JEDDAH: Living in the Muslim world more than half of his life, US Consul General Martin Quinn, who assumed his recent post in September 2008, understands the importance of Islam to well over a billion of the world’s people.
He first came to the Middle East 35 years ago and has lived in many Muslim countries, including Syria, Qatar and Turkey.
“I appreciate the key role Islam plays in people’s lives. When you’re standing in the middle of Cairo hearing a thousand mosques call for prayers and people answer, that says something about the importance of Islam,” says Quinn.
Quinn’s appreciation for Muslims and Islam echo President Barack Obama’s speech in June, delivered from Cairo.
“I think that speech is well crafted and thoughtful,” said Quinn, referring to a copy of the speech in his hands. “I carry it with me everywhere. It answers so many questions that the Muslim world have had. It answers a lot of their aspirations in term of what they want of the relationship with the US.”
Quinn says that the current US administration was extremely sincere right from the start making the Middle East and its issues a real priority. “Things are going to take time. The president himself said that if the issues were easy, they would’ve been settled long time ago,” he said. Quinn tries to convey the idea that we are alike more than we are different. He stated that Saudi Arabia and the US need more opportunities to exchange cultures and thoughts.
“It’s wonderful that 21,000 Saudi students are going to the US this year. I’m also happy to see 200 Americans at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. We want to have more of that exchange,” said Quinn.
In solidarity with US Muslims coming to perform Haj, the consul general has a tradition of going out to meet them whenever they arrive in Saudi Arabia.
“We have traditions to go out and meet pilgrims; not everyone, because there are many thousands of Americans. But when we know that there are significant groups coming in, some of our officers and myself go and meet them and welcome them to the country. We know it’s a very significant event in their lives,” said Quinn.
Unlike India, Pakistan or the Philippines, the US government plays no official role in coordinating with Tawafa organizations to bring American pilgrims.
“We’re just basically there for citizens who need assistance. If they lose a passport or if there’s an accident or any legal difficulty, we’re always there for them,” Quinn said. The consul general praised the Saudi government in crowd control and public safety strategies implemented during the world’s largest annual gathering of humanity to make the event as safe as possible for the journey of a lifetime.
“It is a monumental undertaking. Most people are lucky if they make Haj once in their life,” Quinn said.
