Session Proposals

Ari Honarvar is the founder of Rumi with a View, an initiative dedicated to bridging the arts, social justice, and wellbeing. As a Musical Ambassador of Peace, she facilitates Resilience through Joy workshops for refugees, healthcare workers, and social justice advocates on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Through thousands of sessions in collaboration with trauma experts, university researchers, and grassroots leaders, Ari has reached a global audience. Her work has been featured in major outlets including The Guardian, TED Talks, Teen Vogue, and CNN Español. She is the author of the critically acclaimed novel A Girl Called Rumi and the bestselling oracle deck, Rumi’s Gift.

In a time when many students and educators alike feel disconnected, overwhelmed, or reduced to tasks and roles, joy is not a luxury—it is a vital resource. Drawing on her work with refugees, frontline workers, and tens of thousands of children around the world, Musical Ambassador of Peace Ari Honarvar explores how weaving in play, music, and joy can be a powerful force for reparative rehumanization.

Blending insights from neuroaesthetics, cultural traditions, and trauma-informed practices, this talk invites music educators to explore how integrating joy, rhythm, and relational presence into their classrooms can foster environments where both students and educators feel seen, heard, and rehumanized. Participants will leave with practical strategies for creating emotionally resonant spaces that not only support students’ musical growth but also nurture their full humanity, while offering tools educators can carry into their own lives, homes, and communities for lasting transformation.

• Lower Elementary (Grades PreK-2)
• Upper Elementary/General Music (Grades 3-5)
• Collegiate
• Mentorship/Beginning Teachers