Second Annual Chaldean Festival

Labor Day
/EINPresswire.com/ San Diego, CA – August 31, 2011 — San Diego County’s Chaldean community is proud to present its Second Annual Chaldean Festival organized by the Chaldean American Institute. This year’s Festival will feature authentic Chaldean food, traditional folk music, arts, dancing, sports tournaments and a fashion show. A special musical performance by TIMZ—a nationally recognized and awarded, American born rapper of Chaldean descent is scheduled for Sunday.

The Festival will take place Labor Day weekend (Saturday 4pm-9pm & Sunday 1pm-7pm) at the McGrath Family YMCA facility located in Rancho San Diego at 12006 Campo Road, Spring Valley, CA 91978. The Festival has been moved to the larger YMCA venue to accommodate this year’s greater anticipated attendance compared to the over 7,000 attendees that joined in on the festivities during last year’s Inaugural Festival which took place in downtown El Cajon.

Sponsors of the 2011 Festival include Wells Fargo Bank, Sycuan Casino & Resort, Cox Communications, YMCA, Farmer’s Insurance, Sysco Foods, Barona Resort & Casino, US Bank, Neighborhood National Bank, San Diego Cash & Carry, Neighborhood Market Association, Trepco West and Falcon West Insurance amongst others.

Chaldeans are the indigenous people of ancient Mesopotamia. Their spoken language is Aramaic, the same language spoken by Jesus Christ more than two thousand years ago. This ancient language is preserved through the Sunday Mass and through the modern dialects of Aramaic spoken by Chaldeans throughout the world. Approximately 40,000 Chaldean-Americans are proud to call San Diego County their home.

The annual Chaldean Festival represents an opportunity to share Chaldean heritage, culture, music, traditions, customs and food with neighbors and friends from throughout San Diego County. The Festival is hosted by the Chaldean American Institute (CAI), a newly established nonprofit organization with a focus on community development.

The mission of CAI is to assist Chaldeans to successfully assimilate into American society, achieve self-sufficiency, and become good citizens and productive members of their community. This is done through programs focused on child development, family education & communication, drug & alcohol education for parents and youth, health services and education, job training and placement, after school activities and other related programs.

To assist with these programs, CAI has established collaborations with community resources such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County, East County YMCAs, SD County Crime Stoppers, Ladies of Hope, St. Peter Chaldean Diocese, Chaldean American Student Association (CASA), Neighborhood Market Association and other community organizations.

Proceeds raised from the Festival will be used to fund community development programs in San Diego County. For more information, please contact Steven Yonan at (619) 500-3224 or info@chaldeaninstitute.org.

www.chaldeanfestival.org

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