GT&T co-sponsors evening of Qaseedas

Feb 28, 2010 News

As the spirit of celebration after hard work permeates in Guyana in the post Mashramani moments, several Ministers of government, and President Bharrat Jagdeo, gathered at the Theatre Guild Playhouse, Friday evening, to view “An Evening of Qaseedas and Ghazals.”

This function was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) company and the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC).

Moulana Sayeed Mohamed Tasdiq greeting Head of State Bharrat Jagdeo at the Evening of Qaseedas and Ghazals, Theatre Guild.

This activity was a part of the celebration of Youman Nabi, the Islamic holiday that commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.

President Jagdeo was accompanied by Minister of Agriculture and patron of the IAC, Robert Persaud; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, the Indian High Commissioner, Subit Kumar Mandal; other members of the diplomatic corps; and families from the Islamic community across Guyana.

President Jagdeo in his address said that Islam belongs to all persons in Guyana and is a very important part of the nation’s culture.

Guyanese continue to be fortunate to live in a country where religion is freely practised.

He expressed his pleasure to be present to listen to the qaseedas and emphasized the importance of community gathering as a central feature of ensuring harmonious relations in any multicultural society, noting that when persons gather to give praise, the results prove to be beneficial to all.

He encouraged the singing and sharing of the qaseedas, since the messages in them would contribute to the ongoing growth and development that exist throughout the country.

The evening’s presentation was part of a series of activities conducted as the Islamic community in Guyana prepared to observe the nationally recognized holiday, Youman Nabi, which places emphasis on the message of peace, wisdom and brotherhood as delivered by the Prophet.

As qaseedas were sung by persons from masjids across the coast, the featured artiste was Jameel Hoosein, an internationally recognized musician from Trinidad and Tobago.

He previously functioned as the president of the Islamic organization in that country. Hoosein is known for his work in spreading the message of the Prophet and expanding the reach of the music generated out of the religion, quite notably with the publication of a best selling CD of compilations entitled “Echoes of Islam.