Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes recently attended Iftar and dinner at the home of Shaista and Rafat Mahmood near Washington.Ms. Hughes said, “One of the great strengths of the United States is the diversity of its faiths."
Hughes and U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales joined religious leaders, ambassadors and community members in taking part in the tradition. About 100 people of all faiths attended the Iftar and dinner.
Steven Roy Goodman, Vice President, Washington Chapter of the American Jewish Committee and Tufail Ahmad of the Montgomery County Muslim Council attended the event and said they appreciate the similarities between the two religious groups.
Mr. Goodman said, “ Interfaith dialogue in the form of a festival or in the form of a dinner or in the form of an event helps the outside world to see that people are people and that by getting together and peacefully talking through issues that we advance peace in the world.”
Mr. Ahmad said, "The most important thing we as Muslims can do is to break barriers and mix with families around us and show we are the same as any religion."
