the two sides can agree, and not accusatory debate, is the way forward.While no pressing problems of state were resolved at the event, the afternoon was a success in two regards. First, far from creating discord and rancor, the ambassador's visit provided the opportunity for thoughtful, measured dialogue between intelligent human beings on vital issues facing the world today. At the reception afterward, Israelis, Syrians, and representatives of countless other nationalities chatted amicably about everything from politics to art to mini-quiche. Second, the ambassador provided a window into a country about which we in America hear much, but know little. Sitting in a board room at Lincoln Center, we were able to see that, in the ambassador's own words, "Syrians look like regular people," and that parts of Syria itself, as one Israeli student commented afterward, look surprisingly like Israel.
I was gratified that the ambassador was so willing to come speak at Juilliard. One of the most important lessons I learned from heading the Current Affairs Society is that our school's reputation makes it relatively easy to attract interesting speakers. Every potential speaker I contacted this year was eager to come to Juilliard, and most refused compensation. I hope that current students will consider inviting guests of the highest caliber to address the School in the coming years. Having interesting outside speakers give presentations can shatter misperceptions and open up startling new horizons. Chosen wisely, they can be a vivid complement to a Juilliard education.Sharon Bogas earned her master's degree in cello this past May.
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