Support understanding and empathy over conflict. Bringing the Arab and Western worlds together, starting with a single word.
The Understanding Campaign wants everyone in the world to read just one word of Arabic. Fhm (pronounced Fuh'hem) literally means Understanding. Through true understanding we can break down stereotypes and taboos – our mission is to begin with a single word. By joining the campaign you are saying you support empathy and understanding over conflict.
Arabic is spoken by more than 280 million people as a first language. Let's face it, there is a major problem concerning US and Arab relations. Our main goal is to break down those brittle walls of ignorance by saying that we do want to understand more about Arab life, art, and culture.
We need your help. The Understanding Campaign wants to be a non-profit organization. We want to go global. And we want you involved, too!
Once we are funded, we will begin developing more cultural projects that bring the Arab and Western worlds closer. We are planning the launch of a website on which publishers, small presses, and individuals can donate books to Al Mustansrieh University, Al Anbar, and other University Libraries. Contemporary literature and current reference books are almost non-existent in Iraq. This web resource will make it very easy for anyone to donate books to students that desperately need our help.
The campaign is growing fast!
Celebrities, authors, and artists are joining to help. You can too.
Visit:
http://www.understandingcampaign.org/
Please join our Facebook page and Twitter; help spread the word!
http://www.facebook.com/ucampaign
and
http://www.twitter.com/ucampaign
Are you an artist or designer? Go to our website to learn to write Fhm and make your own version. Email it to us and if we like it enough we will use it in the Understanding Campaign.
submit@understandingcampaign.org
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
296
Backers
$10,874
pledged of $10,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
Sep 17, 2010 -
Nov 4, 2010
- First created · 15 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
- Website: understandingcampaign.org
Pledge $5 or more
27 backers
Receive the official Understanding Campaign 1” pin and sticker featuring the Arabic calligraphy of Egyptian artist Ahmed Kandil.
Pledge $10 or more
38 backers
Receive a complete set of 4 pins and stickers – including our official design and limited edition works from Draplin Design Co., Post Typography, and Squid Fire.
Pledge $15 or more
8 backers
Want 10 of a particular sticker or button? Tell us which design you’d like and we’ll send you 10. Want 20, 30, 40, etc. of a particular sticker or button? No problem. Just add $15 to your pledge for each additional 10.
Pledge $19 or more
9 backers Limited (91 of 100 left)
New $19 pledge! You get a t-shirt of your choice AND the letter-pressed print. And a secret, limited edition prize. WHAT? Kinda crazy. Only 100 of these are available. Any extra money over our original goal will go towards Haneen’s first trip to the States!
Pledge $25 or more
131 backers
Receive a t-shirt with your favorite Understanding Campaign design (available in women’s, men’s, or kids’ sizes) and a complete set of 4 stickers and buttons. Want more than 1 shirt? Just add $20 to your pledge per shirt and we’ll sort it out by email.
Pledge $50 or more
25 backers
Get a reusable Understanding Campaign canvas tote bag, great for groceries, featuring all 4 of our designers – along with the t-shirt of your choice, and a set of stickers and buttons.
Pledge $75 or more
17 backers Limited (183 of 200 left)
Get all of the above and an original Understanding Campaign print featuring Egyptian artist Ahmed Kandil’s calligraphy, letter-press printed by NewLights Press – frame it for your office.
Pledge $100 or more
13 backers
Get all of the above and a custom designed set of 100(!) Understanding Campaign buttons -- your favorite colors, your favorite designs. And then start spreading the word!
Pledge $250 or more
0 backers Limited (50 of 50 left)
Get all of the above and an autographed copy of the short story collection that started it all, MLKNG SCKLS, signed by Justin and Haneen, founders of the Understanding Campaign.
Pledge $1,000 or more
0 backers Limited (6 of 6 left)
Donors get all of the above and an original Understanding Campaign artwork from either Ryan Schneider, Kamrooz Aram, Dan Rumain, Phu X. Pham, Adam Good, or Matt Bovie. We only have one of each; for more information, contact us directly.
Pledge $2,500 or more
0 backers Limited (12 of 12 left)
Join the Founders’ Circle (silver level) – Get all of the above (minus the original art) and a permanent link featured on our website as an official sponsor of the campaign!
Pledge $5,000 or more
0 backers Limited (4 of 4 left)
Join the Founders' Circle (gold level) – Come to DC and attend the Understanding summit. This is where the Campaign staff will meet with Arab/English cultural leaders, activists, and organizers to create new ways of connecting our two fractured worlds. This level of contribution not only helps the Campaign get off the ground, it will fly Haneen to the US for the first time where she can tour with the Understanding Campaign. Your flight (within the contiguous United States) and one night lodging is included. You will attend the summit where some of the staff, campaigners, and artists are meeting for the first time. This will happen sometime in 2011. And you get all of the incentives listed above (minus the original art).
