Sufi Festival@Tramway

The Sufi Festival was billed as a celebration of arts and harmony; attended by over two thousand people, it brought musicians, academics, poets, actors and craftsmen from around the world to Glasgow's Tramway to celebrate the mystical sects of Islam. There was even a Sufi-themed fashion show.

Sufism's most famous expression is music, and the Qawwali singing of Sher Miandid Khan elevated a capacity crowd in the largest auditorium, while Bangladesh's Joler Gaan made great use of the Hidden Gardens for more intimate performances. The largest space in Tramway was turned into a bazaar and the stalls spilled out into Albert Drive, filling the street with the aroma of Eastern food.

Lectures and films explored the historical and contemporary relevance of the Sufi way, examining the strategies that Sufis have used to overcome religious conflict in India and Pakistan. The message of peace, love and harmony was made clear in the careful skill of the traditional craftsmen from Mulan, the passionate singing and the performance of 'Bulla', a dramatisation of the life of a Sufi saint.

Shazia Mirza provided stand-up comedy direct from the Edinburgh Festival, and the members of the Association of Poetry and Music Glasgow - who organised this event - were delighted by the numbers attending and the happy atmosphere. As an introduction to Sufism, it lacked a clear, detailed exposition, but, as a social event and a vivid demonstration of an ancient yet dynamic tradition, it was overwhelming.