AMB POLT HOSTS 3RD ANNUAL IFTAAR DINNER

UNCLAS BELGRADE 001749 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM SR YI KPAO SUBJECT: AMB POLT HOSTS 3RD ANNUAL IFTAAR DINNER ¶1. Celebrating the customs of Ramadan as well as cooperation between members of different religious traditions, the Ambassador played host to Embassy Belgrade's 3rd annual Iftaar dinner this week (10/19). Over a meal which included both traditional Arab dishes and American favorites such as pumpkin and apple pie, important members of the Islamic community in Serbia (including the Mufti of Sandzak and the Mufti of Belgrade) mingled with representatives from the Embassy, community leaders of other faiths, and other foreign dignitaries, mostly from countries with significant Islamic populations (Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Indonesia, Tunisia, Lebanon). ¶2. Before the dinner, in a show of continued assistance to the Muslim population in Serbia, Ambassador Polt discussed two Embassy-supported projects involving the Islamic community. One of these projects includes a grant of USD 50,000 from the Ambassador's cultural preservation fund, given to the Mufti of Sandzak to fund the reconstruction of a 14th century Mehteb (Islamic elementary school) in the Sandzak capital of Novi Pazar. The Mehteb is part of Altun Alem mosque, one of the oldest Islamic structures in the region. Additionally, the Ambassador commented on the U.S. funded reconstruction of the Belgrade Islamic Community Center destroyed in March 2004, which is nearing completion. ¶3. Of particular note, the Ambassador encouraged dialogue between the two Muftis, who have been at the center of a divide in the Islamic Community in Serbia. In the end, conversations between the two Muftis were vibrant and animated. Overall, the event was extremely well-attended with many of the leaders in Serbia's Islamic community expressing appreciation for the Ambassador's personal involvement in the now-traditional annual event. POLT