Chicago American Arab Community Honors Ziyad Brothers Importing Nov. 21
Ziyad Brothers Importing will receive the 2011 Community Service of the Year Award at a dinner banquet recognizing their many years of supporting organizations and community groups and for the positive impact their business has had in portraying Arabs and Muslims in America.
The award is being presented by the Chicago Chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), a not-for-profit organization which for the past 30 years has led the fight to defend individuals victimized for discrimination and bigotry.
Hollywood Actor and filmmaker Sayed Badreya will be the keynote speaker at the dinner to be held Sunday, November 21 at Pazzos Restaurant & Banquets at 311 S. Wacker Drive. Badreya has appeared in dozens of major motion pictures including Iron Man and Independence Day. He produced and starred in the feature film AmericanEast which portrayed the challenges facing American Arabs and Muslims after Sept. 11, and he is now producing two more films for major distribution later next year.
Ziyad Brothers Importing partners from left Nezar Ziyad, Nassem Ziyad, Ibrahim Ziyad, Nemer Ziyad, and Nazmy ZIyad.
Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in the Nov. 2 election, is also expected to make the award presentation to the Ziyad family during the event.
“When you attend every event in the American Arab or Muslim community, you will almost always see an advertisement, or a sponsorship of the event and a table representing the Ziyad family there,” said ADC Chicago President Dr. Hatem Galal.
“The Ziyad Family has done so much for everyone in Chicago and we felt this would be a fitting way for the community to express its gratitude.”
Ray Hanania, Hollywood actor Sayed Badreya and Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan attending dinner honoring Ziyad Brothers Importing Nov. 2011
The event is a fundraiser for ADC, a 501 ( c ) 3 organization. Advertisements, sponsorships and a portion of the $75 ticket ($45) are deductible to supporters.
“Beyond their dedication to not only supporting the events of others, Ziyad Brothers Importing is always there to help those in need, donating to many social service organizations, mosques and churches for the betterment of our community,” Galal added.
“No one can doubt the powerful impact that they have helped to make in presenting the positive image of Arabs and Muslims in America through their support of community organizations and events and through their wide array of food products which are among the most recognized in the American Arab community.”
Ziyad Brothers Importing was founded in 1966 by immigrants Ahmad and Ibrahim Ziyad. Ahmad Ziyad passed away in 1996. Today the company is run by Ibrahim Ziyad and his son Nezar, and by Ahmad’s three sons Nemer, Nassem and Nazmy.
“We are very honored and humbled by this award. But, we are most honored that this dinner banquet will help strengthen and raise funds for one of the community’s most important organizations, ADC. We are very proud to be a part of that effort,” said ZBI Executive Vice President Nemer Ziyad.
ADC National President Safa Rifka, Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, and Hollywood actor Sayed Badreya at a dinner honoring Ziyad Brothers Importing in May 2011
For more information on the event and to purchase tickets or place a congratulatory advertisement, visit www.ADCChicago.com. To get more information on Ziyad Brothers Importing, visit www.Ziyad.com.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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