" Eleven ethnic and religious communities and seven museums have joined the Heritage Harbor as Partners.
" Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association and India Museum and Heritage Society are among the Partners.
" The Museum is expected to open its doors for visitors in June 2003.
What is the Status of Muslim Heritage Council at the Heritage Harbor?
The Council has joined the Heritage Harbor as one of its Partners. Thus, it is a member of the decision-making body, the Board of Directors of the Museum.
What Benefits will this Participation Bring to the Muslim Community?
Educating the General Public, 350,000 per year, about Islam and Muslim Culture is the great opportunity this Participation will offer the Muslim Community. For achieving this objective, the Council has planned four types of activities-Cultural Displays; an Islamic Library of Books, Audio and Video Cassettes/CDs, and Movies; Video and Movie Showings; and Lectures and Conferences.
" The Council Display Area will be designed using Islamic Architecture and decorated with Islamic Art.
" We will produce Multimedia Videos to depict the Lives of Muslims from Birth to Death-Home-Life, Work-Life, and Community-Life. Daily Prayers, Ritual Washing (Wadhu), and Food and Drink Practices of Halal and Haram will be focused.
" The Celebration of Birth, Ceremonies at Wedding, Rituals at Death, Observance of Ramadhan, Celebrations of Eid-ul Fitr, Eid-ul Adha, and other festivals will also
be featured in these productions.
engaged to decorate the display area and produce the videos.
" We plan to make the Heritage Harbor Library a Pioneer Center of Learning and Research on Islam and Muslim Culture in North America.
" The Video and Movie Showings will be scheduled t o attract the maximum number of viewers.
" Occasional Lectures and Annual Conferences on Issues of Concern for the New England Communities will be organized.
In essence, the Heritage Harbor is expected to be a Center of Attraction for all the Communities of New England and the Muslim Heritage Council plans to utilize this opportunity to educate the general public about Islam and Muslim Culture and thereby turn its negative image created by a section of the media into a positive force.
What will this Cost the Muslim Community?
Each Partner is required to contribute a one-time fee of $100,000 to the Heritage Harbor. In addition to this, it has to come up with the fund for documentation and production of the displays, buying the books, audios, videos, and movies, the cost of showing the videos and movies, and the expenses of organizing lectures and conferences. Once everything is set in place, the Heritage Harbor will run the Museum-maintaining the Displays, running the Library, maintaining the Lecture and Movie Halls, taking care of the building, and paying for its administrative staff from the revenue generated by admission fees.
Thus, the Muslim Heritage Council has to come up with the up-front fee of $100,000 and additional fund of about $1,900,000 for developing its Displays and Activities.
The Muslim Heritage Council is a Subsidiary of the Southern Rhode Island Islamic Society, Inc. that is a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. The Society has been active since 1995 in educating the general public about Islam and Muslim Culture through the annual University of Rhode Island Muslim Cultural Heritage Program and the Discover Islam and Muslim Culture Exhibit frequently displayed at various public libraries and schools, colleges, and universities. The Council is formed to do the job more efficiently by gathering, producing, and presenting in a formal manner the Islamic cultural heritage to the estimated 350,000 visitors at the newly formed Heritage Harbor Museum.
What is Heritage Harbor Museum?
The Heritage Harbor Museum is a new $59 million project housed at Providence Harbor at the junction of Routes I-95 and I-195. The building has 260,000 sq. ft. of floor space for use as display area, office rooms, vendor locations, and other facilities. The Museum will have a wing for the Smithsonian Institution for its displays under its Affiliations Program. This is a unique museum that will bring together for display the cultural heritage of various ethnic and religious communities of Rhode Island, however, of New England for the Muslim community.
" There are three levels of participation at the Museum: the Partners, the Allies, and the Affiliates.
" The Partners make up the Board ofDirectors that makes the decisions and
The Council has developed a three-tier structure for running the organization. It has a General Membership Body, a Board of Directors as its Executive Committee, and a Board of Trustees. The Council will also sign up rich Muslim individuals, businesses, and governments of Muslim countries as its Sponsors. The members of New England Muslim community will become members of the General Body with the payment of an annual dues voluntarily determined by the member, however, with a minimum of $50. The members of the Board of Directors will be chosen from the general membership and the trustees by the Board of Trustees through consultation, however, with the Chairperson of the Southern Rhode Island Islamic Society, Inc. as its Chairperson. The Board of Directors will make the decisions and execute them. The Board of Directors may seek advice from the Trustees.
What is the Strategy to Raise the Funds?
Any Muslim brother/sister can become a Trustee by contributing a minimum of $1,000, hopefully, $5,000 to $10,000. Rich Muslims/Muslim Countries from all over the world can become Sponsors by donating at least $100,000 each.
What will the Donors Get in Return?
Everybody donating funds will be recognized by the Heritage Harbor by including his/her name in the list of
Can the Donors of Large Sums Ask for Anything Special?
Sponsors and other large donors can ask for special displays at the Museum or special programs to be run by the Museum, subject to negotiations with the Board of Directors of the Museum.
Check the Partners' link for Muslim Heritage Council at the Heritage Harbor Website:
www.heritageharbor.org
All Donations to the Muslim Heritage Council are Tax-Deductible.
Please fill out the form below and mail with your tax-deductible donation to:
Southern Rhode Island Islamic Society
293 Lake Shore Dr.
Warwick, RI 02889
Your Name:
Address:
Phone: Fax:
e-mail address:
Check: Member___ Trustee___ Sponsor___
(Please Make Your Check Payable to Southern Rhode Island Islamic Society and Memo. it to Muslim Heritage Council. Receipt for tax-deductions will be mailed to you.)
Islamic Society, Inc.
and
A Partner of the Heritage Harbor Museum
Providence, Rhode Island
293 Lake Shore Dr., Warwick, RI 02889
(401) 732-6951, e-mail: [email protected]
Contact:
Dr. Mohammed Sharif: (401) 874-4119
Dr. Syed A. Latif: (401) 726-3625
Dr. Nasser Zawia: (401) 874-5909