2008 Speeches and Articles
Ramadan Remarks from Ambassador Speckhard
Ambassador Daniel V. Speckhard
Jefferson House
Athens, Greece
September 16, 2008
Kalos Irthate. Salaam Aleikum. Welcome. And Ramadan Kareem.
It is truly an honor for me and my wife, Anne, to welcome you here tonight to celebrate Ramadan, a month that is holy to Muslims all over the world, including some seven million Americans.
The peace and beauty of sincere faith was expressed very well here tonight in the Muslim call to prayer we just heard. As Secretary Rice said a few days ago at the Iftaar she hosted in Washington:
"More than one billion people find comfort and hope in Islam, and Ramadan inspires them to renew their faith through sacrifice and prayer, reflection and charity.
People of all faiths can appreciate Ramadan’s spirit, one of love for family, devotion to community, and gratitude toward God...
For hundreds of years, people of all faiths and people of no faith at all have come to the United States to live in freedom, and we have welcomed them. We welcome them still."
Tonight, you see America's diversity before you in the U.S. diplomats at this dinner. Many of us have ties of faith, family, or friendship in the Muslim world, as well as here in Greece.
I know I speak for all of my colleagues when I say how privileged I feel to serve as an American diplomat here in Greece because, over the centuries, Greece has stood at a crossroads -- between East and West, North and South; between Christians, Jews, and Muslims -- and because Greece today still has an important role to play in this respect.
This is not an easy role, especially at this moment in history, when for the very first time in the human experience global forces have linked the fate of all people in all countries.
But whether we are talking about how interfaith dialogue can help defuse the kind of religious intolerance and extremism that still inspires terrorist attacks around the world, or about how people of faith can help fight poverty and disease, we all must do our part -- as diplomats, government officials, religious leaders, educators, journalists -- and as citizens.
Thank you all for being here tonight and once again, Ramadan Kareem