The Council of American Islamic Relations launched its annual "Sharing Ramadan" outreach effort designed to enhance understanding of Islam and to help Americans of all faiths meet their Muslim neighbors by taking part in a Ramadan "iftar," or fast-breaking meal.
The CAIR initiative is designed to address the rising level of Islamophobic prejudice in American society. Research shows that anti-Muslim bias decreases when people have access to accurate information about Islam and are able to connect on a personal level with ordinary Muslims.
In his message of support Nihad Awad, Executive Director Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said that to more than one billion Muslims worldwide, the month of Ramadan serves as a season of spiritual renewal and gratitude for the bounties bestowed upon all human beings. It is a month in which families become closer, communities strengthen their foundations and individuals reaffirm their spiritual roots.
In a recent poll commissioned by CAIR, we found that 1-in-4 Americans has a negative perception about Islam. However, the survey also indicated that most of those who held positive views about Islam had some sort of interaction in the past with Muslims and Islamic culture.
For these reasons, CAIR is calling on local American Muslim communities to take the month of Ramadan to reach out to their neighbors of other faiths and ethnic traditions in a wonderful new nationwide initiative titled "Sharing Ramadan."
'Sharing Ramadan' is an annual campaign started by CAIR for local communities to host iftar dinner receptions and open houses for our neighbors of other traditions. Since sharing and appreciation are essential components of Ramadan, we hope local mosques, community centers and Islamic schools will take this opportunity to invite their neighbors to join them for a meal during an iftar.
In this packet, [http://crm.cair.com/site/R?i=p5hxu8RI4_EQni0WB7Qtcg..] your community will find some necessary tips on how to organize and publicize "Sharing Ramadan" iftars. Samples of press releases and other publicity materials are included and, Insha-Allah, will help to make this initiative successful.
We suggest that each community interested in hosting a "Sharing Ramadan" iftar form a local committee in charge of organizing the event. This committee can be responsible for sending invitations out to local churches, synagogues and civic groups. The committee can also use the draft press release included to send to local media outlets who may want to cover the event. These are only a few of the ways that this packet can help our local communities successfully share their Ramadan.
Finally, on behalf of all of us, may you all have a blessed Ramadan. During this season, we seek a wider and deeper understanding of Islam and American Muslims by the general public.
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