Ramadan Iftar Celebrations in D.C. Hosted by UAE Embassy
It was a festive night in Washington, D.C. when Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the US and Minister of State, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassy hosted more than 150 guests celebrating Ramadan.
Various leaders gathered under a Ramadan tent designed specifically for the event. Guests included officials and members of the US Congress as well as a myriad of interfaith leaders from the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Sikh faiths. The guest list was significant as the event symbolized the message of religious and cultural tolerance and inclusion representative of the UAE people.
The guests partook in the iftar, a meal served at the conclusion of each day during the Ramadan season. Translated to “breakfast”, the intention of the meal is to end the day’s religious fast. In the Muslim culture, the people also take another meal, suhoor, which is served during the pre-dawn hours of Ramadan. Lasting an entire month, Ramadan is the holy period dedicated to the Quran recitation, prayer, contemplation, and fasting when the sun is up. Ramadan was celebrated between May 15 and June 14 this year in the US.
During the UAE Embassy iftar event, Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba spoke of the importance of inclusion, compassion, and tolerance, especially in today’s society. The 2018 celebration of Ramadan holds a special honor for the people of the UAE, as it is the Year of Zayed, commemorating the UAE’s Founding Father.
In addition to Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba, the celebration also featured remarks by Georgetown University senior research fellow Father Raymond Kemp as well as Rabbi Jack Moline, the president of the Interfaith Alliance.
Guests such as Congressman André Carson, the second Muslim ever to be elected to Congress, enjoyed the festivities which included spiritual music and food. Boxes of incense were gifted to the attendees as they left the party.
A few weeks after this iftar, the UAE Embassy hosted another iftar, this time inviting local Special Olympians. Special Olympics International CEO, Mary Davis, was a featured speaker of the event. The iftar’s guests were significant as the next Special Olympics World Games will be held in Abu Dhabi in March 2019. Many of the athletes invited to this iftar will be competing in these games. As the first country from the Middle East selected to host the Special Olympic Games, the UAE is honored to play this part in history.
