NIAC Celebrates 10th Anniversary: Education and Advocacy for the Iranian-American Community
Monday, May 14, 2012
By: NIAC Press Release

"I've watched our community mature into a group that is no longer afraid to voice their opinion and make change," said Trita Parsi, NIAC President.

For Immediate Release  
Contact: Nobar Elmi
202-379-1638
nelmi@niacouncil.org 

Washington, DC – This month, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) celebrates 10 years of serving the Iranian-American community. In May 2002, NIAC opened its doors and thanks to our members and supporters it has grown to become the largest and longest-serving Iranian-American grassroots organization in the country. The organization emerged after the devastating events of September 11, when the Iranian-American community sought ways to collectively condemn the terrorist acts and support America at a time when it was confronted with profound issues of national security, immigration and the character of American society.

For ten years now, NIAC has effectively represented Iranian Americans in Washington, D.C., giving the Iranian-American community a powerful voice. Here are just some of NIAC’s many accomplishments from the past 10 years:

• Blocked a Congressional resolution green-lighting Israeli strikes on Iran
• Led the campaign to fix the U.S.’s single-entry visa policy and to allow Iranian students to receive multiple entry
• Effectively opposed and stopped legislation that would bar every Iranian from entering the United States
• Championed the establishment of a United Nations human rights monitor on Iran to investigate human rights abuses
• Corrected the National Geographic Society 8^th edition maps to read “Persian Gulf” instead of “Arabian Gulf”
• Fighting discrimination on films, ad campaigns, from the media, from representatives of Congress, and through employment websites

“I’ve watched our community mature into a group that is no longer afraid to voice their opinion and make change,” said Trita Parsi, NIAC President. “Our political system has greatly benefited from our community’s participation, and I hope we can continue to work to ensure our voice is heard in all levels of government.”