WHEREAS, Harriett and Sultan Ahmad started the Sultan Jihad Ahmad Scholarship Fund in 1993 in loving memory of their young son Sultan Jihad, who was a victim of youth violence. On April 20, 1992 the first Sultan Jihad Ahmad Scholarship Fund Annual Awards Dinner where honorees included individuals and organizations that provided leadership in “Stop the Youth Violence” initiatives. Educational scholarships were awarded to local high school seniors planning to attend college and bank accounts were established for “at risk” youth identified as the little brothers of the Ahmad family; and
WHEREAS
,
Since its inception, the Sultan Jihad Ahmad Scholarship Fund has awarded well over $70,000 in scholarships to at-risk youth and community organizations across the City of Philadelphia. As a direct result of their contact with the Fund, youth recipients continue to actively advocate nonviolent behavior for themselves and other youths; and
WHEREAS, On the horizon of a new millennium, the Sultan Jihad Ahmad Scholarship fund will partner with Keystone Mercy Health Plan to present a “Spring Fling Non-Violence Weekend”. Events scheduled for the weekend of April 20 –April 22,
2000, include a Youth Anti-Violence Leadership Forum Luncheon, The Annual Sultan Jihad Ahmad Scholarship Awards Dinner and will culminate on Saturday with a 2000-Family Walk for Peace, two miles, on the Philadelphia, West River Drive; and
WHEREAS, Increasing the awareness that alternatives to violent destructive behavior exists and can be effectively utilized by all of the citizens of Philadelphia; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby declare Saturday, April 22, 2000 as the Sultan Jihad Ahmad Scholarship Fund and Keystone Mercy Health Plan “2000-Family Walk for Peace” Day. We applaud the tireless efforts of these organizations and their dedication to ending youth violence and promoting peace in the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Harriett and Sultan Ahmad, on behalf of the Sultan Jihad Ahmad Scholarship Fund, and Keystone Mercy Health Plan as evidence of the respect and sincere regard of this legislative body for their efforts, individually and collectively, to address the issue of youth violence and thwart the ever increasing incidences that have had a debilitating impact on all of the citizens of Philadelphia.
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