Rita Zawaideh Honored at
El Centro De La Raza

Seattle: Caravan-Serai Tours owner, Rita Zawaideh, has been honored by the Seattle non-profit organization El Centro De La Raza. On October 13th 2007 the community services organization held their 35th Anniversary Celebration and recognized several people for their efforts in bringing communities together. Rita has been active on issues regarding civil liberties and other social issues as well as improving Arab-American relations. Just after the tragedy of September 11, 2001, she founded the Arab American Community Coalition which helps Arabs in the Seattle area combat hate crimes, discrimination and detention issues, promote a better understanding between Arabs and Americans and coordinate the resources of a wide range of organizations in the Seattle area. In addition to these activities Rita operates a successful tour company specializing in travel to the Middle East and North Africa and serves on the board of El Centro Del La Raza.

Rita has garnered much acclaim for both her community service and her business. She has received an award from the Greater Council of Churches and a United Nations Peace Award. Rita is a five-time winner of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine's Top Travel Specialists awards for travel to the Middle East and for the second year in a row has been recognized by National Geographic Traveler Magazine for her tours to Yemen as one of NGT's 50 Tours of a Lifetime. Over the summer she also received the Travel Age West Trendsetter Award for Best Community Service Effort.

El Centro De La Raza (www.elcentrodelaraza.org) is a Seattle non-profit organization based in the Latino community that focuses on building unity across all racial and economic sectors, to organize, empower, and defend our most vulnerable and marginalized populations and to bring justice, dignity, equality, and freedom to all the peoples of the world.

Caravan-Serai Tours (www.caravan-serai.com) provides expert travel services and tour organization to the Middle East and North Africa. The company caters to small and medium sized groups as well as independent travelers. All inclusive, tailor-made tours blend an educational and cultural experience with fun and adventure.

For more information about El Centro De La Raza contact them at:

El Centro De La Raza
2524 16th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 329-9442
www.elcentrodelaraza.org