BURBANK, California (November 18, 2004) – Islamic Relief Worldwide President

Dr. Hany El Banna will be delivering a talk at the United Nations Headquarters

in New York on December 7, 2004 in a seminar entitled “Confronting

Islamophobia: Education for Tolerance and Understanding.

The seminar will be opened by the Secretary General of the United Nations,

Kofi Annan and is the second in a series entitled “Unlearning Intolerance”,

organized by the Educational Outreach Section of the United Nations

Department of Public Information.

The series examines different manifestations of intolerance and explores ways

to promote respect and understanding among peoples through education, inclusion and example.

During his visit, Dr. El Banna will also be travelling to Washington, DC where

he will be meeting with Ms. Katherine Marshall, Director and Counselor to the

President of Development Dialogue on Values and Ethics at the World Bank as

well as with Mr. Alan Charlton, Deputy Head of Mission for the British Embassy

to the United States to discuss future plans to help Islamic charities combat

false allegations of supporting and funding terrorist organizations.

Note to the editor:

Islamic Relief USA is part of the global Islamic Relief Worldwide family, which is

an international relief and development organization operating in 28 countries

across the world.

Islamic Relief Wordwide is an international relief and development

organization, dedicated to alleviating the suffering of the world’s poorest

people. Islamic Relief Worldwide has full-time offices in 28 countries and

provides assistance in over 35 countries worldwide.  Islamic Relief Worldwide

is a member of the U.N. Economic and Social Council (special category), and

is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red

Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief. It is committed to

implementing the Code of Best Practice in the Management and Support of

Aid, as stated by “People In Aid.” Islamic Relief Worldwide always aims to

meet U.N standards in all of the projects it implements.