Friends for a Non-Violent World

September 7, 2011 
In This Email Blast
Way of Peace II Video
Somalia Relief
Discount Renissance Festival Tickets
Bi-weekly Nonviolent Communication
Host an AFS student
Office Space available
Ways of Peace II Video on line
9/11/2011 events
Islam, Shariah & Democrary 9/18/11
Rural Women's Network - Nepal
Egypt's Freedom Trail
  DONATE TO FNVW!
Here's where

Here's How

 

Non-Violence in the Islamic Traditions

Video is on FNVW Website!

 

The high-quality video, edited by Terry Kayser of Gemini Studio of Fine Art, can be reached through the upper right corner of the FNVW website: www.fnvw.org

 

 

 

or by clicking on this link

 

 

Video Highlights:   

 

 

* See Afra Jalabi's riveting 

speech during the morning plenary, taking us from early Muslim Martyrs to current events in Syria, her home country.  


* Follow it with Yahya Michot tracing how Islam has been hijacked for violent ends that completely contradict its traditions and principles.

 

 

* Enjoy Azhar Usman, acclaimed stand-up comedian, actor and activist, telling us about his journey and the key principles of Islam which inspire him.

 

* The compelling afternoon panel of Abdisalam Adam, Fatma Reda, Kathy McKay and Mel Duncan, including a stirring recitation of Qur'an verses by an audience member, is not posted quite yet, so stay tuned!

 

* We could not post video of The Frontier Gandhi film about Badshah Khan, but please go to

www.thefrontiergandhi.com for clips of Teri C. McLuhan's glorious and informative feature-length film.  And watch for its commercial release!

  

 

 

We are making all footage available on the internet so anyone who attended or wanted to can recapture some of the power and impact of the conference.  Please share widely.  DVD's are available for purchase by writing [email protected] or calling 651/917-0383. 

 

 
We thank Terry Kayser of Gemini Studio and his terrific camera crew, The University of St. Thomas, and the many volunteers for the success of Ways of Peace II: Nonviolence in the Islamic Traditions.

 

 

The conference was made possible in part by The Saint Paul Foundation, The Fredrickson and Byron Foundation, Gandhi Mahal Fine Indian Quisine, The Al-Rawiya Foundation, Tim Wulling and Marilyn Benson, and dozens of individual and organizational donors.

 

Thank you!

 

Somalia Relief

Millions of Muslims in Somalia and other parts of the Horn of Africa, involuntarily began fasting before Ramadan and have continued after it.  Rains have failed to come for a third straight season. Many thousands are starving. The situation is grim, and it has been exacerbated by US foreign policy in several ways. (More on that aspect in a future alert.) 

 

I talked with Non-Violence in the Islamic Traditions speaker Abdisalam Adam about how stressed the local Somali community is with worry about extended family at home, and with finding money to send in any way possible.  I asked him to recommend a trustworthy local agency for FNVW folks to donate toward famine relief. 

 

He suggested the American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa, (ARAHA), and I have talked to Mohamed Idris, executive director.  I feel confident recommending donations to this organization.  Feel free to donate online, or for information on the famine, on the 8/21 event, or ARAHA's work, please go to:  www.araha.org 

 

A national organization which Abdisalam also recommended is the American Refugee Committee. Find their page on Somalia at this link.

MN Renissance Festival Tickets

We have been offered discount tickets for members of our organization to attend the Minnesota Renissance Festival.  Check out the FNVW website for further details.  Click here.

Would you like to learn more about Nonviolent Communication (NVC)?

Come join us. A small group has been meeting every other Saturday to watch Marshall Rosenberg's training videos on NVC, share a meal, and practice a bit. Contact Reid Grano at 651-645-7209 or

[email protected] for more information.

Another way to Nurture Peace

 

AFS is looking for Host Families

  

"Bring Cultures Together"

 

For more information check out their website

http://www.afsusa.org/host-family/

 

or call Jennifer Smith at 651-647-6337 ext. 2268

Looking for Office Space? Check out FNVW
 

Friends for a Non-Violent World is looking to share our spacious offices with a compatible community organization or non-profit.

 

          Space at 1050 Selby Ave, St Paul  55104

          $800/mo for 800 sq. feet

          Plus shared full kitchen & bathroom

          Street-level office space

          Shared access to a large conference room  negotiable

          Sharing high-speed internet and printer/copier is also negotiable

          Utilities not included; charged on prorated basis


 

FNVW is looking to share our office space with an organization or individual who honors our mission:

FNVW is a Quaker-inspired organization of people who affirm the dignity inherent in each human being. We share a commitment to advancing non-violence as an ethic for honoring human dignity and a strategy for achieving peace and justice. 


 

For more information, please call Judy at the FNVW office, 651-917-0383 or email to the FNVW email address (click here).

 
Peaceable-Kingdon


 

 

 

Quick Links
FNVW Events

Ways of Peace II

Non-Violence in the Islamic Traditions

Conference Video now available on line! 

Click Here for the link
 

More details below, on the left side bar.

 

Islam is Nonviolent--Make it Known this Sunday!

Join FNVW at 9/11/01 Ten-Year Anniversary Observations

 

While some folks in the US will commemorate the tragedies of September 11, 2001 this Sunday,
many Muslims in Minnesota and nationwide will need to think twice about attending 9/11 events.  Anti-Muslim discrimination and Islamophobia have unfortunately been one hallmark of the last decade in our country.  It's made it much more difficult for Muslims to participate in public life.

 

Motivated by desire to reduce discrimination, FNVW volunteer David Woolley has assisted in two events commemorating the tragedies.  We invite you to join us at one or both:

 

* Minnesotans Standing Together  will take place at the Capitol Mall, 2:00-4:00.  FNVW welcomes all to stand with us under signs saying "Islam is Nonviolent."  (Bring your own if you'd like.) We will meet at the southeast corner of the Sears Building at the Rice/Marion exit
between I94 and University and go to the Mall.  Or find us under our (modest) sign.  We welcome everyone to join in making this statement.

 

 

*9/11 Walks, Powderhorn Park in South Minneapolis, 6:00-8:00.  Minneapolis Friends Meeting and Mayim Rabim Reconstructionist Jewish Congregation, as well as neighbors and friends, are organizers of this community observance.  All are welcome.  Meet at the Powderhorn
Rec Center, 3400 15th Avenue South.  

 

Go to:  http://911walks.org/walk/18   for details. 

 

AVP Mini-Workshop Sunday, September 11, 2011

 

Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) is offering a free three-hour session for people who want a taste of AVP.  You will learn basics of non-violent conflict resolution and communication.  This is the perfect workshop to explore whether a full weekend Alternatives to Violence Project workshop appeals to you.  

 

              When: 1:30 - 4:30

 

               Where:  FNVW Office

                          2034 Selby Ave

                          St. Paul, MN 55104

"Islam, Shariah & Democracy" 

Monday, September 19, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

 

MAII (Minneapolis Area Interfaith Initiative) is presenting Islam, Shariah & Democracy" on Monday, September 19 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Oak Knoll Lutheran Church, 600 Hopkins Crossroad in Minnetonka (take I-394 to Hopkins Crossroad & go north 2 blocks). 

 

The presentation will be followed by facilitated small group discussion.  Free of charge. 


Shariah is the code of conduct/set of religious laws that apply to Muslims. 

 

Speakers:  

Dr. Charles Amjad-Ali is a Christian, originally from Pakistan.  He has a doctorate in theology from Princeton and a post-doctoral certificate in Islam from Columbia  He is Professor of Justice & Christian Community at Luther Seminary, where he is also Director of Islamic Studies. 

Dr. Tamim Saidi was born in Afghanistan, came to the U.S. in 1990 and has called Minnesota home  

ever since.  He is a pharmacist, V.P. of the Islamic Resource Group, founding member of the N.W. Islamic Community Center in Hamel and gives sermons at Friday prayer at various area mosques. 

Rural Women's Network-Nepal
Dhruba Prasad Ghimire of RUWON-the Rural Women's Network-Nepal-contacted FNVW three weeks ago, asking us to spread word about RUWON's excellent work.  "RUWON Nepal is an NGO working for the rights and equality of disadvantaged women, children and youth in Kathmandu and the rural district of Sindhuli.  The organization works from an education, community capacity-building, and early intervention model," she said. 

RUWON's projects include: 

� Women's Literacy Classes

� Women's Leadership Training

� Rural Women's Micro Savings Initiative

� Child and Youth Clubs

� Children's Extra Tuition Classes

 

Ms. Ghimire would also like to form partnerships and links with organizations in the field of women's rights and empowerment.  You can find out more, contact RUWON, and donate at this beautiful website:
http://www.asafeworldforwomen.org/field-partners/fp-nepal/fp-ruwon.html

Keep your eyes peeled for the next opportunity to support Ahmed Tharwat's documentary about the 18-day peoples' movement in Egypt:  Egypt's Freedom Trail.  The best way is to link to Ahmed Tharwat of BelAhdan on his facebook page at:  www.facebook.com/pages/BelAhdan-with-Ahmed-Tharwat/76137341360

Ahmed, who hosts BelAhdan on TpT channel 17, supported our conference, Non-Violence in the Islamic Traditions. 

Erika Thorne,
Managing Director

Friends for a Non-Violent World
1050 Selby Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55104
651-917-0383
www.fnvw.org