On February 1-9, 2016, the U.S. Embassy hosted Director of the Secretariat of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi in Mongolia through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Information Programs’ (IIP) Traveling Speakers program. Dr. Elsanousi’s visit promoted interfaith relations and dialogue in Mongolia, as well as engaging a range of Mongolian audiences on the issue of Islam in America.
Kicking off his program in the capital city Ulaanbaatar, former Director of Community Outreach and Interfaith Relations for the Islamic Society of North America Dr. Elsanousi held a roundtable with religious leaders, which included Buddhist, Shamanist, Catholic, Russian Orthodox, and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints representatives. He also met with Arular Kazakh Women Association (KWA) representatives, and later delivered a public talk titled “Being an African-American in the U.S.” at the American Corner.
And traveling to the most western province of Mongolia, Bayan-Ulgii, Dr. Elsanousi continued his visit a meeting with Governor Kh. Darmen, Vice Governor N. Sanatbyek, Chairman of the Citizen’s Representative Khural B. Lazatkhan, Head of the Mongolian Muslim Association K. Sairaan, and others. Visiting a local secondary school Zayed and Bayan-Ulgii Branch of Khovd University of Education afterwards Dr. Elsanousi met with student and faculty. Also met ACCESS students and held public talk titled “Muslim Life in the U.S.” at the main mosque in Bayan-Ulgii. Whilst in Bayan-Ulgii province, Dr. Elsanousi met with the first woman eagle huntress Ms. Aisholpan and her family to spend a day experiencing Kazakh culture.
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