Updates

Keeping the community connected and the culture alive.

Syria Earthquake Appeal

More than 10,000 people have died and thousands more are injured following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter in southern Turkey close to the Syrian Border.

Thousands of buildings collapsed and left their residents without shelter.

The National Arab American Medication Association Foundation (NAAMA) is raising funds to support relief efforts in Syria through UNICEF (United Nations International Children Relief Fund).

We are appealing to your generosity and invite you to support NAAMA’s Fund for Syria’s earthquake victims

CLICK TO DONATE TO SYRIA RELIEF CAMPAIGN

Please share this newsletter or the link with anyone who may be interested in supporting

https://naama.com/the-naama-foundation-earthquake-in-syria-relief-campaign/

Welcome to 2023

Throughout the years, AAWSG activities have highlighted the common values that unite all Arab Americans and bring them closer to the broader community. With your support, we will have a very successful year achieving our mission of sharing our culture and values with our Atlanta community. More than ever, AAWSG needs your help in making our children continue to be proud of their heritage.

We have accomplished many great things in the past and you were a part of our journey, please join us again as we move toward the future.

 

Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk

Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk

For over twenty years, the Arab American Women’s Society of Georgia (AAWSG) has been joining thousands of people in Atlanta in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer! This walk started by the American Cancer Society to unite communities and individuals with a collective goal to end breast cancer as we know it. The walk is designed to raise awareness and raise funds for breast cancer research, services, education, and advocacy. Breast cancer has touched or will touch someone you know. The disease will affect nearly 300,000 women this year. Join us. Together we can make breast cancer a thing of the past. Thank you to all who donated and participated in the AAWSG 2022 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.

Volunteer with us at the Atlanta Arab Festival

AAWSG is proud to support the Atlanta Arab Festival (AAF) on October 8th & 9th, 2022. AAWSG will have a booth to sell traditional home-made Arabic sweets and pastries (except for Baklava and Knafe كنافة). You may bring your donations to Alif Institute during the week prior to the festival.

Please click on the sign-up box below then select a time slot for volunteering at AAWSG booth.

Sign Up!

Spring 2022 News and Updates – Arab-American Women’s Association of Georgia

Spring 2022 News and Updates – Arab-American Women’s Association of Georgia

ARAB AMERICAN WOMEN’S SOCIETY OF GEORGIA

Keeps the community connected and the culture alive

AAWSG NEWS / Spring News Update

The Arab American Women Society of Georgia (AAWSG) is a unique organization where pioneer women, for over 35 years, taught us how to love and stitch together a life that celebrates two heritages and cultures.

From 1985 through 2005, AAWSG served the community with educational and charitable programs earning recognition and admiration within the Arab and American communities.  As its activities expanded, the need to have its own cultural center became a priority.  AAWSG and the Arab American Fund of Georgia (AAFG), a sister educational organization in Georgia, merged their efforts in rallying the community to establish an Arab cultural center in Atlanta, the ALIF Institute.  AAWSG volunteers, with their expertise in fundraising and organizing, played a crucial role in the founding of ALIF Institute.

As all efforts went to strengthening ALIF, many­ AAWSG programs became rooted at ALIF, while others continued to be organized by AAWSG. In 2021, members of the society expressed interest in increasing its activities as the young generation of Arab American women wanted their children to benefit from the guidance and support that AAWSG offers.

It took several meetings and thought-provoking discussions to figure out an optimal new structure for the society that enables it to carry out its activities without overlapping with those of ALIF.  The main goal was for the two organizations to strengthen and support each other.  On December 2, 2021, a new board was formed, and five committees were re-established with the objective of passing on a healthy organization to the younger generation.

The first important step that the board took was to establish a new and improved AAWSG website. We are extremely grateful to Solia Digital Media for designing and hosting the website.  The features are ambitious and allow for growth.  Please visit the newly published website at www.aawsg.org.  We welcome your input and expertise as it will help us improve the user experience.

AAWSG PROGRAMS HIGHLIGHTS

Programs that AAWSG organized this past quarter

Bullying in Schools: How to help our children work through it and succeed

A presentation by Ms. Laila Muhanna, MS, professional counselor, and psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner

On March 5, 2022, AAWSG held its first general assembly meeting. Nadine K. Araim, AAWSG Vice President, and Membership Committee Chair, welcomed the attendees and shared with them her vision for the society. She said that she continues to be inspired by the pioneering women of the society who knew how to instill heritage pride in younger generations of Arab Americans.  Nadine’s goal is to expand and enrich our group by reaching out to the next generations, “we cannot move forward without growth,” she added.

Ms. Farah Kashlan, Education Committee Co-Chair, introduced Ms. Laila Muhanna, professional counselor, and psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner. In her lecture, Ms. Muhanna stressed how bullying is affecting school children to an extent that sometimes a child insists on staying home to avoid being bullied.  She explained the reasons that lead to bullying and gave examples of the bullied child and the bully, highlighting the personalities of these two kinds of children.  Ms. Muhanna further added that adults are susceptible to bullying as well.  Bullying is manifested when an adult is forced to behave in a certain way, against his will, because of the oppressive insistence of a colleague, a boss, or a relative. Ms. Muhanna presented some solutions on how to deal with this serious problem.

Our grateful thanks are given to Ms. Laila Muhanna for donating her time and expertise to educate our members, and to Alif Institute for hosting our program.

Celebrating Mother’s Day

No matter how old one gets, even when one has children of her own, one still feels a certain need for a special kind of a comforting hand to rub her shoulders, gentle arms to embrace her, endless patience to listen to her little talks, and unconditional love to warm one’s heart.  Only a mother can do that.

Celebrating Mother’s Day, which falls on the 21st of March in many Arab countries, AAWSG held a luncheon at La Petite Violette restaurant to honor this occasion.

Mrs. Ghada Muhanna, AAWSG President, welcomed the members and their guests and shared heart-warming words about mothers.  She spoke briefly about the ongoing plans to expand the activities of the society with the objective of passing on a healthy organization to a younger generation of Arab American women.

Mrs. Muhanna invited Mrs. Angela A. Khoury, Chair of the Alif Institute Board of Directors, to share with the guests the upcoming events at Alif Institute.  Alif Institute is organizing a Ramadan Iftar and Lent Dinner Under the Stars on April 8, 2022.

Many attendees renewed their membership or became members for the first time. The newly designed AAWSG website is now ready to accept those who would like to join the society and pay the membership fees online. Please visit aawsg.org for more information.

It was heartwarming to gather on this very special day.!

Programs that AAWSG participates in on an annual basis

 Making Stride Against Breast Cancer Walk

On October 23, 2021, AAWSG members participated in this annual charitable walk to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.  AAWSG raised nearly $1200 for this noble cause.

Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World

AAWSG and in collaboration with Alif Institute set up two cultural exhibits at this annual event organized by the Fernbank Museum, November 20, 2021 – January 9, 2022.

Upcoming Program

 Book Discussion

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Join us for a lively discussion of the book “Adrift” by Amin Malouf.