JEDDAH, 21 September 2007 — Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer and supplication for Muslims worldwide. In efforts to allow people — Muslim and non-Muslim alike — to get a better look at how American Muslims observe the holy month, a web chat will be held on Sept. 26 at 10 a.m. EDT (14:00 GMT).

The web chat will feature Seema Matin, a public diplomacy officer for the US Department of State. Matin will discuss what life is like in America for Muslim women, who choose to wear the hijab, and how she and others are marking the festive season.

Matin’s focus as a public diplomacy officer is on Muslim outreach efforts. Currently working for Under Secretary of State Karen Hughes, Matin has been recognized for her contributions to one of Hughes’ “War of Ideas” initiatives, which focuses on countering ideological support for terrorism.

Matin first joined the Department as a Foreign Service specialist in January 2002.

Her first assignment was at the US Embassy in Riyadh. During this tour, Matin was the first woman to serve as the US ambassador’s representative to the biannual Kabaa Washing Ceremony in Makkah, Saudi Arabia — one of the most prestigious functions in the Kingdom.

In July, Matin met a group of young American Muslims between the ages of 20-25 to discuss the importance of making their voices heard in mainstream American society and to encourage them to consider careers in public society.

Matin, who chooses to wear the hijab, was reported as describing the attire by saying, “My head covering signals to the world that highly educated professional women can wear the hijab to express their faith.”

The youth trip to Washington was arranged by the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), a public service agency working to improve the civil rights of American Muslims, for the integration of Islam into American pluralism, and for a positive relationship between American Muslims and their representatives.

Sireen Ahmed, a Jordanian Muslim who has lived in the US with her family for the past 13 years and is visiting her sister in Jeddah, told Arab News, “I believe these types of web chats are very useful, especially in helping to get rid of the negative stereotypes a lot of people around the world have about Islam and Muslim traditions.”

Individuals wishing to participate in the web chat can register by logging on to: http://webchat.state.gov.