http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9§ion=0&article=129957&d=21&m=12&y=2009&pix=community.jpg&category=Features
Monday 21 December 2009 (04 Muharram 1431)
White House decorates Christmas tree with Arab American ornaments
Barbara Ferguson | Arab News
If you can't check out this year's Christmas decorations at the White
House in person then you might be interested to learn that for the first time
ever the White House is using holiday ornaments of Arab American heritage.
More than 50,000 visitors will tour the White House this holiday season
to see the holiday ornaments and the handiwork of the staff of the East Wing
and 92 volunteers from 24 states. Together, they worked 3,400 hours to put
together the traditional holiday decorations. "The Arab American Institute
participated as part of an effort to involve America's communities in creating
designs for a White House 'ethnic' Christmas tree," said Christina Zola, AAI's
director of communications.
"Design ideas were submitted by AAI members in response to a memo, and we
had dozens of responses. Everyone was very excited about it. The ornaments were
implemented and made by AAI Executive Director, James Zogby's wife and
daughter, Eileen and Sarah Zogby, and members of the AAI staff," said Zola, who
said one AAI staff member brought her six-year-old son to the office to
participate in creating the ornaments.
The ornaments were constructed using decoupage, and the materials include
papyrus, ornamental papers, graphics designed on the computer and then applied
to the forms, and hand-drawn images. The Arab American ornaments include a
Bethlehem scene; another has doves and the word "peace" in English and Arabic.
One Christmas ornament has Arabian horse heads on it, another - what else? -
depicts Camels.
"We were invited to do this because Zogby is the secretary of the
National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee, NDECC, a working group of
the Democratic Party that deals specifically with ethnic outreach and
involvement," said Zola.
"What is unique this year is that the Obamas wanted a community tree that
recognizes the contributions of diverse communities in America and their
heritage," Zogby told Arab News.
"So there, amongst others, Polish, Albanian, and the Irish, to name a
few, are the Arab American contributions. My office wrote to Arab Americans
across the country and asked them what themes they wanted to be put on the
ornaments, and our office created them along with my wife and daughter.
"What's important is that this Christmas, which is very special for the
White House, is that these ornaments are of our heritage, Bethlehem and Peace
are hanging on the White House trees. Many people in the community noticed it
and felt very good about it because it's our tree, too," said Zogby.
For more on the White House holiday decorations, click:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/christmas-white-house-2009
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