Religious leaders from the wide range of Ethiopian faith groups play a crucial role in promoting peace, unity, and harmony. On March 26, U.S. Ambassador Ervin Massinga hosted an interfaith iftar dinner at his residence to bring together faith leaders from Ethiopia’s different religious groups to celebrate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Massinga stressed that “this interfaith iftar is part of the U.S. Embassy’s commitment to creating bridges of understanding and respect that will bring people of different faiths together.”

In his remarks, Sheikh Haji Ibrahim Tufa, President of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC) said, “All religions preach peace and Ethiopian faith leaders are promoting dialogue through their umbrella organization: Inter-Religious Counci of Ethiopia.”

Religious leaders from Ethiopia’s different faith groups attended the iftar including the EIASC, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, Protestant churches, Beta Israel Jewish Community, and the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia.

The United States and Ethiopia share deep people-to-people bonds that ground our 120 years of diplomatic relations in an enduring spirit of friendship, respect, partnership, and the shared aspirations for the well-being of the Ethiopian people.  That spirit has propelled cooperation in health and education, agriculture and food security, science and the environment, and many other areas where the United States government and the American people have made enduring investments to help improve the lives of all Ethiopians.