WASHINGTON, Sep. 24, 2012 – AIC has joined a group of scholars and human rights organizations in calling for Congress to pass Senate Bill 1245, which would create a Special Envoy for religious minorities in South Central Asia and the Near East at the United States Department of State. The creation of the Special Envoy…
Read MoreWASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2012 – The outrage and violence over the crude film ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad that inspired the attacks and protests on U.S. embassies across the Middle East points to a chasm between Western free speech and individualism and the sensitivities of some Muslims over what they see as a campaign of humiliation.…
Read MoreNEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2012 – American Muslim organizations including AIC have come out against ads sponsored by the American Freedom Defense Initiative (FDI), headed by conservative blogger Pamela Geller, denouncing them for their Islamophobic nature while also standing by the American right to speak one’s mind. “First and foremost, we support freedom of speech…
Read MoreIn the one-year period ending in mid-2010, 75 percent of the world’s population lived in a nation with high or very high restrictions on religious beliefs or practices, according to the study conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. The increasingly hostile climate doesn’t come as a surprise to John Pinna, director…
Read More“Was the Arab Spring Worth It?” wondered CNN in its segment “Situation Room.” And it’s gotten a whole rash of angry responses. Arab Spring activist Nasser Weddady addressed the question, broadly, on The World last week. He’s with the American Islamic Congress. As he and others point out, America’s transition to statehood wasn’t without bloodshed.…
Read MoreAn article called “The Civil Rights Model: Applying the Montgomery Method to the Middle East”, written by American Islamic Congress Executive Director Zainab al-Suwaij, was published in the Fall edition of The Review of Faith and International Affairs. The piece focuses of the Montgomery method of non-violence made famous by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.…
Read MoreThe Times Literary Supplement recently reviewed “Arab Spring Dreams”, edited by AIC’s Nasser Weddady and activist Sohrab Ahmari, along with five other books analyzing the Arab Spring. From the review: ‘Arab Spring Dreams was written by those with the most at stake, people under the age of twenty-six living in places where conformism and obedience…
Read MoreWASHINGTON, July 16, 2012 – As the Middle East continues to face political and social transition, it is critical for the U.S. to advocate for the safety and security of religious minorities in the region and highlight how respect for pluralism contributes to strong civil societies. The American Islamic Congress (AIC) is at the forefront of these issues and is joining…
Read MoreWASHINGTON, April 30, 2012 – The American Islamic Congress (AIC) today celebrated the publication of Arab Spring Dreams: The Next Generation Speaks Out for Freedom and Justice from North Africa to Iran. With a foreword by Gloria Steinem and praise from Nobel Laureate Lech Walesa, the collection is a testament to the aspiration for freedom…
Read MoreWASHINGTON, March 28, 2012 – In a highly selective decision process, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) chose UCSB’s chapter of Project Nur for their community service project for this year’s “goal to take action and make a difference in the world.” The chapter’s project locally addresses humanitarian needs by providing canned food and socks for underserved families in the…
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