UMAA..a Movement

1
UMAA..a Movement !

• Building a Vibrant, Prosperous and Successful
  Community

2
Why UMAA ?

• An idea whose time had come!
• All good things result from an idea
• We were lagging behind others
• The fast changing world
• The socio-economic and political challenges
• UMAA is a movement to create a vibrant,
  prosperous and successful community

3
Meeting of minds

• Community leaders meet in Maryland ( Saturday,
  Sep 28, 2002)

• Dr. Parvez Shah
• Maulana Rafique Naqvi
• Sayed Ehtesham Abidi
• Zafar Azam
• Dr. Zafar Jaffri
• Shaukat Jafri
• Nasir Shamsi
• Iqbal Naqvi
• Dr. Moosa Jafri

4
Meeting of minds

• Founding Members agree to create an organization
  with global outlook, consistent with teachings of
  Quran and the practice of Muhammad (s) and
  Ahlulbait (a)
• To address issues, not addressed by current
  organizations and centers, without conflict or
  duplication
• To focus on social, economic and political issues
• Empower the next generation of Muslims,
  facilitate inter-action among them and with others

5
Meeting of minds

• UMAA is given a name Universal Muslim
  Association of America
• It was agreed to
• Register the organization
• create an ad-hoc steering committee
• establish a central office
• nominate regional representatives
• hold UMAA convention every year
• start working for a constitution

6
Objectives of UMAA A Summary

• Create a Thinkers forum
• Foster Unity among Muslims
• Promote inter-faith and intra-faith understanding
  
• Create civic and political awareness
• Hold Annual Convention

7
Implementing a Charter

• 2002-03
• UMAA is incorporated
• UMAA Consultative Body, an ad-hoc body
  established
• Regional Representatives nominated in 16 major
  cities
• First UMAA Convention is held at Hyatt Regency,
  Washington DC - May 25-27,2003
• UMAA Magazine is published
• UMAA goes onlinea website is created

8
Implementing a Charter

• 2004
• UMAA adopts its Code of Ethics
• UMAA takes new members in its Consultative Body
• 2nd UMAA Convention is held at Hyatt Regency
  Washington DC - May 28-30,2004
• UMAA Convention receives a delegation from Europe
• UMAA Matrimonial Service is announced

9
Marching Forward

• 2005
• UMAA holds its 3rd Convention at the Wardman Park
  Marriott, Washington DC - May 27-29, 2005
• First UMAA Achievement Awards given for Academic,
  Professional and Scholastic excellence
• 4 UMAA Scholarship announced
• UMAA constitution adopted and ratified
• UMAA elected its Executive Board consisting of 41
  Directors from across America - May 30, 2005
• The current board includes 5 youth, 5 women and
  five regional representatives, to make UMAA a
  grass roots organization
• UMAA launched its New Website
  www.umaamerica.net

10
Discovering New Horizons

• UMAA Matrimonial Service goes online
• 4th UMAA convention is held at Premiere Sheraton
• Tysons Corner, Maryland - May 26-29, 2006
• UMAA Relief announced and 158,000 collected to
  help
• Earth quake victims in Pakistan
• 2 UMAA delegates visited the Earth quake affected
  areas in in Azad Kashmir
• UMAA Representatives visited the State Department
  and were assured of fair treatment to the
  visiting Ulama in Muharram and Ramzan
• Press statements issued to voice UMAA concern on
  national and international issues affecting
  Muslims and Islam

11
Looking forward to a brighter tomorrow

• UMAA Strategy Plan in works
• UMAA Relief - an ongoing charity to help
  alleviate poverty
• Plans to help build a school and college for
  children of
• earth quake victims
• Starting UMAA regional offices in major U.S.
  cities

12
Looking forward to a better and brighter tomorrow

• Encourage youth participation in UMAA
• Help develop leadership skills in young men and
  women through UMAA Leadership Development Program
• Coordinate with Ulama, Professors and Thinkers
• Coordinate with the Centers
• Promote constructive and effective participation
  of American Shias in main stream politics,
  starting with voting
• Maintain liaison with the executive and
  legislative branches to preserve our rights and
  contribute to public policy development and
  issues at national and international levels
• Establish effective communication with public
  media, particularly in communicating about Islam
  and Muslims