LONG BEACH, Calif. – With high aspirations and a vision for success, the Muslim Public Affairs Council’s (MPAC) seventh annual convention tackled tough challenges facing American Muslims.

More than 1,000 individuals from across the nation gathered at the Long Beach Convention Center on Dec. 15 for a full day of interactive workshops featuring prominent politicians, renowned scholars and influential leaders.

Speakers stressed the importance of civic engagement and media relations in the American Muslim community. The theme of this year’s convention, "Islam: A Call For Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness", highlighted the intertwinement of Islamic values with the founding principles of this country, striking back at those claiming "a clash of civilization."

In a broadcasted address, Howard Dean stressed that American Muslims are an integral part of the larger American society. "Through devotion to family, hard work and respect for education, American Muslims have shown time and time again their commitment to the values that make our country strong," said Dean, who is the Democratic National Chairman.

In the opening plenary entitled "Choosing Life and Liberty over Death and Tyranny", Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of Islamic Society of North America, and Dr. Maher Hathout, renowned author and senior advisor for MPAC, discussed the virtues of mercy in Islam and dispelled misconceptions perpetuated by mainstream media.

"The glamorization of death is unfounded in Islamic texts. Islam is a call for life that is based on the Qur’anic concepts of dignity, freedom and justice for all humans, regardless of their faiths and backgrounds," Hathout said.

Other sessions focused on building successful coalitions and developing skills to deal with the ever-mounting Islamophobia in today’s society.

"What most people don’t understand about phobia is that it is irrational. Just like you can’t cure arachnophobia with hard facts, you can’t cure Islamophobia by simply telling people that Islam means peace," said Edina Lekovic, communications director for MPAC who led the popular workshop "Truth Over Fear: Countering Islamophobia".

The workshop examined specific instances of discrimination in everyday life and gave attendees practical tools to employ if ever faced with that situation. "Whenever confronted by an individual, it is important to slow the conversation down and not get caught up in a heated debate. Introduce yourself and allow this person to see the humanity in you. As Muslim Americans, we must put a human face and a heartbeat to what many people see as an abstract faith," Lekovic told the audience.

Actor Adhir Kalyan, who plays "Raja", a Pakistani Muslim teenager on the popular groundbreaking new sitcom "Aliens in America", cemented Lekovic’s argument by showing how Islamophobia can be reduced when the unfamiliar Muslim character is portrayed as an ordinary human being.

Kalyan encouraged Muslim youth to become more involved in the Hollywood entertainment industry to counter negative stereotypes with positive images, as has successfully been done in "Aliens in America" and the Canadian sitcom "Little Mosque on the Prairie".

Following the workshops, community leaders, interfaith members and families crowded the convention ballroom to celebrate MPAC’s accomplishments at the annual banquet and fundraiser.

At the dinner, MPAC presented its inaugural Community Leadership Awards to two Los Angeles-based social services organizations, UMMA Community clinic and ILM Foundation, in recognition of their commitment to helping the vulnerable. The highlight of the evening featured a compelling address from Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel, who urged American Muslims to continue speaking out against unjust policies and to demand accountability from their elected officials.

While Gravel could not attend the convention due to an illness, his spokeswoman shared his powerful words with the audience. "Without your input, we will see endless wars. With your participation, we will envision peace and prosperity. With your support, we will make America the place it should be, the beacon of hope for all," she said.

MPAC Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati highlighted the organization’s notable achievements this past year, which included the successful launching of the MPAC Hollywood Bureau; the establishment of NewGround, a Muslim-Jewish partnership; and the initiation of the National American Muslim Young Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.