Abourezk Law Offices             

November 14, 2002

Re: Letter of Support for the Bridge Between the Cultures Project of Cune Press

To Whom it May Concern:

In the wake of 9-11, it is crucial that people around the world take steps to promote mutual understanding and to heal the recrimination, hatred, ignorance, and fear that all too often have characterized relations between Western cultures and the Arab and Islamic Middle East.

The Bridge Between the Cultures Project of Cune Press will bring both American and Middle Eastern authors on tour in the United States and in the Middle East. It will promote dialogue. It will provide facts about the Middle East and about the United States that are often omitted or obscured in both the US and Middle Eastern media. In addition, this program will provide fresh commentary, Logic and perspective that will give citizens of both the United States and the Middle East as opportunity to think critically, to challenge long held assumptions, and to observe the sincerity of members of what are often regarded as hostile or "enemy" cultures.

Humanity needs a shared fabric of discourse to use in weaving our common future. The books, ideas, and authors made available by the Bridge Between the Cultures Project will provide raw material for such a fabric and will spark the needed disclosure. The books in question will include dual language English and Arabic books to give Practical assistance to those who wish to improve their proficiency in the language of the other.

I urge you to support Cune Press Founder Scott C. Davis in his efforts to make the Bridge Between the Cultures Project a success.

Sincerely,

James G. Abourezk

Former US Senator from South Dakota