[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 62 (Wednesday, May 18, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT

  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, the International Institute of 
Metropolitan Detroit is celebrating 75 years of service to our multi-
ethnic community. The institute was founded to help newcomers to 
America become creative and productive members of our society. Besides 
helping new immigrants with counseling, job placement, naturalization 
assistance, and instruction in English, it educates the community about 
the various ethnic groups and sponsors many cultural events.
  A series of commemorative events is taking place this anniversary 
year, none more important than the induction of five new members to the 
International Heritage Hall of Fame. The hall of fame was founded 10 
years ago to honor distinguished area leaders, each of whom represents 
an ethnic segment of the community and has made significant 
contributions to the community as a whole.
  I would like to say a word or two about each of the honorees who will 
be inducted into the hall of fame on May 25.
  Mary Bell, president of Bell Broadcasting, is a leader in social 
service, cultural, religious, and professional organizations. Her firm, 
established in 1956, constructed the first black radio station in 
America. She serves on many boards, is a strong promoter of the United 
Negro College Fund, and has received awards from diverse civic 
organizations.
  Father William Cunningham is a name in Detroit that is synonymous 
with Focus: HOPE. He founded this civil and human rights organization 
in 1968, and in 26 years it has grown from distributing food to tens of 
thousands of people to a state-of-the art place of manufacturing and 
education which is training a work force for the jobs of the 21st 
century.
  Yousif Ghafari founded a multidiscipline architectural, engineering, 
and computer applications firm with offices in Michigan, Ohio, and 
Indiana. His philanthropic interests include local institutions of 
higher learning, and he is a founding member of the Wayne State 
University Arab-American Scholarship Fund. His company provides 
scholarships and employment to minority students through the Detroit 
public school system.
  Maestro Neemi Jarvi came to Detroit in 1990 as the musical director 
of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He charmed concert goers the first 
evening he picked up the baton to lead the orchestra, and he has 
pleased his audiences ever since with his large talent, his great 
energy, and his joie de vivre. He has conducted major orchestras in 
many countries as well as the United States, and he has brought 
international acclaim to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra through 
recordings.
  Mado Olga Lie, a mother of 10 children, somehow finds the spare time 
to serve major Detroit cultural organizations. She is devoted to the 
arts and sciences. She has a multicultural background and tirelessly 
makes contributions to a multicultural community.
  Madam President, I want to congratulate each of these individuals, 
thank them for their devotion to Detroit, and wish them many more years 
of good health and good works.

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