The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today thanked the American Muslim community and supporters of various faiths and backgrounds for making its 31st anniversary gala and national policy conference, held in Washington, DC on Sep. 19th and Sep. 20th successful.
The weekend events, held under the theme “Resilience, Resistance & Renewal: Charting a Just Future,” brought together attorneys, policy experts, media professionals, activists, and faith leaders for in-depth discussions on civil rights, social justice, and U.S. foreign policy.
Policy conference speakers included Rep. Ilhan Omar, retired Lieutenant Colonel and GHF whistleblower Anthony Aguilar, Linda Sarsour, Cenk Uygur, the attorneys for freed political prisoners Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk and Badr Khan Suri, and dozens of others.
During the annual gala, with more than 1,000 attendees, CAIR honored keynote speaker Mahmoud Khalil with the 2025 Champion of Justice Award. His wife, free speech advocate Dr. Noor Abdalla and his legal team—Amy Greer, Ramzi Kassem, and Baher Azmy—received Civil Rights Hero Awards.
Mahsa Khanbababi, the lead attorney for freed abductee Rumeysa Ozturk, and Hassan Ahmad, lead attorney for freed abductee Professor Badr Khan Suri, also received Civil Rights Hero awards. Imam Faisal Khan received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Tayba Foundation received the Community Service Award.
The gala featured record-breaking turnout and support as community members and allies joined CAIR in celebrating more than three decades of advancing justice and protecting the rights of American Muslims.
“Over the past year, our community has shown its resilience amid an unprecedented storm of challenges by resisting injustice here and abroad while renewing our commitment to pursue a just future,” said CAIR National Board Chair Dr. Manal Fakhoury. “We remain focused on protecting free speech, advancing religious freedom, and securing racial equality here at home while advocating for a just American foreign policy, starting with an end to U.S. support for the genocide in Gaza.”
“Despite unconstitutional crackdowns on free speech, a manufactured surge in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate, attacks on immigrants, and a foreign policy held captive by ‘Israel first’ extremists, the American Muslim community has not been knocked off course and we remain focused on our vision of a just future,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “This year’s successful gala and policy conference will help us move even closer to securing that just future for the benefit of everyone across our nation and people around the world, God willing.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com