June 1995, Page 121

Bulletin Board

Compiled by Janet McMahon

Convenings

The Jerusalem Fund will hold a public symposium on "The Jewish Colonization of Palestine" at 9 a.m. Friday, June 2, at the Georgetown University International Center in Washington, DC. Speakers will include Prof. Walter Lehn, who has taught at both West Bank and U.S. universities; Dr. Ibrahim Matar, deputy representative for ANERA in Jerusalem; prominent writer-scholar Dr. Muhammad Hallaj; and Geoffrey Aronson of the Foundation for Middle East Peace.

On June 16, The Jerusalem Fund is hosting an invitational dinner in honor of publisher Andrew I. Killgore and executive editor Richard H. Curtiss of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs at the Georgetown University Faculty Club in the Leavey Conference Center, 3800 Reservoir Road, NW in Washington, DC. For further information on either event, call Heidi Shoup at (202) 338-1958.

The Palestine Aid Society will hold its Seventh Annual 10-kilometer Fund-raising and Solidarity Walk on June 3 in 14 North American cities, with funds raised going to humanitarian organizations in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon. For information and registration materials contact the national PAS office at 2025 Eye St. NW, Suite 1020, Washington, DC 20006, (202) 728-9425.

The Catholic University of America will sponsor a 2-day symposium on "Syria at the Crossroads: Cultural Interchange in Late Antiquity," with 50 international scholars presenting papers on such topics as Syria and Armenia, Syriac Christianity and early Islam, and the history of Syriac studies, June 8-10, in the Herzfeld Auditorium, Hannan Hall, on the CUA campus, 620 Michigan Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20017, (202) 319-5084. On view through June 30 is "Syriac Christianity: A Library Perspective," featuring early European printed books, Christian Oriental manuscripts and antiquities, on view by appointment in the May Gallery of CUA's Mullen Library, (202) 319-5055.

The annual conference of the North American Coordinating Committee on Palestine will take place at United Nations headquarters in New York, June 19 through 21. Confirmed speakers to date include Haider Abdul Shafi, Raji Sourani, Mikhail Warshawski, Leila Zakari, Islah Jad, and Maria Gazi. For additional information call Shari Matthews at (202) 319-0757.

The Gulf/2000's third conference, to review issues raised in previous meetings, generate policy recommendations, and discuss the project's future, will take place July 25-27 in Bellagio, Italy. For complete details contact Dr. Gary Sick, Gulf/ 2000 Project, 395 Riverside Dr., Suite 10B, New York, NY 10025, phone (212) 222-9614, fax (212) 222-9318, e-mail <ggs2@columbia.edu>

Exhibitions

"Threads of Tradition: Ceremonial Bridal Costumes From Palestine," featuring wedding dresses and other fine textiles and embroidery from the Hanan and Farah Munayyer collection, will be on view through July 2 at the Fuller Museum of Art, 455 Oak St., Brockton, MA 02401, (508) 588-6000.

"Forces of Change: Women Artists of the Arab World," a traveling exhibition of contemporary art by 70 Arab artists from 15 countries in North Africa and the Middle East, will be on view June 14-Aug. 20, with supplemental programs including a social studies teachers' workshop, symposium, and additional cultural and educational events, at the Walnut Creek Civic Art Center's Bedford Gallery, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596, (510) 295-1417.

"Paintings from Shiraz," featuring eight books and 20 paintings from 14th-16th century Persia, is on display through Aug. 27 at the Smithsonian Institution's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20024, (202) 357-2700.

Announcements

President Clinton has nominated as U.S. ambassador to Sudan Timothy M. Carney, most recently deputy assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs, who has served in various posts in Africa and Southeast Asia and with U.N. peacekeeping missions.

The Planning and Research Centre in Palestine is running a database project for Palestinian health professionals living outside Palestine who may be willing to contribute to building the health infrastructure either by returning for a short- or long-term period or by offering assistance, such as providing training placements for Palestinians in their fields, in the countries in which they reside. Health professionals and organizations interested in completing or distributing the database questionnaire should contact PRC, P.O. Box 51681, Jerusalem, phone 972-2-6817881 or 6826697, fax 972-2-6816236.

Deaths

Ghulam Murtaza Syed, Sindh separatist leader who spent 30 years in prison for political activism, died April 25 at the age of 92 in Karachi, Pakistan. A prominent leader in the movement for Pakistan's independence from Britain who later led the militant Jeay Sindh Movement, he spent the last three years of his life under house arrest, charged with sedition. Due to his deteriorating health and hospitalization, his trial was suspended in March.

Morarji Desai, prime minister of India from 1977-79, died April 10 at the age of 99 after undergoing surgery in Bombay for a blood clot on the brain. Born in western India in 1896, he joined the Bombay provincial service at the age of 22, but resigned 12 years later to join M. K. "Mahatma" Gandhi's civil disobedience movement against British rule and remained committed to Gandhi's philosophy for the rest of his life. Following independence in 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, appointed him to several important cabinet posts. He was finance minister from 1958 to 1969, when Nehru's daughter, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, dismissed him over policy differences. Mr. Desai then left the Congress party and joined with other anti-Gandhi forces to form the Janata (People's) party. After Janata's victory in the 1975 Gujarat state elections, Prime Minister Gandhi declared a national state of emergency, arresting Mr. Desai along with other political foes. Following his release in January 1977, when Gandhi ended the emergency, the Janata party won a huge majority in March elections and Mr. Desai became India's fourth prime minister, and the first who was not a member of the Congress party. He resigned the position on July 15, 1979.