The Industrial Areas Foundation's Diaspora Caucus in the United Kingdom
The Industrial Area Foundation (IAF), founded by Saul Alinsky in the mid-20th century in the U.S., is a citizen leadership development network with affiliate faith- and community-based institutions around the U.S. and abroad. Alinsky built the IAF on the foundation of one-to-one, relational meetings from which citizen leadership, power, and social equity emerge.
In the UK, I have just noticed a "Diaspora Caucus," organized among immigrant communities to improve their quality of life and connections with their non-migrant, fellow residents. See http://www.citizensuk.org/campaigns/citizens-uk-diaspora-caucus/ for an introductory video. It has a melodic ending, too.
I wonder if the IAF movement might have resonance in the Middle East? It's inter-faith and about as democratic as a civil society organization can be. I wonder if the American Friends Service Committee, Search for Common Ground, or another organization might be interested in engaging with them? Or the Syrian Rights Observatory in the UK?
In the UK, I have just noticed a "Diaspora Caucus," organized among immigrant communities to improve their quality of life and connections with their non-migrant, fellow residents. See http://www.citizensuk.org/campaigns/citizens-uk-diaspora-caucus/ for an introductory video. It has a melodic ending, too.
I wonder if the IAF movement might have resonance in the Middle East? It's inter-faith and about as democratic as a civil society organization can be. I wonder if the American Friends Service Committee, Search for Common Ground, or another organization might be interested in engaging with them? Or the Syrian Rights Observatory in the UK?