Volume 1, Issue 2

October 2011

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding -Albert Einstein

A Glance at the Conference

I received my passport, which served as the record of my journey through the conference. I followed the crowd to the school auditorium for my first stop on the journey. The keynote speaker Saleem Alhabash, a doctoral candidate from the University of Missouri, was already prepared to address the conference participants. He spoke about stereotypes prevalent in the United States about Muslims, Arabs, and Arab Muslims. He talked about the media coverage of Muslims and Arabs, and about the newest episode in the history of the Middle East the Arab Spring in which thousands of people are standing up to despotic regimes in the area. He answered great questions; he asked even greater ones. He ran out of time, but left the audience inspired. Then it was time for my next stop on the journey: the workshops. At the first one I attended, led by the Muslim Speakers Bureau of Columbia, I was greeted with A s s a l a a m u alaikum (Peace be upon you), and I learned how to respond Hickmans Global Issues Club: in front: Cayla, and back row w i t h , W a a l a i k u m L to R: Meghan, Forrest, Myah, Emily, Laura, and GILD assalaam (Peace also founder, Nadege Uwase be with you). I ate up the information like it was a piece of cake, and saw that the students were engaged in things very unfamiliar to many of them. Next, lunch was provided on the journey. T h e r e wa s d e l i c i o u s hummus and extra-large gyros. There was sambusa and falafel, and smooth passion fruit juice to drink. For I wanted to attend Hickmans Global Issues Clubs Conference, the Fourth Annual Goodwill Conference: Crossing Boarders and Connecting People, not only as the president-elect of GILD, but also as an educator. I saw an opportunity for my students to get outside of the classroom to meet people and learn new things; I saw an opportunity for me to get out of the classroom to meet people and learn new things. I believe it is important for teachers, and for us all, to have these experiences because they are what change us - and what opens us up to the world. I walked in that Saturday morning in April to several Hickman students greeting me at the sign-up table. They enthusiastically asked me to choose three workshops to attend. The workshops covered everything from Islamic art and Middle East geography, to religion and stereotypes. I had to admit that I had a hard time choosing. There were so many experiences to take advantage of. dessert, they served baklava that melted in my mouth. Unfortunately, every good journey has an end, and by the end of this one, I was satiated with new knowledge. It was also evident that the students had learned things that they probably would not have had the chance to learn otherwise. They met new people and learned outside of the classroom. The conference was a great success, and I cannot wait to see where the journey takes us next year! By: Becky Aguayo Students signing-in for the conference

Table of Contents:
4th Annual Good Will Conference Meet the Board Members Upcoming Events Thank yous

2 3 3 4

Conference Program
Geography: From Maghrib to Muscat: a Tour of the Middle East Offered by Phillip Klopfenstein There is more to the Middle East than camels, caravans and crude oil. The region holds barren sand-seas and fertile crescents, snow-capped mountains and the world's lowest dry land, nomadic dwellings and the tallest building on earth. In short The Middle East is a region of stark and striking contrasts. Come learn more about the geographic landscapes that witnessed and contributed to the birth of civilization, agriculture and the world's two largest religions. And come understand how geography is crucial to an understanding of the region's conicts today. We hope you can join our tour of the Middle East.
Phillip Klopfenstein is currently a senior in the University of Missouris geography program. His particular regions of interest are Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Phillip is able to present both an academic approach to the issues of the Middle East as well as his own experiences in the region and frequent interaction with the Arab Diaspora. After graduating, he hopes to continue his studies in the geography of developing regions and ultimately teach at the university level.

Religion: Women in Islam Offered by the Muslim Speakers Bureau of Columbia Muslim Women are seen with many labels, but what do you really know about them? This presentation will get beyond just headscarves to discuss the experiences of Women in Islam.
The Muslim Speakers Bureau is a non-for-prot independent organization in Columbia that serves as an educational resource for Columbia students, residents and groups to learn the basics about Islam from trained speakers. Presentations are designed to address specic topics. Please contact director@msbcolumbia.org to request a presentation or for more information.

Art: Polygons to Pollywogs: Tessellations in Islamic Art and M. C. Escher Offered by Professor James Terry This workshop will introduce participants to geometric tessellations, a mathematical concept used for centuries in Islamic art. Tessellated tile mosaics in Spain's Alhambra Palace inspired Dutch artist M. C. Escher's tessellated creatures. Participants will receive instructions for creating dazzling tessellations at home.
Dr. James Terry is an archaeologist and art historian. He has done archaeological eldwork in Cyprus, Israel, Jordan and Tunisia. He currently teaches art history at Stephens College.

Religion: Workshop: Islam 101 Offered by the Muslim Speakers Bureau of Columbia Our menu items were provided by the following local businesses: Olive Cafe: chicken kabab sandwich, gyro sandwich, sambusa, falafel World Harvest: passion fruit juice, tabul, bakalava, babaganush, hummus,
pita bread

Islam is the largest religion in the Middle East, but is diverse in the way its practiced. Learn about the basics, the differences and the way culture and Islam intertwine.
The Muslim Speakers Bureau is a non for prot independent organization in Columbia. See above description for more information.

Art & Literature: Cultural Life in the Arab World: A Context of Diversity Offered by Zaid Mahir Keynote Speaker: Saleem Alhabash
Saleem Alhabash is a doctoral candidate at the University of Missouris School of Journalism. He researches the effects of new and social media on the change of national/cultural attitudes and stereotypes. He also teaches courses in Cross Cultural Journalism, International Journalism, Global Strategic Communication, and Interactive Advertising. In fall 2011, Saleem will be joining the faculty at Michigan State University, where he will be teaching Public Relations and Social Media. Saleem was born and raised in Ramallah, Palestine. Prior to graduate school, he co-founded a national youth not-forprot organization called PYALARA (Palestinian Youth Association for Leadership And Rights Activation), where he also managed a monthly newspaper, The Youth Times, supervised a youth television show, and headed a number of community projects. He will talk about media in the Middle East, how it is changing with new and social media, and how it is assisting sociopolitical change and democracy.

This workshop will emphasize cultural diversity, or the multicultural world of Arabs. It will also draw attention to some of the misconceptions about the Middle East, both as political term and region. During the presentation, Mr. Mahir will make a comparison between the Arab world and America, and use music, art, and literature to make connections to the Arab world.
Zaid Numan Mahir is a former faculty at the University of Baghdad (College of Languages), a professional translator, and a writer. He is currently an English/ Arabic Instructor at the University of Missouri-Columbia. His translations and writings have been published in Iraq, other Arab countries, and the United States. He reviewed and annotated (in English) Arabic books on folklore, popular literature, and oral tradition for the Center for Studies in Oral Tradition at the University of Missouri. His upcoming war memoir, The Way to Baghdad: Day 18 of the War, will be published June 7th. Among Mahir's research and writing interests are cultural politics, modernization and modernity, and crosscultural inuences on the literary text.

Conference Pictures

Meet our Board 2010-2011:

President: Tessy Rusera
Tessy Rusera is a young Rwandese woman devoted to making a change in the world. She graduated from Brenau University with a B.A in Conflict Resolution and Legal Studies, and a minor in International Studies. She is currently pursuing her MBA degree with a concentration Project Management while working as a Graduate Adviser at her Alma mater. Her experience in prestigious organizations such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., and Sigma Alpha Pi Leadership Honor Society and her professional experience working for the UNIFEM CARO have instilled in her strong leadership skills and challenged her to be proactive towards positive change.

President-Elect: Becky Aguayo

Becky Aguayo is a high school teacher and coach in MidMissouri. She has a teaching certificate in both secondary Social Studies and Spanish, and she is currently working towards her masters in Social Studies Education at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Becky's teaching passion is found mainly in world history and global issues, particularly in advocating for social justice and combating human rights abuses around the world. She also believes very strongly that adolescents should be educated on these global and domestic issues and be encouraged to take an active role in their world.

Comments from the Conference

All responses collected in exit surveys

Secretary: Aline Mukashyaka

Aline Mukashyaka is a graduate of the the Ohio State University with a degree in Family Resource Management and currently working on her MBA. She supports organizations such as the One Dollar Campaign for the orphans of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. She believes the youth have the power and the will to influence the future now more than ever, the use of technology has allowed the empowerment of our youth in an unprecedented way, and I am excited that GILD is taking part in shaping the future.

"Well done! Very interesting, I learned a lot." "The conference was very interesting and educational." "I like that the speakers took time to teach us these things." "I thought it was very informative and probably the most awesome thing I've ever been to."

Rock Bridge High School

Coming Up

Treasurer: Azeema Akram

Azeema Akram is a law student at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and a Multicultural Certificate. While in college, she worked with the Office of Disability Services, which spurred her interest in health law. Recently, she was an active supporter of several members of the Missouri Democratic Party-Asian American Caucus officers who ran for local and state legislature. She has done work in Kansas City providing food, clothing and toys for refugee families, and raised funds for breast cancer research in Columbia, Missouri through Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc.

Belize Water Project

In concert with Rotary Districts (6110,4250,5340, 6150, 6080), Rock Bridge High School is raising money to purchase Sawyer Point One water filters for schools and homes in Belize. Look out for out next Newsletter. We will discuss our efforts and the lack of access to clean water. For more information and ways to contribute to the project, please visithttp://www.rotarybelizewater.com

THANK YOU!
We would like express our gratitude to our 2010-2011 club sponsors:
Brett Kirkpatrick at HHS and Gregory Kirchhofer at RBHS, the officers who help run the clubs and the amazing students in our Global Issues Clubs at both high schools. We would also like to thank the following individuals and organizations for contributing to the work of GILD as donors, partners, staff and volunteers: Dana R. & Brandon Burris, Richard R. Kordenbrock, MU Interdisciplinary Innovation Fund, Vicky R. Wilson, Dr. Don Spiers, Guy Liuzzi, Maya Tarter, Megan Gore, Colleen Diessner, Dr. Shannon White, Ken Munyeria, Katherine Sasser, Patrick Sasser, Jason Green, Tim Scheman, Keith Borucki, Robyn Wethington, Sarah Ekart, Ion Gireada, Aneela Khan, Dr. Syed Hussain, Saleem Alhabash, Zaid Numan Mahir, Dr. James Terry, Phillip Klopfenstein, Nabihah Maqbool, Ibtisam Barakat, Erica Dismang, Allison Coffelt, Tom O'Connor, Arnie Fagan, Jack Maxwell, Dan Kordenbrock, Nicole Niziolek, Muslim Student Association, UNICEF, Invisible Children, Muslim Speakers Bureau of Columbia, Office of Service-Learning at MU, Peace Corps Fellows Office, Rotaract Club of Columbia, Rotary Club of Columbia Northwest, Mustard Seed,World Harvest, Olive Cafe, Yogo Luv, Sonic, Galactic Fun Zone. Your support and insight helped us move our mission forward. Thank you!

About Us:
Global Issues Leadership Development (GILD) is a nonprofit organization created to help promote human rights through youth after-school programs that generate behavioral change among participants. We partner with businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and communities to provide educational information and hands-on practice in the form of leadership training and curriculum development. We recognize that the social, economic and environmental interdependence of nations has produced a global connection of communities; thus our purpose is to create a holistic understanding of human rights. In short, we: a) Develop and foster leadership skills among youth. b) Holistically educate participants on global human rights concerns. c) Provide hands on service opportunities for participants. d) Encourage youth towards globally and socially conscious behaviors.

GLOBAL ISSUES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 1849 TIMBER CREEK DRIVE COLUMBIA, MO 65202

GILD

Contact us at: gildhumanrights@gmail.com Visit GILDs website at http://gildhumanrights.org/ Like GILD on Facebook & Follow GILD on Twitter

If you would like to help us further our mission, you can donate using the attached form Thank you!

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GILD
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