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Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, July 2008, pages 54-55 Arab-American Activism President Mahmoud Abbas Addresses Kahlil Gibran Award Dinner
MASTER OF ceremonies Jean AbiNader welcomed 800 guests to the Arab American Institute Foundation’s (AAIF) 10th annual Kahlil Gibran “Spirit of Humanity” Awards gala at Washington, DC’s J.W. Marriott Hotel on April 23. No matter if they’re fifth-generation Arab Americans or newly arrived Iraqi refugees, they all represent a vital slice of America, AbiNader said. Noting that tens of thousands of Arab Americans are “building a legacy in America,” Helen Hatab Samhan, AAI’s executive director, praised the leadership abilities of Arab-American youth: “They’re confident. They’re fearless,” she said. She described the “Yalla Vote” Campaign, involving more than 60 organizations working to get out the Arab-American vote in 2008, as well as AAI’s online resource “Election Central,” which tracks presidential candidates’ positions on issues like U.S. foreign policy and civil liberties.
AAI Chairman George Salem introduced Sen. John Sununu (R-NH), the only Arab American now serving in the U.S. Senate, and who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sununu encouraged Arab Americans to stay involved, run for office and make sure their leaders hear their voices. He pointed out that more than 3,500 Arab Americans now serve in the U.S. military. Sununu discussed some of the issues he is focused on, including free elections in Lebanon, a safe return for Iraqi—and Palestinian—refugees, and a two-state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. He called for a maximum effort to achieve these goals. Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL), who is retiring from Congress after serving seven terms, accepted the Najeeb Halaby Award for Public Service, noting that “public service is a noble calling.” The grandson of Lebanese immigrants, LaHood visited Lebanon 13 times during his tenure in office, helped persuade President Bill Clinton to lift the travel ban to Lebanon, and championed increased funding for American schools and hospitals in Lebanon. He said his grandparents arrived in Peoria in 1895 not speaking a word of English and did what most immigrants do: “They learned English, worked hard, and played by the rules.” In America, LaHood concluded, no matter what your heritage and background, you can serve in the highest public office and make a difference.
Dr. James Zogby, founder and president of AAI, introduced Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in town to meet with President George W. Bush. Abbas called King Abdullah’s peace plan the most important Arab initiative since 1948, and described Israeli settlement activities as the largest obstacle to the peace process. He called on the “Israeli government to stop all settlement activities so we can hold proper meetings to reach a solution on the core issues.” Abbas said he asked Bush to “reenergize the peace process” and also address the crisis in Gaza, calling for a lifting of the siege that has been imposed on Gazans. “Gazans have suffered more than enough,” Abbas said. He concluded his address by remarking, “Peace is a responsibility of every person in this room, and every person in the universe.” Mariam Said, widow of the late Prof. Edward Said, accepted an award on behalf of the The Barenboim-Said Foundation for its work to bring young people from across the Middle East together through music. Rami Khouri, editor-at-large of the Beirut-based Daily Star, presented an award for Institutional Excellence to Reporters Without Borders. Founder and Secretary-General Robert Menard, who traveled from Paris to accept the award, implored the audience not to forget more than 200 journalists who have been killed just doing their job in Iraq. Fadel Shana, a 23-year-old Reuters cameraman, was killed in Gaza by an Israeli tank on April 16. Menard also mentioned kidnapped and imprisoned journalists, including Sami al-Haj, the Al Jazeera cameraman imprisoned without charges at Guantanamo Bay since 2002 (and who was released 10 days after the AAI event), and another journalist who has been held in a U.S. prison in Afghanistan for the past five months. Freedom of information is always critical, Manard concluded, pointing out that in a coup d’état “they always go for the radio or TV station first.” He also warned that Arab ministers of information had gathered in Cairo in February 2008 to consider a new charter to regulate satellite TV content. Qatar (home to Al Jazeera TV) and Lebanon were the only Arab states to object to the charter. Actor Sam Waterston presented the Award for International Commitment to Refugees International board chairman Farooq Kathwari and president Ken Bacon calling the organization a “pest” to governments that fail to take action on refugee crises around the world. The group’s 2006 report on Iraqi refugees, Waterston noted, prompted the United Nations to increase its budget for displaced Iraqis fivefold. With only 26 permanent staff members, Refugees International is a “little engine that could” move mountains in its efforts to help 50 million displaced and stateless people around the world. —Delinda C. Hanley |
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