Tunisian Community Center

Founded 1999
Key people Ali Khemili (Founder, Executive Director)
Sami Guedoir (Advisory Board Chairman)
Focus The Tunisian American community and outreach to Tunisia
Website TunisianCommunity.org
Tunisian Community Center Blog

Founded in 1999, the Tunisian Community Center (Arabic: المركز التّونسيّ الأمريكيّ‎), or TCC, is a US-based non-profit organization, dedicated toward community building and cultural outreach for Tunisian Americans. TCC organizes multiple programs and events throughout the nation.

Recognition

TCC Chairman at the White House
Congressional statement

The US Senate has recognized the Tunisian Americans' contributions in the United States, confirming the long-term American-Tunisian relationship for over two centuries. The Senate also celebrates one of the core programs of the Tunisian Community Center, Tunisian American Day.

In December, 2011, President Barack Obama honored the Tunisian Community Center by inviting the organization's chairman Sami Guedoir, and his wife Nadia, to the White House for a dinner reception.[1]

Activities

The Tunisian Community Center has organized multiple programs and events. In their support for the Tunisian Revolution's aims toward freedom and democracy, the TCC has written to the US Senator of California Barbara Boxer, requesting to freeze the overthrown President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's assets.[2]

Tunisian American Day

In 2005, TCC established the May 27th Tunisian American Day tradition. It represents a recurring opportunity to celebrate its community and its heritage as well as the enduring Tunisian-American friendship.

Organized in a different U.S. city every year, it is commemorated during a celebration (Arabic: hafla) that coincides with the birthday anniversary of the organization's cultural symbol, Ibn Khaldun. The event includes the Ibn Khaldun Award presentation ceremony as well as live Tunisian music entertainment and catered Tunisian dinner.[3]

In 2010, members of the community from all around the United States, in addition to dozens of international visitors from the Tunisian Organization for Aerospace Education, attended the event in Los Angeles, California. The Tunisian Community Center awarded Haythem Abid with the Aboulkacem Chebbi Student of the Year award.[3]

Community Gazette

The Community Gazette is a monthly electronic newsletter, containing news and highlights of interest to the Tunisian American community. Free Subscription

Ibn Khaldun Institute

Ibn Khaldun Life-size bronze bust sculpture of Ibn Khaldun that is part of the collection at the Arab American National Museum (Catalog Number 2010.02). Commissioned by The Tunisian Community Center and Created by Patrick Morelli of Albany, NY in 2009. It was inspired by the statue of Ibn Khaldun erected at the Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Tunis.[4]

The Ibn Khaldun Institute, an affiliate of the Tunisian Community Center, is a non-partisan, non-profit and secular Advocacy type of Think Tank. Its focus is on the socio-economic development of Tunisia.

It is composed of Tunisian and Tunisian-American professionals in all disciplines, dedicated to promoting business, as well as, cultural and professional exchanges between the United States and Tunisia. It also focuses on connecting Tunisian-American professionals with the decision-makers in the United States and Tunisia.

In addition, the Ibn Khaldun Institute is an online clearinghouse for information on activities taking place in the United States, that aim to promote the development of Tunisia.

The Ibn Khaldun Institute launched the annual Ibn Khaldun Award in 2004, recognizing high achievers who rendered a service to the Tunisian American community. It also launched the Aboulkacem Chebbi Student of the Year award, recognizing future leaders who made their mark through academic achievements and a commitment to excellence, and who demonstrated a high level of effort to promote the Tunisian culture at campuses across America.

Tunisian Student Federation

The Tunisian Student Federation (TSF) is a Tunisian Community Center entity that federates Tunisian Student Clubs (TSC) at American university campuses. Its specific mission is to represent the interests of Tunisian students in the United States and serve their needs, while contributing to the overall mission of the organization. TSF Internship.

External links

References

  1. ↑ Campbell, Jason (2 February 2012). "Obama honors Guedoir with White House invitation". Manteca Bulletin. External link in |title= (help);
  2. ↑ Bortot, M. Scott (24 January 2011). "Americans Upbeat Over Events in Homeland". allAfrica.com. External link in |title= (help);
  3. 1 2 Celebrating the Tunisian-American Day -2010, US4Arabs.com, 4 June 2010 External link in |title= (help);
  4. ↑ http://arabamerican.pastperfect-online.com/33769cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=A9A7FFF1-3E51-46CC-8C72-966442091673;type=101
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