NATIONAL COUNCIL ON CANADA-ARAB RELATIONS

CONSEIL NATIONAL DES RELATIONS CANADO-ARABES

NCCAR e-Arabica Bi-Weekly Newsletter - June 15, 2009

·       In a follow-up to the NCCAR delegation’s meeting with Michael Ignatieff of May 26^th, vice-president Mark Khoury held a meeting with M. Ignatieff’s Director of Political Operations (Quebec) on June 11^th, 2009. In it, discussions of an on-going relationship between NCCAR and M. Ignatieff’s office both nationally and regionally were elaborated. A positive tone and mutual indications for cooperation augur an open on-going relationship.

·       On June 12, 2009, Bahija Réghaï attended a presentation by Cindy and Craig Corrie, Rachel Corrie's parents on Parliament Hill. They spoke about their visits to Gaza, their work with congressmen, and with US civil society locally and federally.

·         On June 11, 2009, Samah Sabawi participated in a round table discussion in Ottawa, as part of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights’ content and story gathering tour across Canada.   Amongst other things, Ms. Sabawi spoke about the many Palestinian refugees whose journey began with the Nakba - the destruction of their world, and highlighted the need to include the story of their dispossession. She also communicated to the facilitator the need for the museum to include the stories of Palestinian Canadians. Canada’s Human Rights  museum is due to open in Winnipeg in 2012.

·         On June 10, 2009, Samer Roumani attended a reception on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein Assumption of Constitutional Powers & the Independence Day of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

·         On June 2, 2009, Bahija Réghaï presented to the caucus of the Canada-Arab World Parliamentary Association a series of conference to be held on Parliament under the aegis of both the Association and NCCAR. The project was endorsed and the first of the series will be offered after Parliament resumes, in October 2009.

·         On June 1, 2009, Bahija Réghaï attended a dinner offered by the Egyptian Ambassador H.E. Shamel Nasser in honour of H.E. Wafaa Baseim, Assistant Foreign Minister. In attendance were ambassadors, Members of Parliament and senior officials from Foreign Affairs.

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The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) is charitable organization whose mission is to build ties between Canadians and the people of the Arab world in order to develop stronger relations and cooperation between them as well as an appreciation of their common values.