American and Dutch Muslims Engage in “Diversity Dialogues”
 

The American Embassy in The Hague and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund (based in Washington, DC) co-organized a major conference in Noordwijk, November 1-2.
 
“Diversity Dialogues - Sharing Ideas, Building Bridges: A Dutch-U.S. Muslim Dialogue” enabled a people-to-people exchange between over 70 Dutch and American Muslims focusing on identity, civic participation, media portrayal, youth development, women’s issues and economic opportunity. 

Participants included civic activists, imams, social workers, business people, elected officials, educators, students and artists. 

The desired outcomes were to:
(1) create a genuine dialogue between and among Dutch and American Muslims,
(2) exchange best practices for civic participation in society, and
(3) look at specific, future engagement between the two sides.

Ambassador Roland E. Arnall and Mr. Wade Henderson, President of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, addressed the importance of diversity.

In addition, sixty “Dialogue Partners” from both countries, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza, held parallel sessions and heard the dialogue participants’ final reports.  For more information, please see: http://thehague.usembassy.gov/ or www.diversitydialogues.nl