Monday June 27, 2011
The Forum will cultivate an environment of increased cooperation, relationship building, and new opportunities among its participants. Breakout sessions will focus on four priority sectors: energy, information and communication technology, transportation, and agriculture. Read More »
Wednesday June 22, 2011
We reported in yesterday’s Countdown that some members of the Senate have accused President Obama of violating the War Powers Clause by authorizing U.S. involvement in NATO strikes on Libya. Read More »
Monday June 06, 2011
The US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, an international refugee advocacy organization and the recipients of a Special Recognition Award at this year’s Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Awards Gala, has launched a campaign to grant Temporary Protected Status to Syrians, Libyans, and Yemenis currently in the United States. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a procedure by which the Secretary of Homeland Security may provide temporary asylum to individuals who are in America and who cannot safely return to their home countries. Read More »
Friday May 27, 2011
The GOP presidential field is filling in nicely. Seven contenders have either officially announced their candidacy or have established exploratory committees. Declared candidates include Herman Cain (CEO of Godfather’s Pizza), Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, and Tim Pawlenty. In June, Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romey, and Rick Santorum are expected to announce their candidacies (in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania, respectively). John Huntsman, Roy Moore, and Buddy Roemer have launched exploratory committees, and Huntsman is expected to announce his decision soon. Texas Governor Rick Perry has said that he will consider seeking the Presidential nomination, and NY Congressman Peter King, best known for convening the February hearings on homegrown radicalization of Islam, has said that he’ll run if there’s broad enough GOP support for his candidacy — and has recently been sending constituents e-mails with links to press speculation about his intention to run in 2012. Read More »
Thursday May 26, 2011
The Mossawa Center is the leading advocacy organization for Arab Citizens in Israel. In light of recent speeches commenting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the center has called upon leaders from both countries to recognize "the unique status of the Arab Palestinian minority in Israel."
"The Palestinian citizens of Israel do not enjoy the basic rights that people in democracies enjoy. The Mossawa Center invites American lawmakers and journalists to come to Israel and see for themselves the situation of the unrecognized villages, and to witness the dual realities that have pervaded here for 63 years." Read More »
Friday May 20, 2011
Arab American Institute President Jim Zogby comments on today's meeting between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Read More »
Thursday May 19, 2011
AAI President, Jim Zogby reflects on President Obama's Middle East speech in an article written in the Guardian. Read More »
Thursday May 19, 2011
The President will deliver a speech today addressing the vast political changes that have taken place in the Middle East and North Africa over the past few months. The President's address is scheduled for 11:40am and will be live streamed. Join the conversation on Face Book, Twitter @AAIUSA and the AAI website before, during and after the speech. Read More »
Wednesday May 18, 2011
I received an email the other day from a community member who is no stranger to Washington politics. Her email reinforced frustration over an issue that has been a topic of discussion here in Washington for the past three months or so: the importance of an Arab American meeting with the President to discuss the Middle East. Now more than ever, Arab Americans are in a unique position to bridge the gap between the often flawed American policy toward Arab countries and U.S. interest in the region. Read More »
Tuesday May 17, 2011
The Global Diaspora Forum begins today. In collaboration with USAID and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Partnerships will hold the 3-day forum to discuss ways to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals through models of diplomacy and development. Read More »
Wednesday April 20, 2011
I wanted to draw your attention to the work of the National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA). Today NAAMA sent out a press release announcing their efforts to provide "urgently needed" medical supplies throughout the Arab World. The release cites the abysmal state of emergency medical care in Arab countries and highlights the organization's commitment to provide supplies where they are needed. NAAMA's future goal is to "have funds available not only for the ongoing tragedy in Libya but to have contingency plans for emergency medical relief wherever the need may suddenly arise in other parts of the Arab world." Read More »
Monday April 18, 2011
Over the weekend, the Center for American Progress (CAP) hosted an event entitled, “What do the Popular Uprisings in the Middle East Mean for the Future of Political Islam?” The keynote speaker for the event was renowned Oxford scholar of Islamic Studies Tariq Ramadan, who delivered his remarks before the discussion was turned over to a panel. Read More »
Wednesday April 13, 2011
As I had noted at the time, the fall of Mubarak had been beyond plausible imagination for most people in the region, and has commenced a new era of popular empowerment in which young people throughout the region feel capable and committed to playing a meaningful role in shaping their political future. From the ruling standpoint, the fall of Mubarak heightened the sense of vulnerability for all authoritarian regimes that were subsequently compelled to offer far-reaching economic, social, and political perks to placate their discontent masses. The sense that political realities were unalterable was been completely shattered for both the governments of the region and its people. Read More »
Monday April 11, 2011
Despite over a hundred protesters having been killed in Yemen, the country’s youth continue to fill the streets in the tens of thousands, calling for the ouster of President Saleh. President Saleh has been resistant to leaving office immediately, insisting on a face-saving transition out of power that would take place at a future election poll. Read More »
Thursday April 07, 2011
Every year, Mira Riad’s Egyptian American parents would take her on summer vacation to Cairo. The contrast between the abject poverty of Cairo’s streets and the manicured polish of her New York city suburb served as a constant reminder of her good fortune, and her responsibility to help those in need. Now, at the age of 32, the Egytian American attorney is doing her part by founding a new orphanage in Cairo to serve the city’s most underprivileged. Read More »
Monday April 04, 2011
Given the situation in the Middle East, there is a growing need for Arab Americans to be in the media and weigh in on the issues that matter. During the height of the revolution in Egypt we put a number of individuals in contact with various media outlets to ensure Arab American voices were heard. It is extremely important to AAI and to the community that Arab Americans are represented in the media. Please continue to share your news with us and let us know what you are doing. Additionally, if you need any help in contacting the media, we have several tools available and would be happy to assist. Here are some appearances of Jim on a few programs we'd like to share with you. You can also share your news with us by... Read More »
Friday April 01, 2011
The Guardian is offering an interactive timeline of all the protests that recently swept the Arab World, starting with the man that set himself on fire in Tunisia in December 2010, and continuing with regular daily updates into the present. The interactive timeline is aptly named "Arab Spring." Check it out: Read More »
Friday April 01, 2011
As an Iraqi American, Stephen Said has watched the recent events in Egypt and Tunisia with nervousness, wonder, and hope. Like many Arab Americans, he wondered what he could do to contribute to the cause, not simply for the ouster of President Mubarak from Egypt, but for “equality and freedom not just across the Arab world, but for the entire world.” His contribution, like that of Abdel Halim Hafez, Sam Cooke, or countless other socially-conscious musicians, comes in the form of song. Read More »
Wednesday March 30, 2011
Today AAI President Jim Zogby appeared on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Reports to discuss U.S. intervention in Libya. Jim stressed the importance of pursing a limited role in Libya going forward. Read More »
Tuesday March 29, 2011
Last night, President Barack Obama delivered a 20-something minute speech explaining US engagement in Libya. The general framework of his speech was to outline why his policy on Libya was the correct approach, responding to criticism from both directions, from those who thought we should be doing more and those who thought the US should not get involved at all. Read More »
#NC lawmaker equates Islamic prayer w/ terror http://t.co/G9sp1NeLC1 @mostrolenk @aaiusa h/t @ozzyformayor
about 4 hours, 2 minutes ago.
Latest poll to be released Friday finds Americans are divided on continuing aid to #Egypt: http://t.co/1spZM1m9d2
about 6 hours, 42 minutes ago.
RT @MaiE_89: In the 1990’s, #Egypt had a 60% favorable rating among Americans, while today only 36% of US views the country positively via @AAIUSA
about 6 hours, 46 minutes ago.
Looking at Iran by James Zogby
Kahlil Gibran Awards Gala - April 16, 2013President Obama got it just about perfect in his Jerusalem speech when he urged Israelis to see the world through the eyes of Palestinians. That portion of his remarks was so compelling it deserves to be quoted in full: Read More »
Air Date: 5/31/2012
Fellows from Syracuse University’s “Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program (LDF); Bill Press, Host of the “Bill Press Show” and author of the new book, The Obama Hate Machine: The Lies, Distortions, and Personal Attacks on the President---and Who Is Behind Them. Read More »
The story of Arab Americans coming of age as an organized community is a classic American tale of immigrants seeking opportunity, benefiting from America’s freedoms, but also experiencing, at times, the dark side of exclusion and discrimination that has so often been a part of our nation’s history. Read More »
Apr 16 2013
Apr 27 2013
Jul 19 2013
