| |
| About the American Islamic Congress
|
|
The Muslim-American agenda is often defined by overseas communities bringing their issues to the US. But in September of 2007, the American Islamic Congress reversed that flow with the opening of a new North Africa Bureau headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. AIC-Egypt’s mission is to promote pluralism and civic freedoms – which have enabled the Muslim-American community to thrive - in the heart of the Muslim world.
The Cairo office is directed by Dalia Ziada, 26, who first came to AIC’s attention after entering the "Dream Deferred Essay Contest on Civil Rights." Ziada, who runs the office in Nasr City, is an FGM-survivor and blogger-activist. As an organizer of the campaign to help free jailed blogger Kareem Amer, she has been interviewed by international media outlets, published in the International Herald Tribune, and profiled by Amnesty International.
Based in the heart of the Middle East, AIC-Egypt will focus on three key areas: protecting free expression, promoting nonviolence and unequivocal denunciation of terrorism, and protecting women’s rights. The Cairo office coordinates grassroots activities across the regional, including organizing activist workshops, promoting the Dream Deferred Essay Contest, and publishing materials on non-violence.
The Cairo office was opening just after the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, when Cairo-native Mohammad Atta brought his destructive vision to America. Six years later, the AIC is bringing a creative vision of nonviolence and civil rights to Atta's hometown. This reversal underscores our commitment to religious pluralism and individual rights. Because of our unique experience, Muslim-Americans can be key catalysts for positive reform in the Muslim world.
|
|