US consul general inaugurates ‘Islam in America’ exhibition

American consul general Peter Haas inaugurated the ‘Islam in America’ exhibition at the Haji Ali Dargah on Tuesday.

The poster and video exhibition is being hosted in the city by the American Centre, Mumbai, in collaboration with Sayed Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari Dargah Trust to showcase the various aspects of Islam and Muslims in America and celebrate cultural diversity in America.

“The exhibit is a window to showcase this rich culture of pluralism among American Muslims to the people of India,” said Haas.

The exhibition, which will be open till September 18, comes just days before the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attack when Al Qaeda operatives hijacked airplanes and crashed them into the World Trade Centre’s twin towers in New York.

“In cities and towns across the United States, Muslim Americans participate in everyday activities with their fellow Americans, while at the same time maintaining the rich heritage of Islamic tradition,” a press release from the American Centre stated.

Later in the day, an array of people visited the exhibition. “I was amazed after seeing the various roles essayed by the Muslims in the US. The pictures dispel certain myths that I nurtured about the community,” asid Mugdha Pande, 19, a student who visited the exhibit.

“The Haji Ali Dargah in the city of Mumbai is itself an embodiment of diversity and pluralism. Therefore, we chose this location,” said Anne Grimes, director of the American Center.