Aims & Objectives of the Festival 2008

The world is a complicated place these days. Phenomena like war and religion have taken on new meanings. Nowadays, war is conducted between intellectuals with words as their weapons, and religion has become an instrument for division and aggression. But for those citizens who are dedicated to the cause of peace and stability, The International Mystic Music Sufi Festival is a cause for celebration.
If the media can be a tool for presenting distorted perceptions of Muslims, so, too, can it be a tool for correcting that misperception. We, at the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop, use the medium of the devotional practices from various Sufi traditions and Sufi orders and many other forms – to communicate the messages of brotherhood amongst mankind and tolerance towards one another’s beliefs. These messages are at the very heart of Sufism.
It is the objective of the festival to breach the conflicts existing not only between Muslims and non-Muslims, but also within the Muslim world. The purpose of the festival is to communicate the spirit of Islam as a proponent of peace and love to as wide an audience as possible. For centuries, Muslims have lived peacefully with members of other faiths, finding common ground among all their different beliefs. Today, it is imperative that we continue to appreciate this diversity among souls rather than become victim to those forcefully trying to impose a single viewpoint in the world.