2007 NAAP National Conference

Overview
The 2007 NAAP National Conference, held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in lower Manhattan November 16-18, was a roaring success, hosting over 600 Arab-Americans from across the country - representing over 30 states, a plethora of professional industries and dozes of nations of origin.

The weekend was jam-packed with thought-provoking discussions and conversations that culminated in the initiation of a number of action items and goals for the future, as well as parties that not only entertained attendees, but enlightened us as well.

The NAAP National Conference was a rare opportunity for Arab-Americans from a variety of industries and organizations to gather under one roof in New York City to brainstorm, network and work together to envision and embrace their Arabicity!

Friday Evening Kickoff Party at the Battery Gardens
The Conference festivities began Friday night when NAAP kicked-off the conference weekend at the breathtaking Battery Gardens, located in the heart of Battery Park City.

Over 200 guests relished in the provocative performance of NAAP's very own Yasmine El-Shaymaleh and Nadeen Al-Jijakli, who dazzled the crowd with their spoken word. Attendees were also dazzled by the poetic prose of local favorite Remi Kanazi, who discussed issues relevant to the Arab-American community both locally and abroad. Mohammad Masoud provided comic relief and DJ Jungle entertained the energetic crowd with hip-hop and Arabic beats.

With poetry, comedy and music, the night proved to be the perfect way to jumpstart a weekend teeming with energy and information.

Conference Panels
The Saturday panels began early and persisted throughout the day, and through to Sunday, providing a host of inspiring and stimulating discussions that combed the political, social, cultural and professional realms. From heated debates to provocative conversations, the conference panels aimed to discuss topics that are prominent in the Arab community, both local and internationally, but are often omitted in large forums.

Whether it was drug addiction, Iran's influence in the Middle East, the emergence and impact of blogging in Arab media, feminism in the Arab world, navigating the realm of relationships in the Arab-American context or Arab participation in the humanitarian effort in Darfur, the conference panels provided a much-needed platform to discuss issues often ignored in conference settings. More remarkable was the sea of acclaimed and heavily accredited experts and professionals who addressed the thought-provoking topics and led the informative sessions.

To view the full Conference Panel Program click here.

Saturday Luncheon
On Saturday, over 300 attendees were delighted to hear inspirational words from H.E. Afif Safieh, Ambassador of the Palestine Liberation Organization Mission to the United States and NYC Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Guillermo Linares. A number of other honorable guests were in attendance, including CNN’s Octavia Nasr and Omar Mohammedi, a NYC Commissioner of Human Rights.

Gala aboard the Majesty Cornucopia
Over 500 guests boarded the Majesty Cornucopia, a three-tiered luxury yacht that cruised the Hudson River during the flawlessly brisk New York night. Guests were regaled with a heartwarming address from Reel Bad Arabs author Dr. Jack Shaheen, who focused on the need for Arab Americans to change their image in Hollywood. Attendees were further surprised by an impromptu speech by the provocative Egyptian novelist and feminist Dr. Nawal El-Saadawi, who spoke on the significance of NAAP’s gathering, which connected inspiring individuals like Dr. Shaheen and herself, who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to meet. Attendees rocked the boat until the wee hours of the morning to the debke-stomping beats of Nedal Jaloudi.

Closing Sunday Luncheon
Panel discussions continued throughout the day on Sunday, as each panel emphasized ways that attendees could take action going forward. In only a day and a half of panels, commitments were made to form a NAAP Writers group, a Darfur awareness campaign, a mentorship program for pre-teen women – and much more.

The weekend ended with an informal but touching farewell luncheon, highlighting the many goals inspired by the weekend’s activities. Attendees came away with a renewed sense of faith in themselves individually and as individuals within a broader, stronger community. In the end, attendees embraced and celebrated their Arabicity, individually and collectively.

Media Coverage
The conference was covered by international media outlets, including the International Herald Tribune, Ha'aretz, and Sky News. National outlets included the Philadelphia Inquirer and WNBC in Ohio. Major local papers included amNY, Newsday, Staten Island Advance and metro. TV outlets included the Associated Press TV, Al Jazeera English, and Dandana.

Click below for a sampling of coverage:

Conference Team Thank you
NAAP would like to thank its sponsors and supporters – please visit their websites, and support their businesses and organizations, because without them, this great weekend would not have become a reality.

Finally, to all of the 2007 Conference Volunteers: Thank you for all of your hard work, dedication and commitment over the last year! Your loyalty and enthusiasm is incredible! Without you, NAAP cannot continue to grow. Many thanks and always remember to embrace your Arabicity!


			2007 NAAP National Conference Recap November 16-18 2007 Overview Friday Evening Kickoff Party at the Battery Gardens Conference Panels Saturday Luncheon Gala aboard the Majesty Cornucopia Closing Sunday Luncheon Media Coverage Video and Photos Conference Thank You Overview The 2007 NAAP National Conference, held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in lower Manhattan November 16-18, was a roaring success, hosting over 600 Arab-Americans from across the country - representing over 30 states, a plethora of professional industries and dozes of nations of origin. The weekend was jam-packed with thought-provoking discussions and conversations that culminated in the initiation of a number of action items and goals for the future, as well as parties that not only entertained attendees, but enlightened us as well. The NAAP National Conference was a rare opportunity for Arab-Americans from a variety of industries and organizations to gather under one roof in New York City to brainstorm, network and work together to envision and embrace their Arabicity! Friday Evening Kickoff Party at the Battery Gardens The Conference festivities began Friday night when NAAP kicked-off the conference weekend at the breathtaking Battery Gardens, located in the heart of Battery Park City. Over 200 guests relished in the provocative performance of NAAP's very own Yasmine El-Shaymaleh and Nadeen Al-Jijakli, who dazzled the crowd with their spoken word. Attendees were also dazzled by the poetic prose of local favorite Remi Kanazi, who discussed issues relevant to the Arab-American community both locally and abroad. Mohammad Masoud provided comic relief and DJ Jungle entertained the energetic crowd with hip-hop and Arabic beats. With poetry, comedy and music, the night proved to be the perfect way to jumpstart a weekend teeming with energy and information. Conference Panels The Saturday panels began early and persisted throughout the day, and through to Sunday, providing a host of inspiring and stimulating discussions that combed the political, social, cultural and professional realms. From heated debates to provocative conversations, the conference panels aimed to discuss topics that are prominent in the Arab community, both local and internationally, but are often omitted in large forums. Whether it was drug addiction, Iran's influence in the Middle East, the emergence and impact of blogging in Arab media, feminism in the Arab world, navigating the realm of relationships in the Arab-American context or Arab participation in the humanitarian effort in Darfur, the conference panels provided a much-needed platform to discuss issues often ignored in conference settings. More remarkable was the sea of acclaimed and heavily accredited experts and professionals who addressed the thought-provoking topics and led the informative sessions. To view the full Conference Panel Program click here. Saturday Luncheon On Saturday, over 300 attendees were delighted to hear inspirational words from H.E. Afif Safieh, Ambassador of the Palestine Liberation Organization Mission to the United States and NYC Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Guillermo Linares. A number of other honorable guests were in attendance, including CNN’s Octavia Nasr and Omar Mohammedi, a NYC Commissioner of Human Rights. Gala aboard the Majesty Cornucopia Over 500 guests boarded the Majesty Cornucopia, a three-tiered luxury yacht that cruised the Hudson River during the flawlessly brisk New York night. Guests were regaled with a heartwarming address from Reel Bad Arabs author Dr. Jack Shaheen, who focused on the need for Arab Americans to change their image in Hollywood. Attendees were further surprised by an impromptu speech by the provocative Egyptian novelist and feminist Dr. Nawal El-Saadawi, who spoke on the significance of NAAP’s gathering, which connected inspiring individuals like Dr. Shaheen and herself, who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to meet. Attendees rocked the boat until the wee hours of the morning to the debke-stomping beats of Nedal Jaloudi. Closing Sunday Luncheon Panel discussions continued throughout the day on Sunday, as each panel emphasized ways that attendees could take action going forward. In only a day and a half of panels, commitments were made to form a NAAP Writers group, a Darfur awareness campaign, a mentorship program for pre-teen women – and much more. The weekend ended with an informal but touching farewell luncheon, highlighting the many goals inspired by the weekend’s activities. Attendees came away with a renewed sense of faith in themselves individually and as individuals within a broader, stronger community. In the end, attendees embraced and celebrated their Arabicity, individually and collectively. Media Coverage The conference was covered by international media outlets, including the International Herald Tribune, Ha'aretz, and Sky News. National outlets included the Philadelphia Inquirer and WNBC in Ohio. Major local papers included amNY, Newsday, Staten Island Advance and metro. TV outlets included the Associated Press TV, Al Jazeera English, and Dandana. Click below for a sampling of coverage: A.P - Arab-Americans organize to challenge Hollywood stereotypes Arab Times International Herald Tribune WFMJ NBC Haaretz Kuwait Times Kuwait News Agency - NAAP team up in conference on political, social challenge NY Metro – 60 Seconds With… Video and Photos – Please come back and visit as we update this section Video NAAP Arabicity Video – presented at the Saturday Gala, the video highlights the past 6 years of NAAP work and growth throughout the country Saturday Evening Gala – Dr. Jack Shaheen, Keynote Speaker Saturday Evening Gala – Nawal El Saadawi, Special Guest Speaker Saturday Evening Gala - Future of NAAP Saturday Luncheon – HE Afif Salieh, Luncheon Keynote Speaker] Conference Closing Sunday Luncheon Conference webumentary Friday and Saturday Social Clips Friday Comedy Standup with Mohammad Masoud Pictures Conference Pictrues Conference Team Thank you NAAP would like to thank its sponsors and supporters – please visit their websites, and support their businesses and organizations, because without them, this great weekend would not have become a reality. Finally, to all of the 2007 Conference Volunteers: Thank you for all of your hard work, dedication and commitment over the last year! Your loyalty and enthusiasm is incredible! Without you, NAAP cannot continue to grow. Many thanks and always remember to embrace your Arabicity!

	Copyright 2007 NAAP. All Rights Reserved