Yemeni Young leader participates in US-Muslim Relations Summit [Archives:2006/980/Reportage]
300 Student Leaders from Around the World to Join Musicians, Policymakers, Scholars, and Journalists to Develop a Blueprint for Promoting U.S.-Islamic Understanding.
Among those is Sameer Ahmed Al-Nuzaili a young leader from Ibb University Student's Union. Five years after 9-11, U.S.-Islamic relations continue to deteriorate at a rapid pace. Recent polls reveal that 90 percent of residents in predominantly Muslim countries view the U.S. as the primary threat to their country. To examine this relationship, 300 young leaders from around the Muslim world and the U.S. will come together for the fifth anniversary of 9-11 and will develop a blueprint for long-term engagement between the U.S. and the Muslim world. The summit, called 9-11 Plus 5, will take place in Washington, D.C., from Sept. 8 – 10 and will look back at the lessons and changes over the five years since the 9- 11 attacks, as well as look forward to how U.S.-Islamic world relations can be improved in the years to come. The leaders will then return to their communities, hosting town hall meetings to promote better U.S.-Muslim world understanding from a grassroots level.
The summit is hosted by Americans for Informed Democracy, The Elliott School of International Affairs and the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution in conjunction with The Families of 9- 11. It will feature a wide variety of speakers and topics. Over the three days, young leaders will hear from the relatives of 9- 11 victims, 9-11 Commission members, ambassadors from the U.S. and the Muslim world, leading scholars of Islam, news correspondents and even a Pakistani rock star, who has sold over 25 million albums, is a UN Goodwill ambassador and is famous for his humanitarian efforts. Speakers include:
– Salman Ahmad, Leader of
Junoon, South Asia's top rock
band
– Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair
of Islamic Studies, American
University
– MJ Akbar, Editor and Chief, The
Asian Age
– Aaron Brown, Former Host of
NewsNight on CNN
– Mary Fetchet, Founding Director,
Voices of September 11
– Edward Gnehm, Former U.S.
Ambassador to Jordan and
Professor at George Washington
University
– Slade Gorton, Former U.S.
Senator and 9-11 Commission
Member
– Dave Hastings, Executive
Director, MASS -911
– Karl Inderfurth, Professor at
George Washington University
and Former Assistant Secretary of
State
– Shibley Telhami, Professor,
University of Maryland; Senior
Fellow, Saban Center, Brookings
Institution
– Gideon Yago, Correspondent,
MTV News and Documentaries
Organizers say the summit could not come at a more critical time. One of the greatest challenges in global politics is the dangerous tension that has grown between the United States and the Muslim world. A Gallup poll earlier this month found that four in ten Americans asked to “honestly”” assess themselves said they have “”at least some feelings of prejudice against Muslims.””
9-11 Plus Five is cosponsored by Americans for Informed Democracy
