A delegation of local Arab Americans organized by the Congress of Arab American Organizations (CAAO) is to depart Saturday for Doha, Qatar, where the group is scheduled to meet with the Gulf nation’s leader Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani on Sunday.

A plaque to be presented to the emir of Qatar by a delegation of Arab Americans to visit the gulf nation this week.

The community leaders said they are going to pay tribute to the emir and the country for frequent efforts in Doha to broker peace and resolution to world conflicts.
“The reason that we’re honoring Qatar and the Emir of Qatar is because they have given so much in humanitarian aid,” said CAAO spokesman Osama Siblani. “They gave a lot to the Lebanese people after the war in 2006. They took it upon themselves to rebuild some of the villages that were destroyed and one of them is Bint Jebail, from which about 12,000 people in Dearborn trace their roots.”

He said Qatar also donated millions to rebuild Gaza in the aftermath of the December-January Israeli offensive there.

“He hosted the Arab summit for Gaza and stood by Palestinian rights… he brokered a deal with the Sudanese — some of the major factions in Darfur, keeping them in Qatar until they agreed on a memorandum of understanding… he brought Lebanese factions together in Doha that brought Lebanon together,” Siblani said.

“Equally important, he contributed $100 million to the Katrina victims here in the U.S.,” he added.

Qatar also hosts several international conferences each year, bringing together East and West on democracy, environment, religion, intercultural dialogue and development.

Jim Allen, Chairman of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, said the trip is also an opportunity to foster business relationships and to “make it clear that we are a community that’s very focused on economic development both here and abroad.”

He said the delegation also represents unity within the community here, the leaders of several different groups going to show gratitude together.

“The government of Qatar has been very supportive of a number of our organizations,” he said. “We’re going over there to express our thanks.”

Other members of the delegation are attorney Nabih Ayad, representing the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, William Salaita, representing the Jordanian American Club of Michigan, Radwan Khouri representing the Arab American and Chaldean Council, Abed Hammoud, of the Arab American Political Action Committee and Hassan Bazzi, representing the Lebanese American Center.

“This is a historical visit to pay a small token of appreciation on behalf of our community for the leadership that the state of Qatar and its people showed over the last ten years advancing dialogue across religions and cultures,” said Imad Hamad, regional director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and one of the organizers of the delegation, though not a traveling member himself.

“One of the things that makes this trip unique — this is an emir of a country, when people meet him, he is a true, gentle, humble person and he will leave a lasting mark on your heart regardless of politics, Hamad added. ” They will be impressed to see a leader who’s so humble and down to Earth… I myself participated in a number of visits there for a number of conferences…. From Katrina to Lebanon to Gaza to Darfur, it’s amazing.”

Siblani, who is also publisher of The Arab American News, said Qatar, as home to the worldwide satellite television news station Al Jazeera, is also a much-needed symbol of freedom of the press in the Arab World.

“That’s why we are taking this award and flying at our own expense and taking a delegation to pay tribute to this exceptional leader,” Siblani said.

“Maybe we’re sending a signal that this is the kind of leadership that we want in the Middle East.”

Siblani said part of the delegation will also travel to Lebanon to speak to leaders there later in the week.