"I want and need the people of America to understand that Islam is peace and not violence. It is my duty as a Muslim to build bridges of understanding and love for all human beings," states El-Diwani.

As a Fulbright Scholar she took the opportunity provided by the Occasional Lecturer Program to lecture at five other institutions, including minority-serving institutions.

El-Diwani spoke about the Western misconceptions of Islam while visiting Howard University in Washington, DC. At Lee College in Baytown, Texas and at the University of Houston-Downtown, she discussed the global perspective in international education with students and faculty. She shared her extensive knowledge of Islam, women's roles in Islam, and the conflicts between modern and traditional cultures with audiences at Morgan State University in Maryland and San Diego Mesa College. There she challenged listeners with the concept of the Islamic dress as both a sign of modesty for women and as a "form of emancipation, freeing women from the madness of fashion-oriented society."In his final report to CIES, Dr. Ismal, assistant vice president for international programs at Chatham College and El-Diwani's faculty associate, summarizes: "She made an enormous contribution to our community and the greater Pittsburgh community and in places around the United States. She was an inspiration in offering wisdom from her background and experience in the Middle East. She also visited many homes, churches, synagogues, and high schools in her zeal to educate."