(WASHINGTON, D.C., 12/21/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a community toolkit entitled ‘Palestine Beyond Borders,’ to help local communities encourage their local libraries and bookstores to feature displays about Palestinian history and culture to counter the impact of “dehumanizing” rhetoric used to justify violence against Palestinian civilians.
[NOTE: CAIR encourages members of the public to check out, read and return books related to Palestine so that they are kept in circulation. There have been reports that those supporting the genocide in Gaza are stealing books from libraries so that accurate information about the conflict is not available to readers.]
The Palestine Beyond Borders book display project, which was developed by CAIR’s Maryland office, aims to promote cultural literacy and contribute to a more inclusive and diverse community by spotlighting the rich and nuanced narratives of Palestine. CAIR’s toolkit provides community members with resources to encourage libraries and bookstores to feature book displays on Palestine. By curating displays that go beyond political narratives, the project also seeks to foster empathy, dialogue, understanding and a deeper appreciation for the multifaceted aspects of Palestinian history, culture, and society.
In a statement, CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry said:
“As both public interest in Palestine and attempts to silence Americans who support Palestinian human rights surge, libraries and bookstores can play an important role in ensuring that the American people have access to balanced and accurate content and a broad range of educational literature about this topic. At this time of rampant dehumanization and disinformation, we encourage our communities to use this toolkit to urge libraries and bookstores to feature books that amplify Palestinian narratives and experiences.”
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, 202-999-8292, 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