REQUEST FOR DVC ON "ISLAM IN A MULTICULTURAL

UNCLAS AMMAN 006523 SIPDIS IIP/G/NEA; NEA/PPD (CBOURGEOIS, DMACINNES, JGAFFNEY); ECA/A/E/USS; NEA/ARN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP OEXC SCUL JO SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR DVC ON "ISLAM IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY" ¶1. SUMMARY: PAS AMMAN REQUESTS IIP SUPPORT IN RECRUITING AN AMERICAN EXPERT FOR AN ARABIC LANGUAGE 90 MINUTE DVC PROGRAM ON "CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND ISLAM." THE PROGRAM WOULD BE CONDUCTED DURING THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN. OUR AUDIENCE WOULD INCLUDE STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS FROM ISLAMIC SHARIA SCHOOLS AT JORDANIAN UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING RECENTLY RETURNED IV PARTICIPANTS, MEMBERS OF THE ISLAMIC THOUGHT CENTER AND THE CENTER FOR INTERFAITH STUDIES. WE WOULD PREFER TO HOLD THIS PROGRAM ON NOVEMBER 20 OR NOVEMBER 25 AT 1730 GMT. ¶2. GIVEN THE SENSITIVITIES AND THE POLITICAL TENSIONS IN THE REGION, WE ASK THAT PROGRAM FOCUS ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY, COEXISTENCE, RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE IN THE U.S. AND THE MISCONCEPTIONS THAT HAVE RISEN IN THE ARAB WORK ON THE U.S. VIEWS OF ISLAM AND MUSLIMS, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE SEPTEMBER ¶11. THE SPEAKER SHOULD FOCUS ON THE ROLE MUSLIMS PLAYS IN THE U.S. SOCIETY, POLITICALLY, SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY. ¶3. THE AMERICAN PARTICIPANT SHOULD SPEAK ARABIC AND BE AN EXPERT ON ISLAM. WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING POSSIBLE SPEAKERS: IMAM YAHYA HENDI, MUSLIM CHAPLAIN AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY; DR. KHALID YEHIA BLANSKHIP, A SCHOLAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH; MS. SHARIFA AL KHATIB, FOUNDER AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR MUSLIM WOMEN. ¶4. WE REQUEST THAT THE SPEAKER MAKE A 20 MINUTE PRESENTATION, THEN TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. ¶5. CONTROL OFFICER FOR THIS PROGRAM IS CAO DONNA WINTON, TEL: 962-6-5920101, EXT. 2115; FAX; 962-6-5920121. PLEASE ADVISE. GNEHM