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For Immediate Release
Watch video
AAF welcomes NJ Governor's
decision to create American-Arab Heritage Commission
Paterson, NJ, October 20, 2008: The American Arab Forum
welcomes Governor Jon Corzine's official announcement to sign
into law an Executive Order to create the NJ American-Arab
Heritage Commission. The date has been set for October 24, 2008,
where the Governor, joined by members of his cabinet,
distinguished members of the Legislature, Congressional
representatives, leaders from the community and the 25 newly
appointed members of the Commission will hold a special
celebration at the Passaic County Technical College.
The Governor's signature will
represent the culmination of over four years of a grassroots
drive to found the Commission. Its establishment has been a
primary objective of the Arab American community and we are
grateful that, after more than four years of grassroots efforts,
it is finally becoming a reality. The Commission will be the
first in the United States dedicated to the promotion and
dissemination of contributions of Arab Americans.
Aref Assaf, President of the
Paterson-based think-tank, the American Arab Forum, expressed
his "enthusiastic appreciation for the Governor's gesture
and the important support received from so many individuals,
officials, and organizations. We recognize his pivotal
appreciation of the need to be inclusive and to recognize the
important role our community has and continues to play in making
NJ a better place in which to live, to do business, and to raise
a family. He further added that, "having overcome many hurdles,
we are now poised to witness the fruits of our collective work
through the recognition of our community's rightful place in the
mosaic that makes our state and indeed our nation a vibrant and
productive society." End.
For more information about the
history of the commission, please visit
http://www.aafusa.org/arab_heritage_commission.htm
To view list of appointees, click
here.
More Pictures
Related articles:
Soliman: On the establishment of a state commission on
Arab-Americans
The Executive Order states, in part, that," it is fitting and proper to
establish a State-level commission to survey, design, encourage
and promote the implementation of Arab-American cultural and
educational programs in this State, with responsibility for the
coordination of events that will provide awareness and honor and
celebrate the culture, history, heritage and language of Arab
Americans on a regular basis throughout the State."
for the complete text, please click
here.Here is the
link
to the official invitation sent out by the
Governor. The event is by invitation only.
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The autumn/winter edition of
Banipal Magazine is dedicated to the
memory of Palestinian poet Mahmoud
Darwish.
Click here for more... 
