Arab International Festival in Dearborn, June 21, 2009, Sunday

http://www.freep.com/article/20090621/NEWS02/90621032/Festival+celebrates+Ara...

Festival celebrates Arab culture

BY NIRAJ WARIKOO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Thousands of people from metro Detroit and beyond spent Fathers Day at the Arab International Festival in Dearborn where they soaked up sun, rides, food, music and culture.

"It's incredible," said Warren David of Northville, founder of Arab Detroit, a media site that had a booth at the festival. "We need events like this to help people see Arabs as human beings. You can get beyond the headlines and stereotypes and see Arabs have a heritage and culture."

Up to 250,000 people were expected to attend the three-day festival that ends tonight and is billed as the largest Arab festival in the U.S. It stretched several blocks along Warren Avenue, the main commercial strip in east Dearborn, which has a large concentration of Arab-Americans.

There were a number of information booths on everything from religion to banking to community projects. One of the more popular sites was a tent set up by the CIA -- one of the festival's big sponsors -- that featured free souvenirs and information about how to work for the intelligence agency.


The festival also featured several other U.S. government agencies, such as the FBI, U.S. Army, and the U.S. Intelligence Community.

And there were booths that sold hookahs, perfume, toys and t-shirts.

Mike Mallah, a Palestinian-American, from North Carolina, came to the festival to sell t-shirts he designed that read "Not a Terrorist."

"I thought it would be a good message because of the stereotypes that exist," he said.

Contact NIRAJ WARIKOO: nwarikoo@freepress.com.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Arab-American
• Arab
• Dearborn
• Arab Dearborn
• Muslim
• Islam
• Diversity
• Detroit Michigan Arab
• Muslim-American
• American-Muslim
• Christian Arab
• Christian
• Muslim Arab
• Arab Muslim
• Arab festival
• Dearborn Arab Festival

[lauriecorona]

Nice music! :D Keep it up!

cheers up from a Catholic :)

(cause I know Muslims RESPECT Jesus so I respect them)

PLUS Arab people are AWESOME!

[mikeerowee]

It would be funny If Iran launched a nuclear rocket at the USA..and it hit here in Dearborn Michigain,during this festival...

[bosesucks]

Awful Muzzie music.

[waszzam23]

we need to send u back to medieval europe were ur ass belongs start having affairs with ur sisters and lynching witches u pig!!!!

[paponsalta]

Hermosa música! Gracias

[egeek10]

why didnt the muzzies blow themselves up?

[mi6QBranch]

The reason the FBI is a sponsor goes back to the old addage, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

[datzburier]

Great Music brothers...

Keep these Religious Christian terrorist hate mongers burning with hatred.

Islam is just as part of America as any other religion. The whole Earth is property of God almighty, & all the Major religions of the world believe in the Same One God, whether they realize it or not.

Only hate mongers created differences among people. God likes those who like peace. Islam has been part of this world since the time of Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, and Prophet Jesus.

[LelaTabetFakhoury]

Haha arent these the Armenian CHRISTIAN guys?

[1Pullnfool]

Send these RAG HEADS back to where they came from. Our government needs to WAKE UP America....