Embassy Celebrates Ramadan with Czech Muslim Community

August 25, 2010

Chargé d’Affaires John Ordway with Khalid Serbouti (right) and Lukas Lhotan (left) at the U.S. ambassador’s residence.

Resuming a long Prague tradition, a dozen Czech Muslim community leaders joined US Embassy staff to break their Ramadan fasts at an Iftar dinner at the U.S. ambassador’s residence on August 24.  Citing U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent White House address to Muslims, Chargé d’Affaires John Ordway underscored the U.S. government’s commitment to freedom of religion.

Lukas Lhotan, an editor of “Secrets of Islam” magazine, noted that more should be done to acquaint the general Czech population to its Muslim community, enabling Czechs to avoid the problems with Muslim minorities that are typical in some other countries.  “Muslims feel at home in the U.S.  In Europe, they have never gotten over feeling like guests who are expected to return to Arabia one day. That makes a big difference,” he said.