Conferences Department

Parallel Session Suggestion Guidelines and Form

The Islamic Society of North Americais inviting suggestions for parallel sessions to be presented at the 45th Annual Convention. Through this process of soliciting suggestions for parallel sessions, the Convention Program Committee hopes to:

• better reflect actual and current Islamic scholarship and activism across the US and Canada,
• offer more diversity and variety in sessions, and
• be open, fair and objective in selection of session subject matter and presenters.

Your suggestions may be used in constructing the final program, subject to necessary changes by the Program Committee.

The convention continues an ISNA tradition devoted to better understanding Islam and developing stronger Islamic personalities and communities. We seek suggestions that teach, inspire, and show how to develop Islam in our lives, families, and communities, as well as how to present Islam to others.

Criteria for Acceptance:

The following criteria for acceptance will help you complete the Parallel Session Suggestion Form:

• Suggestions must be Islamically acceptable and within Qur'an and Sunnah guidelines.
• Each session must educate the audience about a specific subject matter.  Presentations should either be in a workshop format that provide the audience with tools and skills that they can use, or in a lecture format.  Sessions that relate to the specific projects of an organization should provide the audience with useful data and references.
• Each session must include a question and answer period that is NOT LESS than 20 minutes, an introduction by the moderator of NOT MORE than 5 minutes. (Since the entire time period for a session is 90 minutes, the presentation will not exceed 60 minutes.)

*NOTE: There are only a limited number of parallel sessions available. In order to fulfill the overall objectives of the convention, as well as accommodate those submitting suggestions, the Program Committee reserves the right to combine sessions that overlap in subject matter and/or speakers. The Program Committee will be the final decision making body to accept or not accept a suggestion.

Submitting your suggestion: To receive the official Parallel Session Suggestion Form, please visit www.isna.net  or call ISNA at 317-839-8157 Ext. 231 or 814. All suggestions must be submitted via email before Sunday, March 2, 2008. There will be no exceptions.

Suggestions that are incomplete, difficult to read or late will NOT be considered.

Send suggestion forms to: suggestions@isna.net

Notification: The Program Committee feedback on your suggestion will be sent by email or fax by Sunday, May 2, 2008. Due to the large number of suggestions we may receive, the Program Committee's decision will be final.