CAIR-Chicago office visited by Dutch students

On May 31, 2014, 46 students from the American Studies program at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Holland filled CAIR-Chicago for an educational event. The group was led by professor Markha Valenta, who took the students on a 10-day long study abroad trip to Chicago. At CAIR-Chicago, Senior Communications Coordinator Agnieszka Karoluk gave presentations to the students about the organization, Muslims in the U.S., and  Shi’ism in the U.S.. The students were very engaged, asking questions about organizing and activism in the Muslim community, Islamophobia, and women’s issues.

The group also watched a recent interview of author Qasim Rashid discussing his new book, “Extremist”, in which he debunks many Islamophobic myths and statements made by right-wing Dutch politician, Geert Wilders, famous for his Islamophobic and xenophobic remarks. The presentations stimulated a long, fruitful discussion between students about the differences between Dutch and American society, culture, immigration, and integration.

Photos from the event can be viewed here.