IBN KHALDUN AWARD 2007

A T H E N S, G A - May 2 6, 2007

On May 26, 2007, Tunisian Americans, past Ibn Khaldun Award honorees, and their friends including dignitaries and eleced officials celebrated the achievements and contributions of Dr Takoi K. Hamrita at the annual Tunisian American Day gala.

Dr Hamrita received the third annual Ibn Khaldun Award for community service, presented each year to individuals who have excelled in their fields of endavour while displaying visible pride in their Tunisian Heritage.

Drs. Mounia Maya Charrad and  Lamia BenYoussef Zayzafoon kicked off the capacity crowd event with outstanding speeches. Dr Charrad highlighted the preliminary findings of her Survey, developed in collaboration with the Tunisian Community Center and part of a research project at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr Zayzafoon unveiled the Study-in-Tunisia Scholarship, a partnership Program between the University of Alabama in Birmingham and the Tunisian Community Center.

Then evening also featured a speech by the Honorble Heidi Davidson, Mayor of Athens-GA, in which she described the accomplishments of Dr Hamrita, including the UGA-Tunisia Partnership initiative.

The Award ceremony was followed by a magnificent acceptance speech by Dr Hamrita, and an inspiring keynote address by H.E. M. Nejib Hachana, Ambasador of Tunisia to the United States.

As is the case every year, this year was no exception: the Ibn Khaldun Award Hafla was a result of months of diligent planning by the local hosting team. The "Dream Team", as it was dubbed, deserves our gratitude for providing us with an excellent venue, excellent accomodations, a superb Tunisian dinner and live Music.

Thank you, Danielle Roderick (UGA-TN Partnership). Thank you, TCC Atlanta Chapter: Samiha Rezig (Hostess), Chokri Abdellaoui and Radouene Baccouche (Hosts), Lotfi Chabaane (Chef), Khaled Chebbi and Yaacoub Euchi (Sous-Chefs), and Bairem Salmi, Chakib Touhami, Zakaria Baimik, Mounir Barhoumi (Floor Force).

Thanks go also to all our attendees, those who came from the farthest corners of the US as well those who came from around the corner in Athens and Atlanta. Thanks for making the Ibn Khaldun Award-2007 an incredible success.

We look forward to seeiing you next year at the Ibn Khaldun Award-2008, in sunny San Francisco.

The Tunisian Community Center celebrated the 2005 Ibn Khaldun Award at the American University in Washington-DC on Saturday May 28, 2005. That year's honoree was Sociology Professor, Dr Mounira M. Charrad (from the University of Texas at Austin), a most suitable recipient of an inaugural Award named after the Father of Sociology. In addition, Dr Charrad's Book "States and Women's Rights" does honor the intellectual legacy of Ibn Khaldoun. The Book is considered by many, all over the World, as an original contribution in gender studies, and a scholarly analysis of kinship, family law and women's rights in the Maghreb.

The Hafla was a sold out event. The attendees who came from, literally, all four corners of The United States, enjoyed a great dinner and danced to live Tunisian Music performances. Earlier in the evening, the Organization inaugurated the "Tunisian Day in America" tradition. Later on, the guests were dazzled by Berkeley's Dr Larry Michalak's introduction of the awardee, by Dr. Charrad's heart-stirring acceptance remarks , and by the magnificent Keynote address given by H.E. Mohamed Nejib Hachana, Ambassador of Tunisia to the United States.

Our gratitude goes to the following 2005 Hafla Underwriters: GoldStar Fragrances, Provident Title, TriPlanet Partners, VivoSites, and the Embassy of Tunisia. The Ibn Khaldun Award steering committee, also, acknowledges the generous contributions of the Program's Founding Sponsors: Lydia BenFrej, Jomaa BenHassine, Hazem Bennaceur, Marouan Bouchnak, Meriem Chared, Mohamed-Ali Hammi, Mohsen Jouini, Raouf Khelil, Ali Khemili, and Mona Sarrai.