Teaching Middle East Awareness The ambassadors of Qatar and Jordan have a lot to talk about these days, as the aftereffects of a fallen Iraqi regime begin to ripple throughout both Arab countries. So it was more than a little surprising to find Qatari Ambassador Bader Omar Al-Dafa and Jordanian Ambassador Karim Kawar engaged in a discussion that didnít even touch upon the war. Yet thatís exactly what Rock Creek International School, an academy that trains kindergartners through eighth-graders to become bilingual, had them do. During an evening session held not long after images of a toppled Saddam Hussein statue filled television screens, talk of history, culture and religion took precedence over foreign policy debate. ìI think a lot of people are afraid to talk about the Middle East,î said Carole Al-Kahouaji, the schoolís director of education. ìIt is a delicate subject, and thatís why we decided not to talk about the war tonight.î Instead, the goal was to educate parents on the importance of fostering intercultural awareness. The topic is a popular one at the 170-student school, where more than 50 parents packed the evening session that served to wrap up the academyís Middle East Awareness Day. Parental guidance in understanding various cultures of the world is perhaps more important now than ever before, said Dr. Adelaide Robb of the Childrenís National Medical Center. ìWhen we were kids, the Russians were the bad guys,î Robb said. ìNow weíre sending businesses over there, and theyíre not the bad guys any more. Theyíre actually the good guys.î Although stereotypes often formulate in youth, Robb added, children arenít the only ones who lack cultural understanding. ìSome adults are so scared of SARS that they wonít go to a Chinese grocery store in the District, where the virus is nowhere to be found,î she said of the recent outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome believed to have originated in Asia. The solution, according to the schoolís faculty, is for parents and children to explore and learn together. Among the key topics they suggest parents address are Middle Eastern religions, history of the region, and definitions of the word ìArab.î Schools and teachers across the United States are working to weave war and terrorism into classroom discussions and official curriculums, but many at Rock Creek feel thereís far too little focus on the regionís people and traditions. As the National Association of School Psychologists, the American School Counseling Association and other large-scale organizations focus on helping children cope with tragic events, Al-Kahouaji is determined to take her students one step further. ìThe root of all hatred is fear, but the ability to care for other people comes from knowledge,î she said. As for Al-Dafa and Kawar, each has a daughter enrolled in the Rock Creek school. --Heather Nalbone