Islamic group won't perform in Utah because of visa problems

By Anne Wilson - The Salt Lake Tribune - Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A.
Monday, April 2, 2007

An Islamic group from Turkey scheduled to perform tonight at Kingsbury Hall won't be appearing because of visa problems, according to a spokesman for the sponsoring organization.

Etga Ugur, of the Utah nonprofit Multicultural Arch Foundation, said the Order of the Whirling Dervishes of Turkey was unable to secure visas in time for the Utah concert, the first in a scheduled string of appearances in the U.S.

Ugur is hopeful the concert, titled "Whirling World: A Mystical Performance by the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi and a Classical Sufi Music Concert," can be rescheduled for later in April.

"The visa application process took much longer than expected," Ugur said Monday. "We did not anticipate any probems but unfortunately they were made to wait much longer."

Whirling dervishes is a tradition of Sufism, a moderate form of Islam, in which believers dress in white robes and spin to the music of instruments dating to the 13th century.

"The ritual performed by the Order of the Whirling Dervishes has come to symbolize the tolerance and love in the hearts and minds of millions throughout the world," Ugur said in a press release about the performance.

The Multicultural Arch Foundation of Salt Lake City promotes intercultural and interfaith activities.