Teesside University will see the very first flagship event staged by the university’s student’s union and Pakistan Society
It’s a Qawwali night with Chand Ali Khan Qawaal, set to take place on Thursday 13 January. The event is supported by both local businesses and radio taking place in the students union building between six and 10 pm – those attending should make for the Students Hub.
According to the organisers the evening promises to be an exciting festival of song. Mehran Malik is not just a representative of the Students Union on Teesside, but also communications manager for the Pakistan society at the university. He told Asian Standard: “For those who may not know what a Qawwali is, it’s a series of songs that can either be dedicated to a loved one or a God. It can be very uplifting and it’s certainly colourful to see. People always remark on the special atmosphere this can create and in many ways it’s a real celebration of life.
“The songs are presented by a professional group of entertainers well versed in this type of music and for those who are new to this sort of event, we can promise an experience they’ll never forget. There will be food stalls and a wonderful feeling of togetherness.
“Though our society consists largely of those with an Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi background, we also welcome members for all other backgrounds. In fact, we were only registered as a group back in September at the start of the learning year. Already we have more than 90 members, so it’s been very encouraging all round.
“We have plans for many more such events in the future and would love to create a real sense of friendship to celebrate the family of cultures we have at the university. Teesside is a special place and it’s a vibrant university. The students love it here. There’s always something going on and we hope to build on this.
“It’s a compact social event but we have people coming from across the area and in many ways, it can feel a lot more personal and of course we’ll be following all guidelines. There will also be plenty of cushions and lots of room for everyone to relax and enjoy the music.”
Mehran also revealed organisers were expecting between 175 and 200 visitors to the event and sales of tickets had been going well.
To avoid people having problems booking online, tickets will now be available at the door, and everyone is welcome. For students who are members of the society, the price is £10. Teesside students who aren’t in the society can be buy a ticket for £15 and there’s a special family ticket available at £17.
More information can be found by emailing pakistansoc@tees-su.org.uk or visiting the Facebook or Instagram pages.
