Assalamu aleikum and good evening.

I’m delighted to be here tonight to share in this celebration of the holy month of Ramadan. It is always pleasure and an honor for me to attend Iftar, whether it is in Bangladesh where I am currently Mission Director, or in Egypt, where I served from 1997 to 2001, or other Muslim-majority countries I’ve had the opportunity to visit. I am especially pleased to have the chance to celebrate here in the United States with all of you this evening.

Ramadan is probably best known for the ritual of daily fasting. But Ramadan is also a time for reflection, devotion, generosity, discipline, and sacrifice. And for all of us, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, the values of peace, of sharing, of family and community are universal values that we all share -- regardless of faith or nationality.

These values are also fundamental to the goals and objectives of our work in development, where we try—everyday—to make the world a better place—a more prosperous place, a more healthy place, or a more fair and harmonious place for all people, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or other difference.