Loading ...10th Annual Egyptian Festival in Jersey City draws hundreds
Hundreds of people showed up this afternoon for the 10th Annual Egyptian Festival in Jersey City, a sharing and celebration of Egyptian culture with the larger community.
“(This festival) is very important for our community,” said Nabil Youssef, 42, co-organizer of the event. “We love to share the Egyptian culture with everybody. And to show what Egypt is about.”
Held outside the Journal Square Transportation Center, the festival featured vendors selling food, clothing, and toys.
Closer to the escalators inside the station, a large crowd also gathered to enjoy booming Egyptian music.
Youssef, a member of the city’s zoning board, said the festival is also an opportunity for the Egyptian to “discuss where we are at, what we want to do do, and to see what our community needs.”
For example, he said, the Egyptian community has been pushing to get the Jersey City school district to offer Arabic language classes. A petition will soon be submitted to school officials, he said.
“Hopefully, we will have (Arabic language classes) before the next school year,” Youssef said.
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, City Council President Rolando Lavarro and Hudson County Freeholder Anthony Romano attended the festival and delivered brief remarks.
Source: www.nj.com