Ehsan Aman Concert Brings Help to Quake Victims Trivision © By Khaleda Atta April-June 1998 Lemar-Aftaab This year's Afghan New Year, Now Roz, on Mar. 21st was celebrated in Virginia with good intentions. The Afghan Student Association (ASA) organized a concert featuring Ehsan Aman to help bring aid relief to the suffering victims of the recent earthquake in Afghanistan. The ASA is a student run organization founded in 1992 by D.C. metropolitan area students. The president Abdullah Sharzai and Vice-President Yama Azami as well as others in the board of directors make up the government of ASA. Currently there are about 100 members in the A.S.A. which include students from all across the D.C. metro area. The concert was held at the Johnson Center Ballroom of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Tickets were sold for $25 ahead of the concert and $30 at the door. The concert which was scheduled to start at 8:30PM and end at 1AM but due to the rush of the crowd to get inside as well as technical difficulties with the sound system, it was delayed an hour. Meanwhile impatient fans from the already rainy and cold weather outside, began a rhythmic clapping, pronouncing their will to start the concert as ASA members were rushing back and forth trying to fix the problem. Approximately 900 tickets were sold that night for the concert. Not including deduction of expenses, 60% will go to Ehsan Aman and 40% is to be sent to Afghanistan for the earthquake victims. Other patrons of the concert included Trivision , a privately owned Afghan Graphic Communications company by the Lutfi family who supported the ASA by printing, designing, and advertising the concert flyers at no charge. Also, one note worthy non-profit charity organization by the name of "The Children of War," (est. 1993) had a table set up outside the ballroom where donations were much needed. Najib Aziz, founder of the organization has been working hard to raise funds for refugees in the Muhajereen camps of Pakistan where thousands of Afghans are stationed. Aziz travels across the U.S., attending concerts, working with masjids/mosques, collecting money for the needy Afghans in Pakistan. Unfortunately , the money needed in Pakistan far exceeds the money donated by Afghans and Aziz still needs the cooperation and generosity of Afghans in the states to help him help others. For more information on how to help this organization bring a bit of light into the life of thousands of hopeless Afghans overseas, call (703) 425-4602. Ehsan Aman himself did a great deed by singing for this worthy cause. "I didn't advertise the concert that much because I didn't want to use the concert as a tool to bring in more [fans]...that's why I am giving away 40 percent to the ASA," stated Eshan Aman. In the future, Aman plans to hold a concert with a female Afghan singer "hopefully in one year with Mawash" as another charity event. The large turnout of concert attendants was not just a surprise Afghans in the area. "I get so much exposure at weddings in Virginia, I thought no one would show up--thanks to everyone who came tonight and helped out," stated Eshan Aman. Despite bad weather and technical difficulties in the beginning of the concert, it turned out to be a good, happy night for celebrating Afghans. Thanks to ASA for working hard to put the concert together, Ehsan Aman for his cooperation, generosity and kindness towards the earthquake victims of Afghanistan, and Trivision for their much needed services. Other charity events to look for in the future in Virginia include a charity Art Gala on April 4 for the benefit of educational programs inside Afghanistan which are sponsored by CARE , an international relief and development organization and a soccer tournament. For more information, you can reach the ASA at (703) 448-3125. Copyright © 1998 Aftaabzad Publications. All Rights Reserved. May not be duplicated or distributed in any form without permission.