MISSION HOSTS FIRST IFTAR DINNER

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SUBJECT: MISSION HOSTS FIRST IFTAR DINNER


1. On October 20, 2005, Embassy The Hague Charge d'Affaires
Blakeman hosted a well-received Iftar dinner at the Charge's
residence, the first ever by the Mission. Forty-five key
contacts attended, including many Dutch Muslim leaders. The
Charge read President Bush's Ramadan message to the
gathered, and the PAO read it in Dutch. The largest Dutch
Moroccan television outlet in the Netherlands filmed the
Iftar for a ten-minute Arabic language report that will
reach many Muslims in the greater Amsterdam region. The TV
crew filmed interviews with the Charge, Consul General, and
Moroccan ambassador, who praised the Mission for hosting the
Iftar.


2. The Moroccan ambassador offered the prayer to break the
fast at sundown. Besides the Moroccan ambassador, the Iftar
drew the ambassadors of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the
United Arab Emirates, the DCMs of Turkey, India and
Pakistan, as well as three Dutch Muslim Members of
Parliament. The chairmen of the two largest Dutch Muslim
umbrella organizations, the CMO and CGI, attended, as did
the leader of the advisory body "Islam and Citizenship."
Other guests represented the Dutch MFA, Ministry of Justice,
Muslim student organizations, Muslim NGOs, universities, and
think tanks. Among the Muslim guests were twelve
International Visitor program alumni.


3. All guests commended the U.S. Mission for celebrating an
Iftar as part of our public diplomacy outreach. When
leaving, one Arab ambassador noted, "I'd like to see the
guest list because you had all the important people here."
BLAKEMAN