Nasser Weddady

A native of Mauritania, Nasser grew up in Libya and Syria, traveling extensively through the Middle East, before coming to the U.S. seeking asylum in 2000. A few days after the September 11 attacks, the FBI falsely detained Nasser because of his ethnic appearance. Nasser’s engagements with AIC reflect his background in anti-slavery activism in his homeland. Nasser has organized conferences for young activists across the Middle East that offer budding activists the leadership skills to pursue their own human and civil rights campaigns. Most recently, he spearheaded a series of workshops to launch AIC’s Tunisia Bureau.

As one of the few activists working not only in the MENA region, but in the U.S. as well, Nasser has developed a unique perspective on the global struggle for human and civil rights. He has been published in the International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and Baltimore Sun; appeared on Fox’s Hannity & Colmes, BBC World Service, Al Jazeera, and Radio Liberty; and testified to Congress’ Human Rights Caucus. Fluent in five languages, Nasser has lectured at the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and diverse interfaith settings. Nasser currently is the chair of AIC’s New England Council.

Nasser’s areas of expertise include:

• Youth, social media, and a new generation of American Muslim identity
• Activism and protest in Muslim-majority countries, including non-violent tactics and civil disobedience
• Human rights and civil rights in Muslim-majority countries
• Middle East and North Africa: religion, politics, and current events
• Cooperation of the American Muslim Community with law enforcement and justice authorities
• Human trafficking and modern slavery in Muslim-majority countries
• The Arab Spring