Pacifica Institute continues to create many opportunities for community leaders to connect with their constituents in many settings during Ramadan. To this end, Pacifica has been organizing Iftar dinners and have been inviting community leaders to join us to break fast together and have an Iftar dinner on the same table.
On July 5th, 2015, in a night filled with warmth and joy, Congressman Eric Swalwell has broken fast with Turkish American Muslim Community at Pacifica Institute, Silicon Valley Branch. Pacifica Institute community is grateful to Congressman Swalwell for joining us for a night of understanding, dialogue and compassion.
Congressman Swalwell has mentioned that he has spent the day fasting to better appreciate how Muslims feel during Ramadan. This is a generous act of compassion for all Muslims observing Ramadan all over the world. Pacifica Community warmly thanks Congressman Swalwell for his attendance and appreciation of an Iftar dinner together.
Congressman Swalwell gave a short speech starting with the Turkish Greeting ‘Merhaba’ (Hello) and greeted the community with ‘As-Salamu Aleykum’ which is the common way Muslim people greet each other. He then thanked Pacifica for the Iftar invitation. ‘After having spent the past week in Turkey and getting just a little taste of Turkish hospitality, this dinner further affirms my feelings about Turkey and people of Turkey’ he said. During his time in Turkey, he mentioned that he had the chance to see many historical places including Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Mosque, Galata Tower, and an unforgettable tour of the Bosphorus. His week-long trip was for governmental relations and he is looking forward to seeing Turkey again on a larger scale.
Congressman Swalwell has also mentioned the upcoming annual Children’s Festival organized by Pacifica Institute. He applauded the effort to bring such diverse communities together in such a festival and emphasized that it will contribute to the dialogue activities within Silicon Valley and help connect many different cultures on a common ground of universal peace.
He finally presented a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition to Pacifica Institute ‘In honor of your Annual Ramadan Celebrations’. The certificate goes on to say ‘I applaud your commitment to promoting intercultural & interfaith dialogue and peace in our community’. The certificate was humbly accepted by the branch director Mahmut Altun. Pacifica Institute also presented a hand-made pottery piece to Congressman Swalwell in appreciation of his presence at the event.
Pacifica Institute was deeply honored to host Congressman Swalwell and warmly thanks him and his staff for attending the dinner. We look forward to hosting them again at a future community event at Pacifica.
