SWANA Heritage Month
April is SWANA Heritage Month!
The office of Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy (MICA) of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union and a dedicated committee of students and staff is excited to announce the University of Maryland's campus-wide celebration of Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) Heritage Month every April!
If you have any questions regarding SWANA Heritage Month or how your organization can be involved, please contact our office at mica-office@umd.edu. We are looking forward to a wonderful month of programming and engagement with the community!
Untangling Our Common Threads
Pulling at a single thread of a tapestry eventually reveals how the entire piece is held together. For SWANA Heritage Month 2026, "Untangling Our Common Threads" is an invitation to look closer at a community that refuses to be a monolith; it is a kaleidoscope of over 20 countries, hundreds of languages and dialects—from Tamazight to Turoyo to Darija—and a rich mosaic of faiths and secular identities. To look at the SWANA experience is to see a vibrant interplay of textures, where the uniqueness of a Maghrebi sunrise meets the ancient echoes of the Levant.
There is a specific poetry in our geography. The Levant takes its name from the rising sun, and the Maghreb from where it sets—but our identity reaches even further East than the dawn. We are built on these cycles of light, yet we are also defined by our "knots and frays." These are the tensions, the migrations, and the shared histories that make our fabric resilient.
"Untangling Our Common Threads" moves beyond the surface level of "representation" toward collective power. It is the realization that while our individual patterns are distinct, our liberation is tied together. By bridging the gaps of geography and generation, we prove that our differences aren’t voids to be filled—they are our greatest assets.
Let’s weave a future where every unique thread is seen, and where our combined strength becomes an unbreakable force for justice and belonging.
Program and Event Calendar
Date: April 7th, 4pm
Location: Language House Multipurpose Room (St. Mary’s Hall)
Please join us next Tuesday, April 7th, at 4 pm in the Language House Multipurpose Room (St. Mary’s Hall) for a concert of ʿoud music presented by Radwan Mezghanni. All are welcome!
We are honored to feature music performed by Radwan Mezghanni, a distinguished ʿoud performer and vocalist whose work bridges Oriental maqam traditions and Western musical studies. Trained in both Eastern and Western musical systems, he specializes in urban maqam repertoires that developed from al-Andalus to Cairo and Damascus, bringing historical depth and contemporary sensitivity to his performances.
Radwan has performed at prominent cultural and diplomatic events, including programs hosted by regional embassies in Washington, DC, and international showcases celebrating Oriental musical heritage. His artistry combines rigorous theoretical knowledge with expressive performance, making complex musical traditions accessible to diverse audiences.
Sponsored by the UMD Arabic Program, the Language House, and the Arabic Student Club.
Date/Time: April 9, 6-9pm
Location: Heritage Quad (Rain Location Johnson-Whittle MPR)
Experience a vibrant fusion of fashion, music, and performance at the Embrace the Heritage Showcase! This annual event is designed for our campus community to experience the expression and appreciation of various cultures through clothing, music, dance, and food! This year's show will include: Live bands | Singing performances | KPop dance performance | Runway competition | APIDA/SWANA Heritage Trivia | Henna stand | Terp to Terp Open Shop | DIY crafts | And much more! Join your fellow Terps for a night of art, appreciation, and inclusivity as we celebrate culture through clothing, music, food, and more.
Sponsors:Resident Life Heritage Community, Resident Life, Terp to Terp, Find Your Squad
Date/Time: April 14th, 6-7:30pm
Join us for a Zoom panel with UMD alumni to learn about how language & cultural knowledge have informed their unique trajectories in entrepreneurship, advocacy, the nonprofit sector, and more. We’ll hear from three different perspectives, hear advice from our panelists, and have plenty of time for questions. Open to all UMD students, but please register in advance. Organized by the Arabic Program at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Register here: https://umd.zoom.us/meeting/register/H6uxDcsCQyW41rglhztMKQ
Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 6-8pm
Location: The Mosaic (The Unity Center)
Join us for a hands-on mosaic tiling workshop that brings this year's theme, Untangling Our Common Threads, to life! In collaboration with MSU and Migrating Shells, this event is an opportunity to explore how distinct cultures come together to create something whole and beautiful.
Sponsor: Multiracial Student Union, Migrating Shells
Date/Time: April 17, 2-5pm
Location: Nyumburu Amphitheater
Join us on Friday, April 17 2PM at UMD's Nyumburu Amphitheater for a student-led People's Tribunal holding the Board of Butchers accountable for their complicity in the ongoing accelerated genocide in Gaza, and war crimes around the world.
Sponsors: Students for Justice in Palestine and USM Divestment Coalition for Palestine
Date/Time: April 19, 6-9pm
Location: Colony Ballroom
This Semester, Students for Justice in Palestine at UMD is bringing back our annual fundraiser gala and invites you to join us in a night of acknowledging the culture, history, and legacy of the Palestinian people.
Sponsor: Students for Justice in Palestine
**Update: New Date!**
Date/Time: April 21, 12-1:30pm
Location: LCSL Lounge, Stamp 1110
Interested in leadership and looking for a free lunch? Join Tarif Shraim, UMD's Muslim Chaplain and alum, for an informal lunch conversation on his story, the intersections of leadership, faith, values and more!
RSVP at go.umd.edu/LL2026
Sponsors: LCSL and Memorial Chapel