A promotional film produced by Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi for the Sufi Music Heritage Project which celebrated the rich traditions of Sofi music and poetry through educational workshops and vibrant festivals showcased the unique cultural heritage of Sufism and its traditions. In a school assembly hall, a group of children putting on a performance about Sufism. One of the girls in the group provides details on this religious practice and about Sufi poetry which is still read today. A...

A promotional film produced by Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi for the Sufi Music Heritage Project which celebrated the rich traditions of Sofi music and poetry through educational workshops and vibrant festivals showcased the unique cultural heritage of Sufism and its traditions. In a school assembly hall, a group of children putting on a performance about Sufism. One of the girls in the group provides details on this religious practice and about Sufi poetry which is still read today. A page from book that reads ‘‘Understanding Sufism." Title: Sufi Music Heritage Project A woman looks over an exhibition on Sufi music changes to a woman in a classroom holding a workshop on the practice with children watching Sufi Whirling Dancers on a screen. In voiceover a woman talks about the lack of knowledge on Sufism which is practices globally through movement, literature and music. As she speaks a montage of performers including a group of women on a small stage in the school and the class assembly featured at the start. Rubina Khalid Sufi Music Heritage Project Manager and Co-CEO of WomenZone believes that the younger generation are losing spiritual music which she sees as bringing communities together. Over another montage of the children learning about Sufism Rubina explains that she doesn’t want this rich heritage to go. Over a montage of two women in a classroom teaching the children about Sufism, Dr Sofia Buncy MBE DL Sufi Music Heritage Project Advisory Board Member explains the project is about preserving Sufi heritage and about how its intergenerational aspect which cascade some of the learning to young people within schools. Title: School Assemblies. Various Primary Schools In another school assembly hall, surrounded by his peers, a young boy comes forward and talks about what he has learned about Sufism. A young girl them talks about what she has learned. Title: School Workshops. Various Primary Schools Over a montage of children taking part in a workshop, Mr Naveed Idrees Headteacher of Feversham Primary Academy explains why it is important that children connect with something bigger than themselves and that these workshops allow the children to find their inner self. Outside in a playground Madiha Ansari Workshop Facilitator and Advisory Board member for the Sufi Music Heritage Project talks about what is being taught in the workshops that she helps run. Over a montage of one of these workshops both Madiha and Naveed Idrees provide details on what is being learned about the importance of Sufism. Returning to Dr Sofia Buncy. she talks about how the project is opening up conversations about spirituality and what that mean to people while Mr Tim Elcock Headteacher of Bankfoot Primary School explains why it is important that children learn about different traditions. Title: Sufi Festival WomanZone A montage of women, some with children, taking part in the festivals with paper lanterns being painted, women coming together and music being performed both by a Sufi group and by the women that also sees them dancing. Around the room various crafts and artworks being displayed and produced. Title: Sufi Music Heritage Project Qawwali Night. Mind the Gap Women arrive and greet each other at Mind the Gap theatre. In the main auditorium they clap and cheer along to Qawwali master Hamid Ali Naqeebi and his band performing. Hamid explains how proud he is of performing in his hometown followed by a number of women, including Guenievre Jaocobucci Engagement Officer at National Lottery Heritage Fund, explaining how much they enjoyed the evening of this devotional music. Over a montage featuring some of the workshops and activities included in the film, Sadia Sajid Co-CEO of WomenZone talks that the work that has been done over the last 18-months on the heritage of Sofi music and about working with women and children. Other voices of women as well as some who have featured previously in the film such as Rubina Khalid and Madiha Ansari explain how they see this as just the start and this is just the beginning as they want more. Title: The Sufi Music Heritage Project is managed by Aamta-Tul Waheed, Mandeep Kaur Samra With thanks to Feversham Primary Academy, Bankfoot Primary School, Killinghall Primary School, Theatre in the Mill (Homeschooling), Rockwell Community Centre (Rockwell Singing Group), Bloomin’ Buds Theatre Company, WomenZone (Happy Women’s Group), YouthZone (WomenZone’s Youth Club) Sufi Music Heritage Project WomenZone: Empowering Women, Khidmat Centres: Serving the Community. Bradford_Arts Centre End title: Made possible with Heritage Fund