WESTLAND, Mich., June 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 1,000 people from throughout the U.S. and abroad, are expected to attend the Annual American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine's (AFRP) Ramallah Convention in our nation's capital, July 3-6, 2019.
With a majority of the attendees descendants of five brothers whose family founded the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestine in the early 1500s, each year since 1958, the families convene for a reunion in a different host city as a means to reconnect with other family around the world; preserve their Palestinian traditions in song, dance, and art; rekindle the uniqueness of their lineage to future generations, and to discuss the current state of Palestine.
For Palestinian Arab Americans living in diaspora, the past two years have been ever more disheartening as they witnessed several events that threatened the existence of Palestine, from the closing of the Palestinian Embassy in Washington, DC, to the Trump Administration declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocating its U.S. Embassy.
During this year's 4-day event, convention organizers coordinated several symposiums and panel discussions on topics such as the current and future state of affairs in Palestine, the art of storytelling the Palestinian narrative, advocating on behalf of Palestine, and more.
The symposiums begin on Thursday, July 4, and include a distinguished lineup of internationally renowned speakers:
- Thursday, July 4, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Mr. Ghassan Tarazi, a consultant with extensive experience in helping people develop their voice and leadership skills, kicks-off the 1-hour symposiums with a workshop on gathering and collecting family stories as a means of developing and preserving one's family history.
- Thursday, July 4, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Mrs. Sandra Samaan Tamari and Ms. Noura Erakat will serve as panelists discussing ways to advocate on behalf of Palestine, highlight recent victories and discuss the challenges ahead and more.
Mrs. Tamari is a Palestinian American and Acting Director of Adalah Justice for Peace (AJP) in St. Louis, Missouri. She has extensive experience in shaping social justice through grassroots campaigns and influencing decision-makers.
Ms. Erakat is a Palestinian American and a widely published author and human rights attorney in Fairfax, Virginia. She serves as an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, and is a frequent commentator on CBS News, CNN, Fox News and NPR.
- Friday, July 5, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Get To Know Your Government, this workshop features representatives from the Small Business Administration, the Census Bureau, the Office of Personnel Management and the Bureau of Land Management. They will offer insight on identifying federal contract opportunities as well as federal government career pathways.
- Friday, July 5, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., The American Federation Educational and Cultural Exchange Mission (AFECM), Palestine: A Journey From an Unbiased Approach, moderated by Palestinian American Mrs. Blanche Araj Shaheen, author and founder of Feast in the Middle East, this symposium will explain the purpose of the Mission trips and include testimonials of former trip participants of their experiences.
- Friday, July 5, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., One State, Two State, or a New State? An interview with Dr. Riyad H. Mansour, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Mansour will engage in a discussion about the merits of a two-state solution vs. the creation of a single, bi-national entity.
- Friday, July 5, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., Get To Know Your Government: This panel, organized by Arab-American Business and Professional Association (ABPA), will feature representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Census Bureau. The audience will learn about how to benefit federal contract opportunities and grants for small businesses, as well as how to better communicate and help Arab-American community to find career pathways into federal government.
Panelists will also address the absence of the Arab-American category in the 2020 Census and discuss the strategies to shape 2030 Census forms in the right direction. Moreover, ABPA Board Member Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk will provide insights about the Department of Defense contracts and best strategies to win them. The panel will be moderated by Professor Edmund Ghareeb of George Washington University, a member of ABPA Advisory Board.
Speakers include:
Mr. Roberto Ramirez, Assistant Division Chief, Special Population Statistics Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau
Mr. John Klein, Associate General Counsel for Procurement Law, U.S. Small Business Administration
Colonel (Ret.) Abbas Dahouk, Vice President of Middle East Programs, Advanced Technology Systems Company
Dr. Edmund Ghareeb (Moderator), George Washington University
- Friday, July 5, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., The American Federation Educational and Cultural Exchange Mission (AFECM), Palestine: A Journey From an Unbiased Approach, moderated by Palestinian American Mrs. Blanche Araj Shaheen, author and founder of Feast in the Middle East, this symposium will explain the purpose of the Mission trips and include testimonials of former trip participants of their experiences.
- Friday, July 5, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., One State, Two State, or a New State? An interview with Dr. Riyad H. Mansour, Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Mansour will engage in a discussion about the merits of a two-state solution vs. the creation of a single, bi-national entity.
About the AFRP: Located in Westland, Michigan, the AFRP was formed in 1952 to perpetuate and enhance the Palestinian traditions and culture to the descendants of the original inhabitants of the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestine, living in diaspora throughout the United States.
SOURCE American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine
