EMBASSY GHANA'S RAMADAN OUTREACH TO MUSLIM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 002435

SIPDIS

FROM THE AMBASSADOR FOR U/S HUGHES; AF/PDPA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GH KISL KPAO PGOV PREL PTER SCUL SOCI
SUBJECT: EMBASSY GHANA'S RAMADAN OUTREACH TO MUSLIM
COMMUNITY

REF: STATE 159092


1. SUMMARY: This year Post continued to expand its Muslim
outreach program during the recently completed Ramadan
celebrations. The Embassy hosted more events, took the
program to more areas, and reached more Muslim citizens than
in any year so far. I was involved personally in several of
the activities, including providing meals, both for the
Muslim leadership and for residents of Ghana's poorest Muslim
areas, and hosting an Iftaar dinner at my residence. We
sponsored soccer tournaments for Muslim youth and met with
regional Ministers in the Muslim North. We also sponsored a
Koranic quiz for Muslim students, working with Muslim
organizations on each activity. Many officers played
important roles in the outreach program, which received
excellent press coverage throughout Ghana. One officer
addressed 20,000 attendees at an Eid speech in Kumasi. END
SUMMARY


2. Prior to Ramadan (and before I presented my credentials),
the DCM on October 6 formally hosted a Daniel Pearl Music Day
jazz evening at my residence, per ref A. PolChief and a
USAID official who were friends of Daniel Pearl spoke about
their relationship with him, emphasized the need for
tolerance, and condemned the evils of terrorism to an
audience of several hundred, including many Muslim leaders.


3. Embassy officers paid a courtesy call on the National
Chief Imam the first day of Ramadan (the Imam said it was the
first time a diplomat had visited him so early during the
holy month.) I then hosted an Iftaar at the Residence for
120 Muslim leaders, our largest ever in Accra, and included
some third country diplomats for the first time. In
addition, the Mission joined forces with a Ghanaian Muslim
organization formed after September 11, Friends Against
Global Terrorism (FAGLAT),to organize a series of Ramadan
events:

-- Iftaar food donations in two poor Muslim neighborhoods of
Accra: Nima and Ashiaman (where I addressed over one hundred
Muslim leaders),and passed out the first parcels of food.

-- Iftaar food donations in Kumasi (Ashanti Region) and
Tamale (Northern Region),for both the moderate Tijania and
more conservative Alhasuna communities. While in these
regions, we made calls on a wide range of Muslim leadership
and met with the Regional Ministers. ECON, PAS, and POL
officers organized and led these events.

-- Iftaar donations to include for the first time Wa
(capital of Upper West Region),Bolgatanga (capital of Upper
East),and Larabanga (in Northern Region, home to a 600-year
old mosque, the oldest in Ghana). The Regional Ministers of
each region accompanied Embassy staff throughout the visits.
Embassy officers also paid calls on the traditional leaders
of each area.

-- The Embassy sponsored soccer tournaments for Muslim youth
in Accra, Kumasi, and (for the first time) in Tamale. The
Accra tournament, attended by the DCM and ECON, was extremely
hard-fought and has already become a tradition in the Muslim
community. Sixteen teams participated. Pol Chief also
attended a soccer tournament for Eid in Ashiaman, organized
by the Muslim Dialogue and Humanitarian Organization.

-- The Embassy sponsored a Koranic quiz, in which twenty
Muslim youth participated. It was carried live on a popular
televison show, with US Embassy sponsorship prominently noted.

-- One Embassy Officer addressed a group of 20,000-30,000
Muslims at the Central Mosque in Kumasi, as part of the Eid
al Fitr festival. All the Kumasi-area Muslim leadership was
in attendance as was the Regional Minister.

-- We have also planned for a digital video conference with
Muslim youth here and in the United States.


4. Comment: This year's Ramadan outreach involved numerous
members of the Mission. The Iftaar food donations, which
were extensively covered in the local media and selected
Muslim publications, provided meals for an estimated
15-20,000 Muslims. At each donation, Emboffs gave speeches
emphasizing that Americans respect Islam and that the USG
spends around $12 million each year in programs benefiting
Muslim communities in Ghana. Our outreach effort was
extremely well received and generated good will across
Ghana's 20% Muslim population. Our Muslim outreach program
is year-round, and integrated through all Mission elements,
but our most intensive period of activity is during Ramadan.










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