FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2020

CONTACT:
Laila Mokhiber, Director of Communications
laila@unrwausa.org

Washington, DC — The UNRWA USA National Committee (UNRWA USA) announced today the appointment of Mike Farah, CEO of Funny Or Die, and Nadia Saah, a media producer and advocacy strategist to its board of directors. 

With 5.7 million Palestine refugees depending on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) for a lifeline, Farah and Saah hope to use their entertainment connections and experience to mainstream American support for the UN agency. "Palestinian refugees have been struggling for decades, and I look forward to helping bring their stories to an American audience and showing them that we care,” said Farah.

Farah and Saah’s contributions to the UNRWA USA board come at a critical juncture as the incoming Biden administration is expected to restore US funding to UNRWA in 2021. The Agency is currently facing an existential financial crisis due, in large part, to the Trump administration's 2018 decision to cut all humanitarian assistance — over $360 million per year. 

For Saah, supporting Palestine refugees through UNRWA USA is deeply personal. “My parents were forced to flee their homes in Jerusalem in 1948. As a young refugee in Jordan, my mother began working for UNRWA to make ends meet and help devastated families like her own. UNRWA USA's work is critical to keeping Palestine refugees resilient as they struggle for their rights.” 

“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome both Mike Farah and Nadia Saah to the UNRWA USA board of directors,” said Ghassan Salameh, UNRWA USA board chair. “Their wealth of knowledge and experience in entertainment, media, and business will be invaluable. With their guidance and fresh perspectives, we will find ways to popularize American support for Palestine refugees. We've been fortunate to leverage both of their creativity for our media relations and to develop innovative content for our first-ever Virtual Gaza 5K + Digital Festival which reached thousands of Americans.”

Mike Farah is the Chief Executive Officer of Funny Or Die, the premiere comedy brand known for its award-winning content and an audience of more than 40 million people. Farah continues to grow Funny Or Die with his producing acumen, talent relationships, and industry leadership. He was producer on Funny Or Die’s first feature film, Between Two Ferns: The Movie for Netflix, and is executive producer for Impractical Jokers: The Movie. Prior to becoming CEO, Farah was Funny Or Die’s President of Production, and won two Emmys as executive producer of Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis, and an Emmy nomination for “Billy on the Street.” Farah was also instrumental in the development of “Brockmire,” a Funny Or Die video that was reimagined into IFC’s critically acclaimed and highest-rated comedy series. Named a “Maverick of Hollywood” by Esquire, Farah has also been selected to the “Silicon Beach 25,” and The Hollywood Reporter’s list of the Most Powerful Digital Players in LA. Farah is originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan and is a graduate of Indiana University. His career in Hollywood began as a food expeditor at The Standard, Hollywood.

Nadia Saah has served as an entertainment executive, campaign director and strategist for media companies, human rights organizations, and foundations including; Discovery Communications Inc., Warner Independent, Nintendo, the Gere Foundation, Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU), the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, and is a co-founder of BoomGen Studios. A Maryland University graduate in filmmaking, Nadia worked on several studio and independent features and currently produces and consults on Palestine-themed film and TV projects and advocacy campaigns rooted in justice and equity. She most recently served as the Deputy Director of the IMEU, and in 2020 she founded Project Forty-Eight to advance awareness of the Palestinian Nakba in the US.

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About UNRWA USA

UNRWA USA National Committee (UNRWA USA) is an independent nonprofit organization that provides support for the humanitarian work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). UNRWA USA aims to educate the general American public about the situation of Palestine refugees and generate support for UNRWA’s programs. US taxpayers are eligible for tax deductions for donations made through UNRWA USA.
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