Volunteers Needed for Humanitarian Day - New York, NY :: 10.14.06

Volunteers Needed for Humanitarian Day - New York, NY :: 10.14.06

Islamic Relief and MSA-NY are hosting a Humanitarian Day on Saturday, October 14. We're putting together a plan to serve people who are homeless during Ramadan.

Humanitarian Day has been happening in Los Angeles, CA for the past four years; this year, it has been expanded to Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Newark, Washington DC, Dallas, Houston, and New York.

MSA-NY will be co-hosting Humanitarian Day this year in Brooklyn, NY.

The program includes:

• distribution of food
• clothing
• hygiene packs and toys for children
• work with a local community clinic to provide basic health screenings
  • blood pressure
  • HIV/AIDS
  • blood sugar tests
  • with referrals to medical treatment if warranted.

We are recruiting volunteers from religious institutions, community organizations and schools (MSA's). There is a variety of work to be done both to prepare for the day and to provide all the services of the day itself.

We NEED an estimate of 250-300 volunteers!!!!

The products we distribute are either provided in-kind by local corporations or are purchases with gifts and donations from individuals and foundations/corporations.

MSA-NY and Islamic Relief are calling on EVERYONE to please volunteer on
October 14 and show support to Insha'Allah the first of many Humanitarian Days.

If you would like to volunteer please email Br. Mohammed Qureshi at
HumDay2006@gmail.com ASAP!!!!

Insha'Allah this will be a memorable and inspirational day for humanity.

When: Saturday, October 14
Where: Brooklyn, NY (By masjid Taqwa!!!!)
Time: 10 am-2 pm
Why : To help out the less fortunate during Ramadan for the sake of Allah!

Contact: Mohammed Qureshi at HumDay2006@gmail.com

NY EVENT: The Global Climate Crisis - Screening of "An Inconvenient Truth" and Panel Discussion - 10/3

The Global Climate Crisis

Screening of "An Inconvenient Truth"
and Panel Discussion

Global Policy Forum and International Catholic Organizations Information Center invite you to a two-part event on global warming. Join us for a screening of Al Gore's film "An Inconvenient Truth" followed by a panel discussion.

Tuesday October 3, 2006

777 UN Plaza - 12th Floor
(44th Street at First Avenue)

5.00 - 7.00PM
Screening of "An Inconvenient Truth"

7.00 - 7.15PM
Break with a light snack and refreshments

7.15 - 8.30PM
Panel discussion on global climate change and steps we must take to address it, with Michael Renner, Senior Researcher, Worldwatch Institute and Mohammad Reza Salamat, Senior Programme Officer, Division for Sustainable Development/DESA, United Nations

Suggested Donation: $5

Global Policy Forum 777 UN Plaza, Suite 3D, New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-557-3161, Fax: 212-557-3165 Website: www.globalpolicy.org, Email: gpf@globalpolicy.org

International Catholic Organizations Information Center 323 E. 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 Phone: 212-355-5557 Fax: 212-355-9865 Website: www.icocenter.org Email: ico_center@yahoo.com

NY event: THE ISRAEL LOBBY: Does it have too much influence on US foreign policy?

THE ISRAEL LOBBY: Does it have too much influence on US foreign policy?

HOST: The London Review of Books

WHAT: A public policy debate

WHEN: Thursday, September 28th, 7pm

WHERE: Great Hall, Cooper Union 7 East 7th Street, New York, NY

PANELISTS: Shlomo Ben-Ami, Martin Indyk, Tony Judt, Rashid Khalidi, John Mearsheimer, Dennis Ross, Moderator: Anne-Marie Slaughter

COST: $25 per person, $15 Students (code STU1)

TICKETS: Call Ticket Central 212-279-4200 or visit www.ticketcentral.com

PRESS PASS: jf@groupsjr.com

NOTES ON PARTICIPANTS:

Shlomo Ben-Ami is a former Israeli foreign and security minister and the author of Scars of War, Wounds of Peace: The Israeli-Arab Tragedy.

Martin Indyk is Director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy and Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution.

Tony Judt is Erich Maria Remarque Professor in European Studies and Director of the Remarque Institute at New York University.

Rashid Khalidi is Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies and Director of the Middle East Institute at Columbia University.

John Mearsheimer is the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science and the co-director of the Program on International Security Policy at the University of Chicago.

Dennis Ross is Counselor and Ziegler Distinguished Fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the author of The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace.

Anne-Marie Slaughter is Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the Bert G. Kerstetter ‘66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University.

SYNOPSIS: In March, The London Review of Books published a provocative article by John Mearsheimer and Steven Walt – that contends that the centerpiece of U.S. Middle East policy is its intimate relationship with Israel. Moreover, the authors argue that although often justified as reflecting shared strategic interests or compelling moral imperatives, the U.S. commitment to Israel is due primarily to the activities of the “Israel Lobby."

The London Review of books is hosting a public debate to examine the controversial findings of Mearsheimer and Walt.

Young Americans Discuss Challenges, Solutions for Post-9/11 American-Muslim Relations

I mentioned a conference in DC that Americans for Informed Democracy organized a few weeks ago on the 5th anniversary of the WTC attacks. Fortunately, I got to attend and actually take a more active role than that which I anticipated, but it was well worth it.

I got the opportunity to introduce South Asian rock legend Salman Ahmad when the conference started and after the closing of the event, was whisked away to the CNN studios for an interview on CNN International. What a weekend that was!

As mentioned before, the 9/11 plus Five topic has generated much interest from all quarters and present at the conference were some people who were covering it for their media outlets. This link will take you to a PBS Newshour webpage where some youth are discussing their views on the state of affairs five years after the tragedy that befell all Americans on 9/11.

9/11 plus Five: The State of Affairs for Muslims in post-9/11 America

I promised to post something on this topic last week and now it just seems like it's not newsworthy anymore, considering the anniversary was commemorated almost two weeks ago.

Irrespective of this lapse of time - and my indolence! - I will go ahead and provide my readers with this guest blog posting of mine on ThePeopleSpeak.org website. It's a project run by the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and Victoria Baxter at UNF is the coordinator there. It's been a real pleasure working with her and her intern, George Lomsadze, as they try to make global issues accessible to all people and have the assistance of many influentials in the process.

Frankly, I am quite privileged to have my writing featured on the same forum where Newt Gingrich and Jane Holl Lute (UN ASG for Peacekeeping Operations) have their writing published. I just hope the message gets across and that we learn important and crucial lessons instead of repeating history.