Washington, DC | March 26, 2009 | www.adc.org | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is pleased to announce that Salam Al-Marayati, Executive Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), will accept ADC’s Annual Excellence in Advocacy Award. Al-Marayati will be recognized during the Annual Civil Rights Awards Luncheon on Saturday June 13, 2009, at the ADC Annual National Convention.
As a result of the backlash following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on our nation, the Arab and Muslim-American communities have owed a debt of gratitude to a few brave community leaders and organizations. Thanks to the valiant steps taken by those leaders, the Arab and Muslim-American communities have forged a new era of coordination and coalition building which have helped both define our own American identities and protect those identities from the many threats we continue to face today.
ADC National Executive Director Kareem Shora said, “This year, we felt it was past-due for us to ‘honor our own‘ and recognize the one community leader and organization that has been consistently at the top of these courageous initiatives,” Shora said, “Salam‘s work along with that of our colleagues at MPAC has been instrumental in protecting our rights while at the same time defining who we are and the American ideals for which we stand. Whether working on protecting our communities from profiling, making sure that we play our role in protecting our nation, or defending us from the smears of those who advocate hate, we are honored to have Salam and MPAC on our side.”
Join us in welcoming and recognizing Salam and MPAC at the 2009 ADC Annual National Convention and place a message of congratulations in the Convention book. Advertising rates for the Convention program book start as low as $150. This year‘s Convention will be held June 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
You can register for the 2009 ADC Annual National Convention here. This year’s early bird rates have been reduced and you can register for the entire convention for only $199.
This includes the confirmed dinner reception at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain, all panels and meals including the Annual Civil Rights Awards Luncheon, the Saturday Gala Banquet Dinner, and the Sunday Palestine Luncheon at which we have confirmed His Excellency Archbishop Hilarion Capucci, the Archbishop of Jerusalem.
Interested in meeting the first Muslim-American in Congress? ADC has also confirmed the participation of Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) who will discuss US foreign policy following his historic trip to the Middle East earlier this year.
The theme for this year‘s ADC Annual National Convention is “From the Grassroots to the Nation’s Capital: Change for Our Future” which reflects the continued mobilization and empowerment of the community. At the Convention there will be informative panel discussions, workshops, and speeches on civil rights, domestic and foreign policy issues, as well as other workshops which will supply the attendees with the essential tools needed to impact public policy.
CONVENTION PROGRAM AND OPPORTUNITIES:
This is the perfect opportunity for many to reach out to what is the largest annual gathering of Arab Americans and supporters in our nation’s capital. Sponsorship, advertising, and exhibitor opportunities are available on a first-come first-serve basis. Reserve your ad or greeting in the Convention book today, the deadline for advertising is May 23, 2009. Call ADC to learn more about sponsorship and underwriting opportunities or see www.adc.org/convention
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: SALAM AL-MARAYATI
http://www.mpac.org/about/staff-board/salam-al-marayati.php
For the past 16 years, Salam has had the opportunity to speak to congregations at community-sponsored events, temples, synagogues, churches, high schools, and college campuses. He has written extensively on Islam, human rights, democracy, Middle East politics, the Balkan Crisis, and the Transcaucus conflict. His articles and interviews have appeared on such prominent newspapers as The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The LA Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle and USA Today. He has appeared on radio and TV talk shows, including The Dennis Miller Show, Tonight with Deborah Norville, Politically Incorrect, and has been featured on C-SPAN and NBC. Salam has also been deeply involved in interfaith activities. He served as co-chair of the Interfaith Coalition to Heal Los Angeles, which formed as a result of the Los Angeles uprising in the Summer of 1992. Salam also works as an advisor to several political, civic and academic institutions seeking to understand the role of Islam and Muslims in America and throughout the world.