President al-Assad confers with Mrs. Oakar, ADC president

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad received Mrs. Mary Rose Oakar, President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) at al-Rawda palace on Tuesday.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the activities of the ADC in defence of the Arab issues. President al-Assad highly praised the efforts exerted by Mrs. Oakar, wishing her all success.

The ADC, founded in Washington in 1980, is a grassroots civil rights organization which welcomes people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities as members. The organization's goals are Defending the civil rights of all people of Arab heritage in the United States; Promoting civic participation; Encouraging a balanced U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East among and Supporting freedom and development in the Arab world.

There are 3 million Americans with Arab heritage and approximately 7 million Muslim Americans.

Mrs. Oakar assumed Presidency of the ADC -- founded in 1980 by former U.S. Senator James Abourezk -- in June 2003.