13
Feb
2014
PAAIA Attends White House Roundtable
February 13, 2014, Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, PAAIA staff and members were, amongst a number of other organizations and individuals, invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with the Iranian American community hosted by the White House Office of Public Engagement. The meeting featured several key Administration officials who provided an overview of a range of domestic and foreign policy topics including: U.S. economic overview, immigration, healthcare, civic participation, human rights, and U.S.- Iranian relations. The predominant theme of the meeting was the current relationship between the U.S. and Iran and the community’s concerns regarding the human rights situation in Iran. Numerous attendees expressed their support for the Administration’s efforts to diplomatically resolve the nuclear impasse with Iran but cautioned that such efforts should not come at the cost of holding Iran accountable to its human rights obligations. PAAIA’s National Public Opinion Surveys of Iranian Americans show that the promotion of human rights and democracy is the most important issue pertaining to U.S. – Iran relations for Iranian Americans.
Participants in the meeting came from across the country and included business leaders as well as those who serve in academia, healthcare, the arts, and work on civic and human rights issues.
PAAIA would like to thank the White House Office of Public Engagement for its initiative to engage the Iranian American community and looks forward to working with the Administration in encouraging the community’s active participation in the American civic process. The event marked the 3rd Roundtable discussion with the Iranian American community.
