Initiative will focus on life and legacy of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad
(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 2/13/06) – On Tuesday, February 14, the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philly) will hold a noon news conference at CAIR-Philly offices in Philadelphia, PA, to launch a major educational effort focusing on the life and legacy of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. (Similar news conferences will be held at CAIR offices nationwide.)
WHAT: CAIR-Philly to Launch Educational Initiative in Response to Cartoon Controversy
WHEN: Tuesday, February 14, Noon (Eastern)
WHERE: CAIR-Philly Offices
CAIR-Philly’s initiative, details of which will be announced at the news conference, was prompted by the worldwide controversy over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad and is designed to turn a negative incident into a positive learning opportunity.
“People of all faiths in the West and in the Muslim world can either succumb to a downward spiral of mutual mistrust and hostility or they can view this disturbing episode as a ‘teaching moment’ that should not be wasted,” said CAIR-Philly Board Chairman Iftekhar Hussain.
Following similar international protests over claims that American personnel had desecrated the Quran at Guantanamo Bay’s Camp X-Ray, CAIR launched an “Explore the Quran” campaign offering free copies of the holy text to Americans of all faiths. To date, more than 27,000 Qurans have been requested through that campaign.
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