American Muslims to Visit Europe in New Citizen Dialogue Project
Washington -- The United States and Europe are going through significant debates about immigration and integration right now, so “there is a lot we can learn from each other,” says Mehdi Alhassani, 22, an American Muslim from Boston.
“Europe is a very critical fault line of the East and West,” he said. “If you look at how fast [immigration is] growing in Europe, it’s essential that we get this right.”
Alhassani, the son of Iraqi immigrants, is one of four Muslim-American community leaders who embark June 17 for Europe to meet with hundreds of European Muslims in Berlin, The Hague, Netherlands, and Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of the Citizen Dialogue program of the U.S. State Department.
The five-day program is an effort to mobilize and amplify the voices of U.S. Muslims and Arab Americans, to encourage a cross-cultural dialogue and to advance diplomacy, according to Heidi Fincken, special adviser to Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes.
The delegates will serve as a bridge between the Muslim world and the United States, Fincken said. The Citizen Dialogue program sets up forums of exchange so that American Muslims can meet with European Muslims to present a genuine view of their lives in America.
Alhassani has participated in many interfaith dialogues, political debates and events to help educate people about Islam. Now he hopes to help educate others about his experience as a Muslim American.
“From my time studying abroad in London and traveling to the Middle East, I realized that there is a general impression that Muslims in America are not treated well and are discriminated against,” said Alhassani. “I’ve had numerous conversations with people abroad explaining to them how untrue that is and explaining to them that while there have been some unfortunate incidents, the vast majority of Americans want to learn more about Islam, and that Muslims live great lives in America.”
Alhassani said he feels that these dialogues are an opportunity for him and other American Muslims to assume and active role in dispelling myths about the United States and of working towards the goal of a “peaceful and free society.”
“It is really important Muslim Americans make it clear that Americans treat Muslims like every other American. People are always shocked when I tell them things such as how there is a Friday prayer service held in the Capitol Building [in Washington] for all the Muslim congressional staffers,” he said.
Alhassani and the other delegates will have many opportunities to engage directly with European-Muslim community members and answer questions about the place of Muslims in American society. Over five days the delegates will participate in town hall meetings, community events, mosque visits and volunteer work.
Under Secretary Hughes established the Citizen Dialogues program in response to requests she received from European Muslims during a trip to Germany early this year. She met with a group of German Muslims who wanted the opportunity to meet with American Muslims to hear about their experiences living in the United States.
Hughes plans on organizing three more groups of Muslim-American community leaders who will participate in similar exchanges in South Central Asia, the Middle East and the East Asian Pacific regions.
The other delegation members for the June 17 trip are Farah Pandith, director for Middle East Regional Initiatives of the National Security Council of the White House; Yahya Basha, a physician and president of Basha Diagnostics; and Talal Eid, an imam who ran the Islamic Center of New England for many years.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.
Washington File
Alhassani, the son of Iraqi immigrants, is one of four Muslim-American community leaders who embark June 17 for Europe to meet with hundreds of European Muslims in Berlin, The Hague, Netherlands, and Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of the Citizen Dialogue program of the U.S. State Department.
The five-day program is an effort to mobilize and amplify the voices of U.S. Muslims and Arab Americans, to encourage a cross-cultural dialogue and to advance diplomacy, according to Heidi Fincken, special adviser to Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes.
The delegates will serve as a bridge between the Muslim world and the United States, Fincken said. The Citizen Dialogue program sets up forums of exchange so that American Muslims can meet with European Muslims to present a genuine view of their lives in America.
Alhassani has participated in many interfaith dialogues, political debates and events to help educate people about Islam. Now he hopes to help educate others about his experience as a Muslim American.
“From my time studying abroad in London and traveling to the Middle East, I realized that there is a general impression that Muslims in America are not treated well and are discriminated against,” said Alhassani. “I’ve had numerous conversations with people abroad explaining to them how untrue that is and explaining to them that while there have been some unfortunate incidents, the vast majority of Americans want to learn more about Islam, and that Muslims live great lives in America.”
Alhassani said he feels that these dialogues are an opportunity for him and other American Muslims to assume and active role in dispelling myths about the United States and of working towards the goal of a “peaceful and free society.”
“It is really important Muslim Americans make it clear that Americans treat Muslims like every other American. People are always shocked when I tell them things such as how there is a Friday prayer service held in the Capitol Building [in Washington] for all the Muslim congressional staffers,” he said.
Alhassani and the other delegates will have many opportunities to engage directly with European-Muslim community members and answer questions about the place of Muslims in American society. Over five days the delegates will participate in town hall meetings, community events, mosque visits and volunteer work.
Under Secretary Hughes established the Citizen Dialogues program in response to requests she received from European Muslims during a trip to Germany early this year. She met with a group of German Muslims who wanted the opportunity to meet with American Muslims to hear about their experiences living in the United States.
Hughes plans on organizing three more groups of Muslim-American community leaders who will participate in similar exchanges in South Central Asia, the Middle East and the East Asian Pacific regions.
The other delegation members for the June 17 trip are Farah Pandith, director for Middle East Regional Initiatives of the National Security Council of the White House; Yahya Basha, a physician and president of Basha Diagnostics; and Talal Eid, an imam who ran the Islamic Center of New England for many years.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.
Washington File
