Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05LILONGWE308
2005-04-11 05:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Lilongwe
Cable title:  

REQUEST FOR U.S. SPEAKER ON OUTREACH TO MUSLIM

Tags:  KPAO OIIP SCUL MI 
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UNCLAS LILONGWE 000308

SIPDIS

FOR IIP/G/AF - EBONI YORK AND AF/PAPD - ANDREE JOHNSON AND
IIP/T/EM
AF/S - GALANEK
AF/PD - DALTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OIIP SCUL MI
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR U.S. SPEAKER ON OUTREACH TO MUSLIM
YOUTH


A. Program description: Public Affairs Section Lilongwe
requests a speaker to participate in a program of outreach
focused areas of concern for Malawi's Muslim youth. These
include HIV/AIDS, education and forming effective Muslim
youth organizations to encourage positive behaviors and goal
orientation. Muslim youth here would also be interested in
hearing about Muslim life and culture in America. Muslim
communities in Malawi are traditionally less well-educated
than their Christian counterparts, because western education
initially was established by Christian missionaries. Many
in the Muslim leadership in Malawi have commented that their
highest priority is overcoming that education deficit, and
fighting the disproportionately high rate of HIV/AIDS among
the predominantly Muslim YAO ethnic group. Post received
high praise for Hibba Abugideiri's program on Muslim Life in
America, and we see this program building on that one from
the slightly different optic of focusing on a younger
audience. This will be retail public diplomacy: the speaker
would address students in Islamic secondary schools and
Mosques across Malawi, and would ideally be a Muslim-
American adept at connecting with a younger audience. An
ideal length for the program would be 8 days of programming.
With rest and travel, that would require nearly a two week
stay in Malawi.


B. Timeframe: The timing for this program is flexible, but
should occur sometime from mid-August to the end of FY 05.
The speaker would ideally be in Malawi for


C. Purpose of the Program: Build goodwill and mutual
understanding with the Muslim successor generation;
positively reinforce themes of HIV/AIDS prevention, the
importance of education (especially for girls) and


D. Audience: The audience will primarily by secondary
school students, as well as their parents and Malawi's
Muslim leadership.


E. Proposed topics and nature of events: the importance of
education for strengthening and lifting the Muslim community
out of poverty; HIV/AIDS prevention; building effective peer
reinforcement structures to encourage positive behaviors;
Muslim life in America.


F. Type or Name of Specialist required: Post has not made
contact with any specific speaker. We are looking for
someone with great public speaking skills and experience in
connecting with a younger audience.


G. Language Requirements: English


H. Request for Supporting Bibliographic Materials: Once a
speaker is selected, Post will request relevant materials
that cannot be obtained locally.


I. Post Contact Information:
Mitchell Moss
Public Affairs Officer
Tel: Office (265) 1 772 222, Home (265) 1 770 831, Mobile
(265) 9 960 172
Email: MossMR@state.gov

Alison Liwanda
Information Assistant
Tel: Office (265) 1 772 222, Mobile (265) 8 897 083
Email: LiwandaAE@state.gov

Ulemu Malindi
Cultural Affairs Specialist
Tel: Office (265) 1 772 222, Home (265) 1 762 715, Mobile
(265) 960 180
Email: MalindiUC@state.gov

GILMOUR