Community Releases at Islamic Networks Group

10% INCREASE IN PRESENTATIONS FROM PREVIOUS YEAR

(San Jose, 7/3/07) ING News and Events of Note

Save the Date Announcement!

Saturday, November 3rd, 2007
6pm – 9pm
ING’s Annual Supporters Dinner

“Philanthropic Contributions to Changing Stereotypes”

Keynote Speaker: Reza Aslan, author of “No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam”

Entertainment: Dean Obeidallah, comedian from the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour

More information to follow.

ING completes academic year 2006 – 2007 with 10% increase in presentations from previous year!

ING spoke in or held 726 events and presentations during the academic year (September 2006 to August 2007), which is a 10% increase from the previous year (657). 726 events and presentations were attended by over 30,000 Americans of different faiths. The increase is due to new interfaith work, which represented 32% of the events in which we spoke, participated or initiated such as the San Mateo interfaith dialogues that were attended by 350 people.

And while schools still make up 60% of ING’s audiences, high school presentations this year made up nearly 45% of the total for schools, an unprecedented percentage for the organization. Increasingly high school teachers are incorporating live presenters in the study of Muslim culture or the Middle East in world history classes to help students understand current events and issues, or are concerned that their students are accepting widespread stereotypes about Islam and Muslims they encounter in the media or mass culture. Inviting ING speakers to explain and dispel common misperceptions is important to teachers who are trying to cultivate an ethos of understanding and tolerance in their students.

Also setting a new record for ING was the number of interfaith presentations or panels that ING participated in; nearly a third (32%) of the total venues that hosted an event was religious institutions or interfaith events. This is a reflection, both of the growing desire for inclusion of all religions by the faith community, and ING’s increased outreach and focus on interfaith and the dedication of its new interfaith coordinator, Yasmine Khan. Understanding and embracing people of all faiths is the strength and founding vision of the United States, as entrenched in the First Amendment.

Looking at the year’s results as a whole, ING speakers delivered 726 presentations to a variety of institutions and venues, including the following:

Elementary and Middle Schools: 284 classes or presentations in 85 middle schools
High Schools: 230 classes or presentations in 52 high schools
Religious Institutions or Interfaith: 110 presentations, panels, or dialogues
Universities and colleges: 37 classes or presentations
Community centers or organizations: 30 presentations
Speakers Trainings: 13 training programs for prospective new speakers
Law Enforcement: 11 presentations
Healthcare facilities: 5 presentations
Corporations: 3 presentations
Media interviews: 3

This means that approximately 30,000 Americans of different faiths learned about their shared commonalities in the context of America’s religious pluralism while having some of their misconceptions clarified and explained. The impact of these educational seminars on a wide range of people is evident from feedback and quotes of audience members. Here is such a small sample from among the hundreds of comments, letters, and notes ING receives annually from a teacher and students, mainly in high school. These and the numerous others like them illustrate both the need and the importance of providing education about Muslim culture, and emphasizing the commonalities of all faiths and peoples.

Quote from Middle School Teacher:

“The presentation provided was excellent and all that I had expected. I believe if fit well within the structure of how I teach history to my students. I use culture as a lens. I believe that my students benefited greatly from both the hard work of the presenter and the originator of the slideshow on Islamic Contributions.”

Quotes from Students:

* “I am writing to thank you for your illuminating presentation. Your presentation was the first firsthand account of what it is like to be a Muslim in America I have ever heard...”

* “Our class had already covered some of the basics about Islam, but truthfully nothing had really jumped out and sparked my interest until your lecture. Thank you so much for coming to our class to talk. I really enjoyed it!”

* “Thank you for coming into our class to talk to us about your religion. At first I wasn’t sure if Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all basically believe in one God, but this presentation confirmed that they believe in the same God but interpret God differently.”

* “You proved that I was right about how I say that most Muslims are peaceful…rather than the stereotype of Muslims being terrorists.”

* “Thank you for coming and teaching me and my fellow classmates about how you and [other] Muslims live their normal, everyday life. I have never been able to talk to a Muslim American…so it was very interesting to me.”

* “Unfortunately I had never talked to anyone who actually practiced the religion Islam and so hearing your personal opinion about your faith was very enlightening. Also I always thought the majority of Muslims were all Arabs but in reality only eighteen percent are Arab-Muslims and eighty-two are Non-Arabs!”

ING’s work over the past year - and the past 15 years - would not have been possible without your continuing support.

Feedback from one of our interfaith programs:
http://ing.org/about/page.asp?num=26

Thank You for Your Support!
To continue to support ING’s educational outreach, contribute online: https://www.ing.org/donate/

Bicylindical needlewoman.

Community Releases Archive . . .

Shana Tova and Eid Mubarak!

ING Interfaith Statement for One America

A Call to Action: Join ‘Muslim Serve’ National Campaign for Service & Understanding on 9/11

“Muslim Serve”/ING Improves Perceptions of Islam and Muslims

Preventing Bullying & Harassment, Back to School and Park51 NYC Mosque

ING President participates in meeting with U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan

Responding to 'Draw Muhammad Day'

ING Participates in Federal Government Meetings

ING Condemns NYC Plot and Supports Efforts against Extremism

A Conversation about Education Reform with the U.S. Department of Education

Can you have religious freedom without limiting free speech?

ING Statements on Religious Expression in American Public Life/Church Attacks in Malaysia

ING Statement on Church Attacks in Malaysia

Thank you for your continuing support!

Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and New Year

ING Statement on Religious Extremism

Guide to Preventing Hate Crimes and Reporting Harassment

ING Condemns Deadly Attack at Ft. Hood

Thank You for Making ING's Annual Supporters Dinner a Success

ING Breaks Fast with Secretary Clinton

ING Accredited by the Better Business Bureau

ING Participates in ISNA July 4th Weekend in D.C.

ING Reaches Over 20,000 People in 2008-2009 Academic Year

ING Welcomes President Obama's Speech in Cairo

ING Statement on Alleged Terrorist Plot in NYC

ING Hosting Faiths Act Fellows

Become an ING Intern or Join ING Team of Volunteers

American Muslims Call for Swift Action Against Domestic Violence

Silcon Valley Interfaith Leaders Endorse Declaration for Peace on M.E. Crisis

Celebrating a Historic Inauguration and Martin Luther King's Legacy

Humanitarian Aid in Gaza

Blessed Eid, and Interfaith Forums

American Muslims Condemn Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai

Thank you to our friends and supporters!

Action-Alert: Anti-Muslim Film Obsession Mailed to California Residents

Back to School at ING & Ramadan Kit

ING's Cultural Competency Programming for Law Enforcement

Muslim Women Clerics Play Indispensable Role

ING "Interfaith Speakers Bureau" Panels

Muslim Scholars Back Call for Interfaith Dialogue

In Qatar, Muslim, Jewish Clerics Meet

New ING Blog

ING Recognition Awards for Educators

Responding to and Preventing Hate in Public Schools

The Bible in Islam: Stories of Shared Prophets

Global Warming: Muslim American Responsibility & Response

Muslim Professionals & the Not-For-Profit Sector

Feminism in Islam

Intergroup Muslim and Jewish Conflict Transformation Program

Roots of Islam in America through Enslaved West Africans

Afghan American Muslim Outreach

Saturday, Feb 16th Speakers Bureau Training

ING's Outstanding Pen Award for Inter-Religious Understanding

ING's Healthcare Cultural Competency Presentations

Speakers Training & Women in Religion Dialogue

Professional Teacher Staff Development

Interfaith Speakers Bureau Training Tonight - 1/23/07

Upcoming Speakers Training Workshops

Highlights of Fall Semester

Educating for Religious Literacy & Mutual Respect

Islam & HIV/AIDS

ING Statement on the British Teacher in Sudan

Islamophobia and its Affects

Coexistence through Art

Power of One: How One Person Can Affect Change

Thank You to All Our Supporters!

Answering Frequently Asked Questions About Islam

Feminism & Women in Islam

Islamic Contributions to Civilization

Responding to "Islamo-Fascism Week" on College Campuses

Call for Unity from Muslim Religious Leaders

"Outstanding Philanthropist" Awards

Keep the Diversity, Seek the Harmony

ING Speaks at Antioch Mosque Vandalism March

Interfaith Prayer for Darfur & World Leaders

Marching Together Against Hate and Violence in East Contra Costa County

ING Joins Albany's Peace Day

ING Guidelines for Hosting an Interfaith Holiday Event

Illumemedia.org Interview with ING's Founder & President

ING Presents to Homeland Security

ING's Participation in ISNA Convention 2007

Statement from the Association of Muslim Health Professionals on Events Unfolding in the UK

New Hires at ING

Cultural Competency Serving Arab and Muslim American Families

Preserving the First Amendment

Healthcare for Muslim Patients

A Call for Moral Leadership: Imagining a New Heroism

Advocating Against Violence and For One Nation

"Muslim Americans: Mostly Middle Class and Mainstream"

Islamic Contributions to Civilization

Religion in the Workplace

Could Genocide Happen Here? & FBI Meeting

Happy Earth Day!

An Interfaith Response to a Controversial Speaker

Happy Holidays from ING

New Speakers Bureau in Columbus, Ohio

Interfaith Dialogue Among Laity

The Mosque as an American Institution

ING Presentations at Bay Area Universities

ING and High School Presentations in Spring 2007

Inter-Religious Dialogue in the Bay Area

Conflict in the Muslim World

ING Adopts an Environmental Policy

ING Initiates and Participates in Interfaith Dialogues

ING Reaches 25,000 Americans of Other Faiths in Bay Area

ING Perspective on Holocaust Conference in Iran

Thank You to All Our Supporters!

ING's Muslim Mental Health Training

Muslim Group Deflates Stereotypes

ING Trains Police Officers in Milpitas

Share in ING’s Promotion of Interfaith Dialogue and Education

ING Founder Invited to U.S. State Department For Annual Iftaar

ING Participates in Meaning of Ramadan Open Houses

ING Featured in 9/11 Specials on PBS and KGO

ING Perspective on Pope's Remarks

ING Gears Up for a New School Year After ISNA Convention

Organization Aims to Educate Others About Religion

End of Year Totals for ING, 7/25/06

ING Responds to Arrests in Miami

Spike in Requests for Presentations About Islam & Muslims from High Schools

ING Summer Interns

Muslim-Jewish Relations in the Bay Area

ING Presentations on College Campuses

ING Joins "Day of Conscience for Darfur"

ING President Meets with Dalai Lama

Apostasy in Islam

ING Training for UCSF Nursing Department

Muslim Scholars' Statement on Danish Cartoons Controversy

Opinion on Danish Cartoons Published in San Jose Mercury News

ING Training for Healthcare & Hospitals

ING Statement Regarding Danish Cartoons

Commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King's Day

Eid Mubarak & ING Updates in the Bay Area

ING President Message to ISNA 2005 Conventioneers

ING President Message to ISNA 2005 Conventioneers

Role of Nationals in Terrorist Bombings

National US Muslim Organizations Condemn Terrorism

ING Condemns Terror Attacks in London

Celebrating the Fourth of July

Mukhtaran Mai's Case

Opinion on Danish Cartoons Published in San Jose Mercury News -

Frequently Asked Questions on Terrorism

ING's Annual Community Support Dinner

ING's Response to the War in Iraq

ING Parent-Child Workshops: Yaseen Foundation

ING Press Conference: Impact of War in Our Schools

ING Parent-Child Workshops: SBIA, San Jose

ING Commemorates "Day of Remembrance"

ING Affiliates Conference




	Donate Now Volunteer at ING Intern at ING Join ING on Facebook Join ING Volunteers on Facebook Sign up for email newsletters Learn about ING Impact



	Spring 2010 Archives



	ING and the First Amendment Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center Keynote Address Shana Tova and Eid Mubarak! ING Interfaith Statement for One America A Call to Action: Join ‘Muslim Serve’ National Campaign for Service & Understanding on 9/11