- Wednesday, January 9, 2019
- 12:30 PM–1:30 PM
- Covenant Fine Arts Center Auditorium
- Free - no tickets required
A refugee from Syria, Mariela Shaker will share how she finds refuge on the stage.
Mariela Shaker is an accomplished Syrian violinist and award winning refugee advocate who survived the war in Syria and the University of Aleppo attack in January 2013. During her time at the university, she was the youngest violin teacher at the Arabic Institute of Music, where she risked death every day commuting between home and the Institute to create beauty through her violin and inspire children to pursue their dreams. Having received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, she fled to the United States to further study music with a full scholarship to Monmouth College. Unable to return home, Mariela was granted refugee status in the US. She was named a “Champion of Change” by President Barack Obama and appointed a UNHCR High Profile Supporter in 2015. Since then she has received a number of additional awards including the Points of Light Award in 2017 and the Anne Frank Honorary Award in 2018. She has performed at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, United Nations, among others and has traveled to Hong Kong, Netherlands, UK, Geneva, UAE and all over the US using her music to build bridges, promote peace, and raise awareness of the plights of refugees.
***Please note that due to contract restrictions, this presentation is not recorded or archived***
