Sold-Out Crowd at CAIR-NY Banquet

(NEW YORK, NY, 5/19/10) – Hundreds of people turned out on Saturday for the annual fundraising dinner of the New York chapter of the Council on American- Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) at the Faculty House, Columbia University.

The sold- out event, entitled "I am Muslim, I am American: Building Community, Serving Country" marked thirteen years of CAIR-NY's service to the NY Muslim community through civil rights advocacy, community organizing, government accountability and media engagement.

The keynote address was delivered by Georgetown University Professor Dr. John Esposito and honorees included Alioune Niass, a Muslim immigrant from Senegal who was the first vendor to notice and speak up about the smoke rising from the parked vehicle used in the Times Square plot.

SEE: Focus on Muslims in America at CAIR-NY Annual Banquet

CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CONTACT: CAIR-NY Civil Rights Director Aliya Latif, 212-870-2002, 732-429-4268, alatif@cair.com; CAIR-NY Community Affairs Director Faiza N. Ali, 212-870-2002, 718-724-3041, fali@cair.com