“We Are All Witnesses,” a new book produced by the Qatar Katrina Fund, serves as a first hand account of the rebuilding of the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

In the wake of the hurricane, which hit the north-central Gulf coast in August of 2005, the State of Qatar was among the first countries to commit financial support to the victims of the storm. Almost immediately after the damage was assessed, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, pledged $100 million toward the rebuilding of New Orleans, Mississippi, and other areas destroyed by the hurricane.  One month later, in September of 2005, the Qatar Katrina Fund was formed.

“We commend the State of Qatar for reaching out from across the world to lend a hand to the areas devastated by the hurricane. Through their contributions, they are helping to rebuild an area that has been hit by one of the worst storms in U.S. history.” — Imad HamadADC Michigan Regional Director

The Fund provides direct assistance to the victims of the storm in the form of student scholarships, health care, and the construction of homes and community centers, among other things. “We Are All Witnesses” includes a detailed report of gifts given, along with a complete list and description of the organizations and programs that received contributions.  Several universities, medical centers, and non-profit organizations were included on the list, as well as housing projects like Habitat for Humanity.

The book also details the travels of a delegation led by Nasser Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Ambassador of the State of Qatar, who serves as chairman of the Fund.  The delegation visited areas that were in the process of being rebuilt, and toured potential grant sites.

Several pages of the book are filled with first-person accounts of life after the storm, along with pictures of homes being rebuilt, children re-entering schools, and community centers being constructed.

The book was distributed at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination (ADC) Michigan’s 9th Annual Martin Luther King Scholarship Awards Reception last Friday.  The guests at the night’s event were among the first to get a glimpse of the new book.

ADC Michigan Regional Director, Imad Hamad, commended Qatar on its generous contributions both locally and nationally.  He said that their pledge to help rebuild the areas damaged by the hurricane speaks to their generosity as a nation.

“We commend the State of Qatar for reaching out from across the world to lend a hand to the areas devastated by the hurricane,” he stated.  “Through their contributions, they are helping to rebuild an area that has been hit by one of the worst storms in U.S. history. The country’s generous efforts are evident on a local level as well, through their kind support of ADC’s landmark American-Arab Center for Civil and Human Rights,” currently under construction in Dearborn.

Also included in the book are letters to the State of Qatar from several elected officials, including New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and former U.S. Secretary of State, James Baker, who serves on the Fund Advisory Committee.   The book also features letters written to Ambassador Al-Khalifa from victims of the storm, who expressed great appreciation to Qatar for assisting them in their time of need.

For more information on the Qatar Katrina Fund, or to view the book “We Are All Witnesses,” please visit www.qatarkatrinafund.org.