October 4, 2010
In this fourth edition of “Our WORDE,” the newsletter, WORDE meets with an FBI recruiter and participates in four events: the Department of Defense Federation Forum, the Second Moderate Muslims Summit, the 2010 annual Heritage Colloquium and a presentation before the US State Department Strategic Communication Network.
Interview with FBI Recruiter 
WORDE met with a FBI Recruitment Program Manager and a Special Agent to discuss the FBI’s recruitment procedures and their efforts in reaching out to first and second-generation citizens that have the unique potential to serve intelligence communities given their advanced language skills and cultural knowledge of the communities they represent. This dialogue was part of WORDE’s involvement in the Heritage Council, an advisory council to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). As an official member of this council, WORDE has helped connect several community members to federal government recruiters.
Department of Defense Federation Forum / Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell
President Hedieh Mirahmadi addressed the Federation Forum of the US Department of Defense Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell on the topic of “Traditional Muslim Networks: Pakistan’s Untapped Resource in the Fight against Terrorism”. Based on our independent research, these networks have the capacity to serve as a bulwark against the militant’s recruiting capabilities in the region by countering radical ideologies, and facilitating in the reconciliation and reintegration of extremists back into mainstream society.
Congresswoman Sue Myrick’s Second Moderate Muslims Summit
US Congressional Representative Sue Myrick (R-NC, 9th District) invited WORDE President, Hedieh Mirahmadi to attend the Second Moderate Muslims Summit on September 24, 2010 on the Hill. This summit introduced a diverse group of Muslim-Americans to Members of Congress to discuss a number of contemporary policy issues including ways to combat extremism in the American Muslim community.
Heritage Council Colloquium
WORDE attended the 2010 annual Heritage Colloquium/Heritage Community Liaison Council Meeting. The colloquium provided WORDE an opportunity to open new relationships between other Heritage Council members, organizations, officials from the Intelligence Community as well as students from heritage communities.
Afghanistan-Pakistan Center of Excellence
In September, WORDE President Hedieh Mirahmadi was chosen to participate in an ongoing working group to discuss innovative civic engagement programs to promote peaceful conflict resolution in the Afghanistan-Pakistan context. The group is facilitated by the Afghanistan-Pakistan Center of Excellence at US Central Command in Florida. The Center seeks to build expertise in and provide improved intelligence for the missions in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asian States, as well as the states around them.
State Department
President of WORDE, Hedieh Mirahmadi and Fellow Mehreen Farooq presented to the US State Department Strategic Communication Network on mainstream Muslim networks and their capacity for partnership in the fight against terrorism. They discussed how to identify moderate Muslim networks, and how they can be used in countering violent extremism, implementing development assistance, facilitating interfaith work, strengthening public diplomacy, and supporting women’s rights.