Ramadan Kareem! As the new moon rises, the United States Embassy offers you our best wishes for the holy month of Ramadan.
We understand that Ramadan is a time of deep introspection and spiritual growth for our Muslim friends as they reflect on values we all cherish – justice, tolerance, compassion, and human dignity. We also know that
Ramadan is a special time for families and we hope that you enjoy the fellowship of family and friends. Just as they are in Niger, Muslims in the United States are celebrating Ramadan. During this period, they pray at the
more than 2,000 mosques in our country, fast throughout the day, and give to charity in Muslim communities as diverse as our nation itself. Muslims live, work, and pray in large communities such as Dearborn,
Michigan, New York City, and Los Angeles, as well as in smaller cities and towns across the United States. You may be surprised to learn that Muslims living in the United States come from 75 different countries of origin,
with diverse racial and ethnic identities. Some families can trace their history to the birth of our nation, or even earlier. Others are newly arrived. They are doctors, lawyers, teachers, factory workers, military members,
and more. Along with their friends and neighbors, they seek to fulfill their many hopes and dreams for their children. During this time, it is also appropriate to recognize the many American Muslims whose contributions
have truly made our society stronger and added to the rich cultural fabric of the United States. Although there are far too many to name, they include the world champion boxer Muhammad Ali; Nobel prize-winning
chemist Ahmed Zewail; and Fazlur Rahman Khan, known as the “Einstein of structural engineering.” Even the ice cream cone – a favorite of almost every American child – was invented by a Muslim, Ernest Hamwi, in
1904. As we have done in the past, the Americans at our Embassy created a video to wish our Nigerien Muslim friends a good holiday and to thank them for our longstanding and robust partnership. As you will hear, we
have attempted these greetings in Niger’s many languages. My colleagues have tried their best to master these languages, and we hope that you appreciate their efforts. Most importantly, our sentiments are quite real. We wish you a Ramadan holiday filled with joy and peace.
Eric Whitaker
U.S. Ambassador to Niger
