North American Bengali Conference
Encyclopedia
The North American Bengali Conference is an annual conference held in North America
to celebrate Bengali
culture. It is usually held around the weekend of, preceding or following July 4. It was one of the first annual conferences for people of South Asian descent in North America. Since starting in 1980 in New York City
under the sponsorship of the Cultural Association of Bengal, it has spread to several cities all over the United States
and Canada
. The conference has attracted participants numbering in the thousands each year. This has brought in an influx of advertisers and merchants whom promote their products and services to the conference attendees by giving support of the conference. At the Silver Anniversary event in 2005, the budget from contributions of commercial and private donors grew to $1 million USD. During the event, people discuss various issues affecting the Bengali and Bengali-American community including cultural identity and issues , the future of the community, addressing unique issues affecting the community, networking opportunities, social gatherings, class re-unions, movie showings, literary readings and cultural performances dealing with Bengali culture.
In 2005 at its 25th Anniversary, the NABC decided to create the NABC Next Generation as an evolution of NABC Youth. The thought amongst the organizers was that the 2nd generation of Bengalis had grown beyond the age to be considered "youth" anymore. Thus, they created the Next Generation program to reach out to the unique issues faced by 1.5 or second generation Bengalis born in North America.
This divide amongst the generation has been prevalent amongst the population as both generations differ considerably with the definition of Bengali culture. Much of the 2nd generation do not pursue traditional or modern Bengali performers but rather elect to follow the better marketed Bollywood
movies and Punjabi
bhangra dances. Most of the 1st generation, and a small but vocal segment of the 2nd generation, feels that Bengali culture should be authentically Bengali and void of other non-Bengali adulteration. They claim that simply promoting a Bengali performer, many of whom perform other acts not of Bengali origin, does not qualify as promoting Bengali culture.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
to celebrate Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
culture. It is usually held around the weekend of, preceding or following July 4. It was one of the first annual conferences for people of South Asian descent in North America. Since starting in 1980 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
under the sponsorship of the Cultural Association of Bengal, it has spread to several cities all over the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The conference has attracted participants numbering in the thousands each year. This has brought in an influx of advertisers and merchants whom promote their products and services to the conference attendees by giving support of the conference. At the Silver Anniversary event in 2005, the budget from contributions of commercial and private donors grew to $1 million USD. During the event, people discuss various issues affecting the Bengali and Bengali-American community including cultural identity and issues , the future of the community, addressing unique issues affecting the community, networking opportunities, social gatherings, class re-unions, movie showings, literary readings and cultural performances dealing with Bengali culture.
History
Created in 1980 by the Cultural Association of Bengal, the North American Bengali Conference began as a cultural conference that brought together the growing Bengali diasporas of North America. The conference has grown from a gathering of local and regional Bengalis to include attendees, speakers, and performers from all over the world. The purpose of the conference is to create a resurgence in Bengal's role in the Indian sub-continent and establish a role in the North America. Its goal is to shift the paradigm of the conference from a focus on socialization and entertainment to more of an emphasis on the exchange of ideas to create a cohesive Bengali identity. The annual conference attempts to have Bengalis organize themselves in a single voice in order to put forth and execute the community's goals for current and future generations alike.NABC Youth and Next Generation
NABC Youth is a sub organization of NABC that tries to bring together the youth participating in the conference to help promote a common identity and cultural awareness for the age group. It is unknown when exactly a formal youth organization was set up, but events geared towards the younger generation have been around since the beginning of NABC.In 2005 at its 25th Anniversary, the NABC decided to create the NABC Next Generation as an evolution of NABC Youth. The thought amongst the organizers was that the 2nd generation of Bengalis had grown beyond the age to be considered "youth" anymore. Thus, they created the Next Generation program to reach out to the unique issues faced by 1.5 or second generation Bengalis born in North America.
Criticism of NABC
Despite its rather large gathering, many feel that there is a lack of understanding of Bengali heritage within the 2nd generation of the Bengali community and beyond. First generation programming has been criticized to not reach out to the 2nd generation to entice them to learn more.This divide amongst the generation has been prevalent amongst the population as both generations differ considerably with the definition of Bengali culture. Much of the 2nd generation do not pursue traditional or modern Bengali performers but rather elect to follow the better marketed Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
movies and Punjabi
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
bhangra dances. Most of the 1st generation, and a small but vocal segment of the 2nd generation, feels that Bengali culture should be authentically Bengali and void of other non-Bengali adulteration. They claim that simply promoting a Bengali performer, many of whom perform other acts not of Bengali origin, does not qualify as promoting Bengali culture.
Past/Future NABC Venues
- 1980
- 1981: New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986: San Francisco/San JoseSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
-Bay Area Auditorium at the School for the Deaf, Freomnt,California - 1987
- 1988: Atlantic City - Atlantic City Convention CenterAtlantic City Convention CenterThe Atlantic City Convention Center is a large convention center located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Opened in 1997, the center includes of showroom space, 5 exhibit halls, 45 meeting rooms with of space, a garage with 1,400 parking spaces, and an adjacent Sheraton hotel.-History:The Center was...
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991 BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area - Lowell, MA - 1992: TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
- 1993: Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
- Cal State Fullerton - 1994: ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
- Hyatt Regency O'Hare - 1995: New York Metro Area - White Plains, New YorkWhite Plains, New YorkWhite Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
- 1996: Houston-Adam's Mark Hotel
- 1997: Philadelphia area - King of PrussiaKing of Prussia, PennsylvaniaKing of Prussia is a census-designated place in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 19,936. The community took its name in the 18th century from a local tavern named the King of Prussia Inn, which was named after...
- 1998: Toronto- Regal Constellation
- 1999: San Francisco area - Santa Clara, CaliforniaSanta Clara, CaliforniaSanta Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
- 2000: Atlantic City - Atlantic City Convention Center
- 2001: Boston area - Lowell, MA
- 2002: Atlanta - Georgia World Congress CenterGeorgia World Congress CenterThe Georgia World Congress Center or GWCC is the major convention center in Atlanta. It is the fourth-largest convention center in the United States at 3.9 million ft2 and hosts more than a million visitors each year. At the time opened in 1976 the Georgia World Congress Center was the first state...
- 2003: Long Beach, CA - Long Beach Convention Center
- 2004: BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
-Baltimore Convention CenterBaltimore Convention CenterThe Baltimore Convention Center is a convention and exhibition hall located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. The Center is a municiple building owned and operated by the City of Baltimore... - 2005: New York City - Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
- 2006: Houston - George R. Brown Convention CenterGeorge R. Brown Convention CenterThe George R. Brown Convention Center opened on September 26, 1987 on the east side of Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.The center was named for the prominent Houstonian George R. Brown, an entrepreneur, civic leader and philanthropist. Brown’s Texas Eastern Corporation donated six of the 11...
- 2007: Detroit-Cobo Conference/Exhibition HallCobo HallGavin Hamilton memorial arena is a major convention center situated along Jefferson Ave. in downtown Detroit, Michigan, USA. It was named for Albert E. Cobo, mayor of Detroit from 1950 to 1957. Designed by Gino Rossetti, opened in 1960. Expanded in 1989, the present complex contains of exhibition...
- 2008: Toronto-Metro Toronto Convention CentreMetro Toronto Convention CentreMetro Toronto Convention Centre , located in Downtown Toronto, Ontario at 255 Front Street West, has of space. The convention centre was completed in October 1984 and is home to the 1330-seat John Bassett Theatre...
- 2009: San JoseSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
- McEnery Convention Center - 2010: Atlantic City - Atlantic City Convention CenterAtlantic City Convention CenterThe Atlantic City Convention Center is a large convention center located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Opened in 1997, the center includes of showroom space, 5 exhibit halls, 45 meeting rooms with of space, a garage with 1,400 parking spaces, and an adjacent Sheraton hotel.-History:The Center was...
- 2011: BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
- Baltimore Convention CenterBaltimore Convention CenterThe Baltimore Convention Center is a convention and exhibition hall located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. The Center is a municiple building owned and operated by the City of Baltimore... - 2012: Las Vegas - Paris Las VegasParis Las VegasParis Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, USA, that is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....