RAMADAN 2003 PD STRATEGY: ENGAGING ISLAM

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004871 SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR REGIONAL PD OFFICES, R, IIP AND PA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL OIIP KPAO IS SPECI SUBJECT: RAMADAN 2003 PD STRATEGY: ENGAGING ISLAM REF: SECSTATE 302772 SUMMARY: TO CELEBRATE RAMADAN 2003, POST IS FOCUSING ITS PROGRAMMING ON ENGAGING OUR TWO MOST IMPORTANT AUDIENCES: MEDIA AND THE EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT. END SUMMARY. ¶1. THE EMBASSY WILL HOST TWO FORMAL IFTARS: THE AMBASSADOR WILL HOST AN INTIMATE IFTAR FOR HIGH LEVEL CONTACTS; PAO WILL HOST ONE FOR PRIMARILY MEDIA CONTACTS IN ABU DHABI. DCM, PAO AND POLOFF WILL ATTEND VARIOUS IFTAR AND MAJELIS MEETINGS. IN DUBAI, OFFICERS FROM THE CG ON DOWN HAVE ATTENDED NUMEROUS IFTARS AND POST-IFTAR MAJLESES IN ALL SIX OF THE NORTHERN EMIRATES. ¶2. TO ENGAGE EDUCATIONAL CONTACTS DURING THE MONTH, A SERIES OF PROGRAMS WITH UPBEAT THEMES HAVE BEEN PLANNED. PAO AND CULTURAL SPECIALIST WILL VISIT UNIVERSITIES IN ABU DHABI, AI AIN AND THE NORTHERN EMIRATES OF FUJERAH AND RAS AI-KHAMAH TO PAY CALLS ON EDUCATORS AND TO DISCUSS DONATION OF AMERICAN CORNERS. PAO WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION TO A CLASS OF STUDENTS AT A PRIVATE GIRLS UNIVERSITY ABOUT EDUCATION IN THE U.S., POLOFF WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION ON HIS EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH MINORITY PRESS IN THE U.S. WE WILL HOST A DVC AT ZAYED UNIVERSITY, A PRIVATE EMIRATI WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY, WITH EMIRATI STUDENTS IN THE U.S. AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM AN INTERNATIONAL DIVISION OF A UNIVERSITY IN THE WASHINGTON AREA TO TRY TO DISPEL SOME OF THE MOST PREVALENT MISCONCEPTIONS OF HOW MUSLIM ARABS ARE NOT WANTED AND MISTREATED IN THE U.S. ¶3. PRESS PLACEMENT OF OFFICIAL USG STATEMENTS ABOUT RAMADAN. THE PRESIDENT'S RAMADAN MESSAGE WAS SENT TO CONTACTS AND PLACED IN PRESS. THE PRESIDENT'S IFTAR WAS GIVEN FRONT PAGE PLACEMENT IN THE LOCAL PRESS DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF THE UAE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS SHAYKH HAMDAN BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN. ALBRIGHT