US embassy cable - 05AMMAN7932

UNCLAS AMMAN 007932 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R, NEA/PPD, IIP, PA, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF, KPAO, PREL, JO 
SUBJECT:  RAMADAN 2005 PA STRATEGY: ENGAGING ISLAM 
 
1. DURING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN, THE ENTIRE AMERICAN MISSION 
IN JORDAN WILL WORK TO REINFORCE PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF 
AMERICAN RESPECT FOR ISLAM AND ISLAMIC TRADITIONS.  OUR 
EFFORTS THIS YEAR WILL FOCUS ON EVENTS WHICH WILL CARRY THAT 
MESSAGE BEYOND OUR USUAL CONTACTS TO AUDIENCES NOT ALWAYS 
REACHED BY OUR STANDARD PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PROGRAMMING. 
 
2. AS AN INITIAL STEP, MISSION PERSONNEL FROM ALL SECTIONS 
AND AGENCIES HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO OPEN ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS 
AND STATEMENTS WITH THE TRADITIONAL LOCAL GREETING FOR 
RAMADAN IN ARABIC: RAMADAN KARIM OR RAMADAN MUBARAK. 
THROUGH THIS SIMPLE STEP, ALL MISSION AUDIENCES AND 
COUNTERPARTS, SPANNING ALL SECTORS OF JORDANIAN SOCIETY, 
WILL BE REMINDED OF OFFICIAL U.S. RECOGNITION OF THIS 
IMPORTANT MONTH. 
 
3. IN ADDITION, ALL EMBASSY SECTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO HOST 
IFTARS FOR THEIR KEY COLLEAGUES.  IN PAST YEARS, ONLY THE 
CHARGE OR AMBASSADOR AND THE PAO HAVE HOSTED OFFICIAL 
IFTARS.  THIS YEAR, THE CHARGE PLANS TO HOST AN IFTAR FOR 
APPROXIMATELY 50 RETURNED EXCHANGE GRANTEES WHOSE WORK 
FOCUSES ON INTERFAITH DIALOGUE AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE.  THE 
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE WILL AGAIN HOST ITS MAJOR ANNUAL EVENT 
WITH THE PRESS, AN IFTAR FOR NEARLY 200 JOURNALISTS AND 
WRITERS.  BY HOSTING THEIR OWN IFTARS, SECTION HEADS AND 
STAFF FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE MISSION WILL AGAIN HELP SPREAD 
PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE U.S. PARTICIPATION IN RAMADAN 
FESTIVITIES THROUGH ALL SECTORS OF JORDAN.  MISSION 
PERSONNEL ARE ALSO BEING ENCOURAGED TO ACCEPT ALL 
INVITATIONS FROM JORDANIAN COUNTERPARTS AND CONTACTS FOR 
RAMADAN IFTARS, SOHOURS, AND CULTURAL EVENTS. 
 
4. PA JORDAN WORKS WITH TWO LOCAL CIVIL SOCIETY 
ORGANIZATIONS IN DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOODS TO ENCOURAGE 
DIALOGUE WITH NON-TRADITIONAL AUDIENCES WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY 
CRITICAL OF U.S. POLICY IN THE REGION.  THIS YEAR, WE ARE 
EXPANDING THAT COOPERATION TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF 
JOINTLY ORGANIZING IFTARS FOR THEIR YOUTH GROUPS. 
SIMILARLY, PA JORDAN IS EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF HOSTING 
EITHER AN IFTAR OR AN EID CELEBRATION WITH ONE OR MORE OF 
THE LOCAL ORPHANAGES. 
 
5. PA JORDAN ALSO LOOKS FORWARD TO VIDEOS, PHOTOS, AND WF 
STORIES COVERING VARIOUS OFFICIAL EVENTS IN WASHINGTON AND 
ACROSS THE U.S. CELEBRATING RAMADAN.  THESE MATERIALS WILL 
BE USED WIDELY IN THE LOCAL MEDIA AND ON THE MISSION 
WEBSITE.  THESE MATERIALS HELP REINFORCE AND SPREAD OUR 
MESSAGE, WHILE SHOWING THAT AMERICAN RECOGNITION OF RAMADAN 
AND RESPECT FOR ISLAMIC TRADITIONS IS NOT ONLY A PUBLIC 
DIPLOMACY EFFORT OVERSEAS, BUT OCCURS BROADLY THROUGHOUT THE 
U.S.  HALE