Reem Awad-Rashmawi Genealogy Events

Genealogy Conferences

Whether you’re new to genealogy or a seasoned pro, there are myriad opportunities each year to grow your knowledge and network with fellow family history enthusiasts at genealogy conferences. 

On an international scale, FamilySearch’s RootsTech will be held March 6-8 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and online. As “the world’s largest family discovery event,” RootsTech boasts hundreds of sessions in over two dozen languages, including Arabic. Many sessions are available online with a free registration, and other sessions and exhibits are open to those who attend in-person. Plus, videos from previous years are available on-demand for free and serve as an excellent resource. Peruse the Middle East North Africa regional page to get started. And, of course, make sure to check out NSAB’s Virtual Booth at RootsTech’s Online Expo Hall.

At the national level, the National Genealogical Society’s Family History Conference will meet this year in Louisville, Kentucky, from May 23 to 26. This year’s theme is Tales and Trails, and attendees can choose from fifty lectures in a variety of tracks, including DNA, Family Stories and Oral History, Methodology, Artificial Intelligence, Migration, Records & Repositories, Writing & Publication, and more.  

There are also numerous regional, state, and local genealogical organizations that offer conferences and webinars to help you further your genealogical knowledge. Examples include the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, the California Genealogical Society, the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, and the Houston Genealogical Forum. To learn more about these and others and discover more educational opportunities, check ConferenceKeeper.org for regular updates.

And don’t forget to mark your calendars for NSAB’s own mini conference that focuses specifically on Arab and Arab American genealogy. Our second annual Arab American Family History Day will be held online on April 26, and the NSAB board is hard at work planning a day that we hope will inspire and equip you on your family history journey.

Reem Awad-Rashmawi Genealogy Events, NSAB News

NSAB Connect

National Society for Arab & Arab American Genealogy (NSAB) members are invited to join our members-only NSAB Connect discussions held every other month. NSAB Connect is a place for those interested in or actively researching Arab and Arab American family history to share their research ideas, brick walls, and best practices. Some months have a discussion focus but will always be open for general discussion of all genealogy related topics.

Email invitations will be sent out to members.

Not a member yet:

JOIN HERE
Reem Awad-Rashmawi Genealogy Events, NSAB News

First Annual Arab American Family History Day on June 1st.

The First Annual Arab American Family History Day will be held virtually on Saturday, June 1, 2024 beginning at 9:00 AM PST. Reem Awad-Rashmawi, NSAB founder and genealogist at Photographs and Memories by Reem, will kick off the event by sharing NSAB’s vision and goals for its members. She will also give a quick introduction about Arab and Arab American genealogy research.

The introductory presentation will be followed by a panel with archive specialists who will share resources for Arab American family history research. The panel will include:

Participants can register on Zoom at

Arab American Family History Day Registration

Finally, following the open virtual session, at 11:30 AM PST, NSAB will hold a member-only “NSAB Connect” session. NSAB members will receive a separate registration email inviting them to join a casual discussion with other researchers and share their research ideas, brick walls, and best practices in Arab and Arab American family history.

Reem Awad-Rashmawi Genealogy Events, Resources

Arab American Genealogical Research at RootsTech 2024

Broadening genealogical research skills is an important way to assist with making new discoveries in your family history research. RootsTech Worldwide Conference, the largest family history conference, will be held tomorrow 29 February to 2 March 2024 in person in Salt Lake City, Utah, and free online worldwide. RootsTech began in person in 2011 and has transformed into a hybrid conference with courses in person and online. During the Covid pandemic, the 2021 conference was hosted online in 11 languages and was attended by over 1 million participants from 242 countries who had access to watch approximately 2,000 genealogical class sessions on-demand. The on-demand courses from 2021 to 2023 are still available to view on the RootsTech website.

This year, the conference includes several online presentations in English related to Arab American genealogy research.

28 February – Overcoming Challenges of Connecting with Your Middle Eastern Roots, Akram Khater, Khayrallah Center (pre-recorded)

28 February – Arab American Family History in the United States, Matthew Stiffler, George Harb, Arab American National Museum (pre-recorded)

1 March – Tracing Your Arab American Roots, Reem Awad-Rashmawi, National Society for Arab & Arab American Genealogy founder (live webinar)

Register Free Here for RootsTech Online

There are also several sessions in Arabic. To find them, search RootsTech On-Demand Library and choose a language option.

In addition to Arab American focused session, there are 100s of sessions to learn methodology and tips on research from records, archiving photos, interviewing family and more.