Emir Abd el-Kader, a 19th century world-renowned Arab hero, was admired by Abraham Lincoln, Queen Victoria, Pope Pius IX, Sir Richard Burton and countless Muslims for his moral courage, generosity, learning and selfrestraint.
Abd el-Kader was a philosopher and seeker of wisdom, man of peace, warrior, statesman, puritan, humanitarian, poet, scholar and was tolerant of all faiths. Upon his death in 1883, The New York Times hailed him as ”one of the few great men of the century.” In 1846, the founders of an Iowa community chose to honor him by naming their town Elkader.
Essay Objectives. Based on the inspiring life of Emir Abd el-Kader, the essay contest encourages learning about our global society and building bridges of respect, tolerance and cross-cultural understanding between the east and west. Students are asked to evaluate the significance of Abd el-Kader’s courageous life of struggle during peace, war, imprisonment, and exile as applied to current events in America and the world. The core resource for contest participants is Commander of the Faithful, a biography of Abd el-Kader, written in an accessible and dramatic manner, engaging the reader on many levels: historical, cultural, ethical and philosophical.
Essay Eligibility.
Iowa high school juniors and seniors. Each participant must designate a teacher/mentor at their school as their essay “coach” to guide them.
Iowa Scholarships:
1st Place student receives $2,000 plus Teacher/Mentor receives $500
2nd Place student receives $1,000
3rd Place student receives $ 500
*Elkader’s 1st place student receives $500 (if not in top 3 above) plus an educational Washington DC trip.
The student’s teacher/mentor also wins the DC trip. Airfare and two nights lodging are compliments of the Algerian Embassy. Elkader essay participants are also eligible for the overall Iowa scholarships listed above.
Essay Requirements.
1) Submit form (below) to receive more information about the contest before November 30, 2010.
2) Read Commander of the Faithful: The Life and Times of Emir Abd el-Kader 1808-1883 by John W. Kiser
For more information about the book and author, go to www.truejihad.com.
3) Write a 1500 - 2000 word essay addressing both of the following questions:
a) What stands out in Abd el-Kader’s life that is relevant to you in living your own life?
b) Why does his story and legacy deserve remembering today?
4) Final Essays (with artifacts/supporting documents, if desired) must be received by March 30, 2011.
Spring 2011 Workshop Seminar. Teacher/mentors coaching essay students will be invited to a free two-day seminar. Dates and venues to be determined. The seminars will be conducted by Barbara Petzen, Education Director of the Middle East Policy Council (MEPC) in Washington DC. She has taught non-partisan workshops on how to teach about the Middle East and Islam to educators in 45 states and over 200 cities across the U.S.
More information here.
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