Cultivating Hope Despite a Hopeless Reality

Saleem Zaru, Executive Director of United Palestinian Appeal (UPA), will address the challenges faced by different Palestinian communities in Palestine and the diaspora, and discuss approaches UPA has developed over its 45 years of service to deal with the challenges.

Saleem grew up in Ramallah, Palestine and attended Ramallah Friends School, the American University of Beirut, Earlham College, and Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. With extensive, first-hand knowledge of the social and political environment in the Middle East and as a certified non-profit coach, Saleem frequently offers his broad range of expertise to numerous local advocacy and international development efforts.

As Executive Director of UPA since 2011, Saleem leads a diverse staff across five areas of operation (Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Washington, DC). He has provided strategic leadership in the expansion of UPA’s capacity to meet the growing relief and development needs of the most vulnerable Palestinian communities.

On Sunday, October 15, Sandy Spring Friends Meeting is proud to host Saleem at our Community House (17801 Meeting House Road, Sandy Spring MD 20860). His presentation will begin at 1:15pm in Community House Room 204. To access it live via Zoom, click here.