Second Annual Islam Awareness Week November 14-18
class=""MsoNormal"">SALISBURY, MD---A trans-cultural nurse, an Emmy-winning journalist and the author of a top-selling book highlight the second annual Building Bridges: Islam Awareness Week, Monday-Friday, November 14-18, at Salisbury University.
class=""MsoNormal"">Events begin at 1 p.m. Monday, November 14, as American-Muslim nurse Najah Bazzy speaks about trans-cultural nursing in the United States in the Nanticoke Room of the Guerrieri University Center. A second-generation American, Muslim and critical care nurse in Michigan, she presents a second lecture, “The Truth about Women in Islam,” 6:30-8 p.m. in Caruthers Hall Auditroium.
class=""MsoNormal"">The Muslim Student Association (MSA) hosts a screening of the National Geographic documentary Inside Mecca 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, November 15, in the Wicomico Room of the Guerrieri University Center. Directed and produced by journalist Anisa Mehdi, the film focuses on the journeys of three Muslims—one from the United States, one from Malaysia and one from South Africa—during the Hajj pilgrimage in February 2003. The MSA follows the documentary with an informal question-and-answer session.
class=""MsoNormal"">Mehdi speaks on “The Tangle of Language: Challenges in Reporting” from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, November 16, in Fulton Hall Room 111, focusing on the challenges reporters in the field face covering Islam, other cultures, other languages and tense situations. For more than 20 years she has reported, written, directed and produced television news and documentary programs for major American media outlets, including National Geographic, PBS, ABC and CBS. Her commentaries are heard on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered.
class=""MsoNormal"">In 2002 she was producer and director for ABC News’ Nightline UpClose: Jack Shaheen, a program examining stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims in the American entertainment media. She also produced Muslim Voices, a four-part series of profiles of international perspectives for Nightline, and was co-executive producer of the two-hour PBS Frontline special "Muslims.”
class=""MsoNormal"">She returns to campus from 6:30-8 p.m. for a discussion on “Truth and Consequences: Islam and Media Sensationalism” in the Great Hall of Holloway Hall.
class=""MsoNormal"">Sohaib Sultan, author of The Koran for Dummies, continues discussions with “Understanding the Qur’an” 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, November 17, in the Wicomico Room. Sultan discusses the nature of the Qur’an in Islam, and its importance in the daily lives of Muslims. The author is the first to hold the Islamic Chaplain post at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Sultan has provided Islamic affairs analysis for the BBC and is pursuing a graduate degree in Islamic studies and Christian-Muslim relations.
class=""MsoNormal"">Events conclude Friday, November 18, with a Jumaa Prayer from noon-1 p.m. in the Spirituality Room of the Guerrieri University Center, followed by an open reception at the University Center’s Fireside Lounge sponsored by the Vice President of Student Affairs. Light refreshments will be served.
class=""MsoNormal"">The Muslim Students Association sponsors Islam Awareness Week, hosting an information table and sales of Islamic books from noon-2 p.m. November 14-17 in the Commons. The association also sells Middle Eastern pastries during the week’s evening events.
class=""MsoNormal"">All events are free and the public is invited. For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu. "