About Welcoming Week

Since 2006, when New Hampshire resident Conrad Mandsager was instilled with the vision "to restore the voices of children silenced by war," ChildVoice has empowered men, women, and children - once rejected and abused - and transformed them into individuals of strength, hope, and dignity. These personal journeys of courage and faith have been captured in verse, photo and video by visitors to ChildVoice's Lukome Center in northern Uganda.

This exhibit features the work from three photographers. Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, Mary Chind-Willie, Dr. Larry Lindell, and Dr. Neil Mandsager. Their photos document the work ChildVoice does to empower war-affected girls in Uganda, South Sudan, and Nigeria. 

Stop into Lilise Designer Resale to view - and shop - Emelyne’s African Style Worldwide collection of clothing and accessories. Made with Kitenge, a fabric popular in Africa known for its bright colors and patterns, Emelyne’s clothing features traditional African styles, as well as modern, American styles. 

Emelyne Adios is a model and a fashion designer. Originally from Burundi, Emelyne moved to New Hampshire in 2014, when she was 23 years old. She had fallen in love with the Kitenge material during her first fashion runway show. After that, she began sending Kitenge material to friends outside of Africa so they could experience the beautiful, bright patterns as well. Emelyne had made up her mind that she would always do her best wherever she went to share her culture, especially the Kitenge, so when she moved to the United States, she learned how to sew so she could make her own clothes with Kitenge material that her sister sends. She makes clothing in the traditional African style, but also in a modern, American style, along with jewelry and accessories. 

Saad Hindal was a professional artist and designer in Iraq. He was ruined financially in 2006 when forced to ransom his eldest son from kidnappers in the chaos after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Fleeing to Syria and then Egypt with his wife, two sons and two daughters, Saad continued to paint, decorating coffee shop walls and businesses with his mural art. In 2009, the Hindal family came to N.H. with help from another Iraqi family that had immigrated and settled håere. Since relocating, the Hindal family has more than adjusted to life in the Capital City, they have become active members of the local scene. For Saad, the embrace of Concord has been complete, as symbolized in his colorful and whimsical portraits of the city. These paintings feature the buildings and landmarks of Concord as tiny but complete worlds, each populated by familiar people and familiar creatures. Notable are the city’s omnipresent household cats that Saad sees on most window ledges in his walks and that appear, sometimes hidden, in many of his works. At this writing, Saad had sold 40 of his portraits of Concord, mostly to local people and businesses that share his bright vision of the place we all call home.

Rohina Malik, a Muslim woman and storyteller, returns to Concord with a NEW 70 minute production that demonstrates the peace and commonalities between us all. Three women: a Muslim, a Jew and a Christian each share 3 stories from their faith journey to help us come together around our commonalities and decide who we are going to be as a community and as a nation and how we are going to allow our story to be told.

TICKETS: $10 - Purchase via phone (603-225-1111) or at https://ccanh.com/series/upcomingevents or at the box office.