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FBI * One FBI Plaza * Buffalo, New York 14202 * (716) 856-7800 * www.fbi.gov |
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Contacts: |
Paul Mark Moskal - (716) 843-5270 Maureen P. Dempsey - (716) 843-1788 Marcello Falconetti - (716) 843-1682 Vanita Evans - (716) 843-5210 |
Date: January 23, 2007
FBI 2006 Director’s Community Leadership Award
On Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 9:45AM, Laurie J. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Buffalo Division, will present the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award for 2006 to the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). Dr. Khalid Qazi, President of MPAC, will accept the award on the Council's behalf. MPAC is a public service agency working for the civil rights of American Muslims, for the integration of Islam into American pluralism, and for a positive, constructive relationship between American Muslims and their representatives. MPAC works closely with the local community to educate and assist, to provide information to media outlets to promote civil rights through town hall meetings and training.
Since 1990, the FBI has annually recognized the achievements of individuals or organizations who promote drug education and prevention by presenting the Director's Community Leadership Award. This award is given to individuals or organizations actively involved in terrorism, gang, crime, and violence prevention/education.
Since 2000, MPAC has worked together with the FBI to address civil rights, terrorism, hiring and recruitment matters. MPAC is spearheading a sustained dialogue with key government agencies in cooperation with the United States Attorney's Office in the Western District of New York. In addition to holding town hall meetings since 2005, MPAC has met with several government agencies, including the FBI, to provide educational and preventative programs for the Muslim/Arab American community on issues of concern including: border matters; airline profiling; civil rights violations; terrorism matters; and the recruitment of Muslim/Arab Americans for employment purposes.
MPAC's media outreach initiatives have strengthened ties with the WNY media outlets to provide several objective and informational lead stories and editorials on issues of interest to the Muslim community including law enforcement issues. This has been of great benefit to the FBI in Buffalo.
Finally, MPAC agreed to partner with the Buffalo Division to implement the Community Relations Executive Seminar Training (CREST) over the course of 10 hours with 18 members from the Muslim/Arab American community in November 2006. This program improved the level of understanding about the mission of the FBI and helped the FBI to further understand the needs of the community it serves.
Dr. Qazi along with members of MPAC, will accept the 2006 FBI Director's Community Leadership Award on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at the Buffalo Office of the FBI, One FBI Plaza at 9:45AM. For those members of the media who are interested in attending the award presentation please arrive at the Buffalo Office by 9:30AM.
A list of previous recipients of the Director's Community Leadership Award is attached.
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