The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will present the Zarda 2008 Interdisciplinary Conference: Cultural Mosaics From Middle East and Beyond, 12:30-10 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at the Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall, 950 13th St. S. The conference is free and open to the public. Call 205-934-4652 for more details.

March 27, 2008

• Free, public conference

• Event to feature lectures, films, music

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will present the Zarda 2008 Interdisciplinary Conference: Cultural Mosaics From Middle East and Beyond, 12:30-10 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at the Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall, 950 13th St. S. The conference is free and open to the public. Call 205-934-4652 for more details.

Zarda is the annual conference of Ibn Khaldun, the UAB Arabic Club. The conference will feature presentations by students and faculty on topics such as the archaeological discoveries along Egypt's eastern frontier, arts in the Middle East, folklore from the region and music from countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria. The Moroccan film "Ali Zaoua" directed by Nabil Ayouch will be shown 8-10 p.m.

The event is co-sponsored by the UAB Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.