1. In commemoration of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will host an Iftar dinner at the Minister’s official residence on May 29 for about 150 people from home and abroad, including diplomats to the Republic of Korea from member states of the the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

※ Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time when Muslims fast during daylight and practice mercy and tolerance to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad (This year, it started on May 17, and is expected to end on June 14.).

※ The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is a consultative mechanism launched in 1969 among Islamic countries. It has 57 members, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

2. Iftar, which means “breaking the fast,” is the first meal that occurs at sunset after a day of fasting every day during Ramadan. The Foreign Ministry has hosted an Iftar dinner during the month of Ramadan every year since 2004.

o The Iftar dinner has served as an opportunity to disseminate universal values of religious tolerance and intercultural understanding and communication between the ROK and the Islamic world, as well as contributed to enhancing friendly and cooperative relations between the ROK and Islamic countries.

※ The first Iftar event was a small one, attended only by ambassadors from 20 Arab countries, but this year’s event, marking its 15th, will bring together about 150 people carrying out activities regarding Islam in various sectors of society, establishing itself as an important asset in the Foreign Ministry’s public diplomacy.

3. The upcoming Iftar event will be attended not only by diplomats to the ROK from the Islamic world in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, but also by people from academia, the culture industry, the media, and the economic world, including those from the Korea Muslim Federation, the Halal industry, and the Korean Association of Arabic Language & Literature, as well as students in the ROK and next-generation leaders from Islamic countries. The event is expected to become a meaningful opportunity for the participants to reflect on peace, understanding, sharing, and thoughtfulness, which Ramadan symbolizes.

※ There are about 1.6 billion Muslims around the world. Some 160,000 Muslims are staying in the ROK.

* unofficial translation