News Briefs

Arab students discuss goals

UCLA’s United Arab Society held its second annual
“Sahra Night,” or nightly gathering, Thursday to
address the club’s goals and welcome students to a night of
Arabic food and music.

Hamada Al-Zahawi, president of UAS, stressed the importance of
moving past Sept. 11.

“We as a club took one step back because of Sept. 11, and
we took two steps forward,” Al-Zahawi said. “We will
try to educate the population that we’re not sympathizers of
terrorism and we’re not terrorists. We are members of the
community.”

At UAS, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Greek Orthodox and Druze
believers gather to work toward educating the community about
political, social and cultural issues affecting the Arab world,
Al-Zahawi said.

They recapped on past endeavors, such as in 2001, when UAS
collected more than 2,000 signatures to petition against Iraqi
sanctions, and gathered nearly 3,000 pencils for children they said
were being denied an adequate education because of the
sanctions.

The group is sponsored by UCLA’s Near East department, and
meetings are held Thursdays, in Bunche 10383 at 6 p.m.

Network holds trauma event

Members of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network gathered
for the first time Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles to coordinate
strategies for better addressing the needs of hundreds of thousands
of children and adolescents exposed to traumatic events each
year.

Supported by $30 million in federal funding over the next three
years, network members are addressing concerns which include
physical and sexual abuse or assault; natural and man-made
disasters; injuries from accidents or animal attacks; chronic,
severe or painful medical conditions, or invasive medical
procedures; domestic, school or neighborhood violence; traumatic
loss of family or friends; kidnapping; and war, terrorism and
political oppression.

Doctor to travel to Guatemala

UCLA pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Jorge Lazareff will travel to
Central America March 4-10 to bring attention to the toll taken by
diseases of the central nervous system in developing nations.

Lazareff, who practices at the Mattel Children’s Hospital
at UCLA, hopes his trip to Antigua, Guatemala, will show local
doctors and international policymakers how basic procedures can
improve the lives of children with brain and spinal cord defects.
He will also take on a number of surgical cases.

Compiled from Daily Bruin staff and wire reports.