Press Releases
Young Tanzanian Muslim Leader to Explore Religious Diversity in the United States
October 23, 2007
The U.S. Mission in Dar es Salaam has sent the Executive Secretary of Muslim Development Foundation of Tanzania, Shukuru J. Mohammed, to the United States to attend a three-week International Visitor Leadership Programme on “U.S. Political Process for Young Muslim Leaders.”
The U.S. State Department sponsored-study tour opened in Washington D.C. on Monday, October 22 and concludes in San Diego, California on Friday, November 9, 2007.
According to a U.S. Embassy statement, the programme intends to introduce Mohammed and his six fellow participants from Africa to the structure and foundation of the U.S. government and citizen participation in the decision-making process; to demonstrate the impact of religion on life in the U.S., and to explore the activities of faith-based groups in the American social, educational and political arenas.
Other goals are to illustrate the principles of religious tolerance, interfaith dialogue, and separation of church and state; to allow participants to observe diverse examples of Muslim leadership; and to enable Mohammed and other participants to witness examples of the evolving influence of ethnic and religious minorities and women in business, government, community and social affairs. To see the diversity of the Muslim community in the United States first hand, participants will visit several other American cities.
In New York City, the delegation will receive an overview of the religious diversity of the city; meet with Union Theology Seminary representatives; and visit Alianza Islamica, a mosque serving Harlem’s Muslim Puerto Ricans and Al-madrasa Al-Islamiyah in Brooklyn -- the oldest Islamic school in America.
In Little Rock, Arkansas the delegation will meet with Arkansas Interfaith Alliance; the Islamic Center for Human Excellence, and will tour the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. In Portland, Oregon the delegation will examine interfaith dialogue and religious education in another faith community at the Portland Jewish Academy.
The programme concludes in San Diego, California where participants will have the opportunity to visit the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies. At San Diego State University, the delegation will meet with members of the Muslim Students Association, and discuss the group’s work on campus and their experiences as American Muslims.
“I have many expectations from this tour,” said Mohammed, adding that he expects to explore the differences between East African Muslims and American Muslims, especially U.S. Muslims’ social-political, and engagement with the U.S. Government after 9/11. He is also interested to learn about the U.S. political system, and how religious groups peacefully co-exist.
Mohammed will travel with a delegation of other young Muslim leaders from Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, and South Africa.
This International Visitor Leadership Programme is run by the U.S. State Department on behalf of the American people. It is intended to facilitate personal and professional contacts between the people of the United States and Tanzania. It is part of overall U.S. Government direct and multilateral assistance to Tanzania of more than half a billion U.S. Dollars (over 625 billion Tanzanian shillings) in fiscal year 2007.