DEARBORN — The Arab American National Museum is co-sponsoring the Fifth Annual RAWI National Gathering, taking place this year at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis from September 18-20.

RAWI (Radius of Arab American Writers) is a non-profit literary organization dedicated to supporting and disseminating creative writing and scholarly writing by Arab-Americans. It is holding the event in held in partnership with Mizna, an organization devoted to promoting Arab-American culture and provides a forum for its expression. Mizna distributes the only journal of Arab American literature in the United States. It’s currently in libraries and museums across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East.  

In previous years, the annual gathering has facilitated and promoted Arab American arts in literature by gathering writers, performers and scholars under one setting. In 2012, the Arab American National Museum hosted the event in Dearborn.

“We are very excited for this year’s gathering and look forward to various literary and dramatic performances, cultural exhibitions, a creative writing workshop and critical panels,” the conference organizers said in a press release.

Writers who will be present at the conference include Mohja Kahf, author of “The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf”; American Book Award winner Mustafa Bayoumi; Fady Joudah, co-winner of the International Griffin Prize; and Marilyn Hacker, chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.

The gathering will also hold panels on the subjects of Arab American fiction, Arab American identity and Arab American playwrights. Attendees will also engage in roundtable discussions and workshops. Performances and film screenings are also scheduled during the three day event.

Dearborn Resident Noha Beydoun, who serves as a board member on RAWI, said it’s important to highlight the conference because young Arab American writers don’t seem to have much encouragement on a local level.

“In general, there isn’t a lot of push to encourage Arab American writers to pursue a career in writing,” Beydoun said.  “It’s different than pursuing a career in law or medicine because writing is more open ended.”

Beydoun said she became involved after she attended the gathering in Dearborn and was able to meet and network with a range of Arab American writers from all over the country. 

“It was a remarkable experience. I had to get more involved and be on the board to encourage people in the community,” Beydoun said. “It’s important to tell aspiring writers that there’s a support group that fosters creativity, poetry, journalism or any other goal they may have. Dearborn has so many young, bright and brilliant writers and sometimes they don’t know where to turn to. This is a group of people who will support you.”

To register for RAWI 2014, visit //rawi.org/register-member.aspx. Click on “Member Registration” and select “RAWI Fifth National Gathering with Mizna” to register for the conference. The Aloft Minneapolis Hotel has blocked off rooms for attendees.

Beydoun said she’s also looking to recruit more local aspiring writers to get involved with RAWI. Individuals who are interested can contact her via email at Nbeydoun87@gmail.com.