May 20, 2004
Governor James McGreevy
Trenton, NJ
Re: New Jersey Arab Heritage Commission
Dear Governor McGreevy:
I write to you today to seek your help in establishing a
state commission to promote the cultural heritage of the citizens of New
Jersey who trace their ancestry to the Arab world.
There are 250,000 Arabs in New Jersey, many of whom hold
critical positions in business, public and private institutions. Arab American
immigration to New Jersey began in the late 19th century. To our
dismay, our significant contributions to New Jersey’s rich mosaic has been
ignored, or at best forgotten. This, we believe must change.
We envision the commission to consist of 13 members and
to become a permanent statutory body established in the Department of
Education. The duties of the commission would include giving assistance to
public and nonpublic schools on the positive contributions and achievement of
Arabs and Arab-Americans in our society. They would also encourage recognition
of those values, both cultural and historical, which are deeply rooted in the Arab
heritage. The commission will be charged with the responsibility to develop
and implement educational and awareness programs to educate our citizens to
these important contributions. It is vital that our youth begin to understand
the efforts made by other ethnic and religious groups within our society.
Tolerance is born out of education and through education comes an
understanding that the only way to truly be American is to recognize
diversity and the advantages it affords.
Presenting many sides of diversity is imperative to giving our students a
well-rounded and broad understanding of the world outside our borders. It is
only through education and understanding, tolerance and acceptance that we
will be able to work together toward a more peaceful and prosperous global
world. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
The Commission, once established, will fulfill a much-desired dream of the
Arab American community in New Jersey. We look forward to discussing this
matter with you in person.
Respectfully,
Aref Assaf, PhD
American Arab Forum of New Jersey, President
P.S. I am a member of the State’s Ethnic Advisory Commission.
The autumn/winter edition of
Banipal Magazine is dedicated to the
memory of Palestinian poet Mahmoud
Darwish.
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