Special Briefing by Farah Pandith, Special Representative to Muslim Communities

US State Dept. ^ | 7-1-09

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Farah Anwar Pandith Special Representative to Muslim Communities Washington, DC

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MR. WOOD: Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome. Sorry for the delay. I think you all know we had some technical difficulties.

I’m very pleased to have with us today Special Representative to Muslim Countries [1] Farah Pandith. And Ms. Pandith’s going to brief you on her new position and the Administration’s efforts to create opportunities for dialogue with Muslims around the world.

So I’m going to turn it over to her in just a second. I just wanted to ask, before asking your questions, if you could identify yourselves and your news organizations, we would greatly appreciate it. Okay, so I’ll turn it over to Ms. Pandith.

MS. PANDITH: Good afternoon. Again, I’m sorry that you all had to wait. Technical difficulties are technical difficulties.

My name is Farah Pandith and I am the Special Representative to Muslim Communities.

I thought what I’d do before we do Q&A is to take a couple of minutes and tell you a little bit about my background, because there were a lot of questions on that, and then tell you a little bit about the role that the Secretary envisions for me, and then open it up for questions if that’s all right.

I was born in India and grew up in Massachusetts. I did all my education in Massachusetts. I went to Milton Academy, I went to Smith College, and I went to the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. I have had experience working in both the public and private sector.

I was vice president of international business for a company outside of – in Boston and had a chance to really think about the international marketplace, so to speak, from a lot of different perspectives. And I think that’s important when you think about the way in which we’re looking at this role: How do you harness the different sectors and how do you think about things in a creative way?

This unique perspective has allowed me to think about what’s possible. And I have worked since 19 – excuse me, since 2003 in three different sectors, three different parts of the United States Government.

I was in the U.S. Agency for International Development. I was at the National Security Council at the White House. And for the last two years, I’ve been at the Department of State working in the Europe Bureau.

The role that was created for me in the Europe Bureau was the first of its kind in U.S. history. And it was an opportunity for me to engage with our embassies with Muslims across Western Europe, and I did that for two years. And I’m mentioning it because I think it’s very important when we think about how we’re doing things globally now.

A strong part of thinking about engagement is to understand the nuances that are taking place in different regions. And while I did have a European portfolio, I did have an opportunity over the course of the last couple of years to work with our embassies in South Asia and Africa and in the Middle East.

And what that brings to the table, I think, is an opportunity to think about the grassroots level, to think about what mainstream Muslims are thinking and doing and how they want to figure out ways to create dialogue. And that is where this leads us.

This new role is a historic role, and it’s the Secretary’s vision for engagement through our embassies overseas. I had the opportunity to brief her at the end of January on the work we had done in Europe. And in that briefing, she completely got it.

She understood the nuances. She understood the need for our country to build relationships with Muslims overseas in Europe in that context.

She is somebody who has been doing engagement for a very long time. This is not just new to her. After all, when she was First Lady, she was the person who created the Iftar at the White House. So this is a long-term interest of hers, and it’s something that she got when we talked.

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Rest at link

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Hillary wasn't the one to introduce her. I think she's being marginalized more and more.

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~~PING!

[sageb1]

“After all, when she was First Lady, she was the person who created the Iftar at the White House.”

Thanks for nothing, Hillary.

[RC2]

How about a Representative to Judeo/Christian countries? Or is that asking to much?

[the long march]

Her remarks indicate the GWB and cONDI rICE CREATED SPECIAL JOB FOR HER. jUST ANOTHER REASON TO BE DISSATISFIED WITH w

[the long march]

Sorry lousy typist today. Obviously hit the caps lock at the wrong time. flame away of you must

[Celerity]

America’s liason to Islam has already been established : Military Generals.

Schwarzkopf did a fine job.

[the long march]

Oh I agree. Unfortunately the wussy boy COlin POwell and his leader GHWB made him stop a bit short of fini

[STARWISE]

Aah .. a sneaky BDS attack. LOL....