U.S. Muslims to Hold D.C. Human Rights, Media Conferences

posted on: Jan 29, 2009

On February 6 and 7, the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT), a coalition of 12 major Islamic organizations, will hold back-to-back conferences focusing on human rights and the media.

The February 6 event, “American Muslims in the Mainstream: An Exchange of Notes Between Alternate Media and Muslim Political Organizations,” will cover issues such as American Muslim political growth and development, Muslim voting patterns and historical trends in the Islamic community.

On February 7, the AMT “U.S. Human Rights Convention” will feature speakers such as Missouri State Assembly Member Jamila Nasheed, Iowa General Assembly Member Ako Abdul Sammad, Democracy Now Host Amy Goodman, Professor Ali Mazrui of state University of New York, and Cherif Bassiouni, professor of law at DePaul University.

Other speakers will include former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel, peace activist Cindy Sheehan, Egyptian human rights activist Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim, and Aitzaz Ahsan, former president of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Bar Association.

Both events will be held at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Friday media conference is free of charge. Admission to the Saturday human rights conference costs $25, which includes a luncheon. Tickets may be purchased here.

WHAT: AMT Human Rights and Media Conferences
WHEN: Friday, February 6 (Media), 2-8 p.m.; Saturday, February 7 (Human Rights), 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
WHERE: L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L’Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, D.C. (http://www.lenfantplazahotel.com/)
CONTACT: Muhammad Salim Akhtar, 773-507-5335, E-Mail: bestusa80@hotmail.com

AMT is an umbrella organization that includes: American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim American Society-Freedom Foundation (MAS-FF), Muslim Student Association-National (MSA-N), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), and United Muslims of America (UMA). Its observer organizations include: Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), and Islamic Educational Center of Orange County (IEC