Aman Ali from 30 Mosques in 30 Days visits Denmark

On April 11-13, 2012, Aman Ali of the 30 Mosques in 30 Days, a project featured on CNN, visited Denmark as part of his speaking performances in Europe.

Aman Ali talking about 30 Mosques in 30 Days. Photo: State Dept.

Aman Ali being interviewed by Danish TV. Photo State Dept.

On April 11-13, 2012, at the invitation of the United States Embassy in Copenhagen, Aman Ali delivered his presentations on "30 Mosques in 30 Days" project to various audiences, including school students, mosque constituents, civic leaders, and the Danish public of Muslim and non-Muslim background in 3 Danish cities of Copenhagen, Odense, and Aarhus. Featured on CNN, BBC, and other international media, "30 Mosques in 30 Days" was a collaborative project between Mr. Ali and Bassam Tariq in which they traveled to 30 mosques in 30 states for the entire month of Ramadan in 2010 and 2011. By the end of their second year, they had sojourned to all 50 states, including as far as Alaska and Hawaii, the south in Alabama, and South Dakota. Having experienced cultural and geographical diversity in the United States, "30 Mosques in 30 Days" projected the American values of tolerance, societal inclusion, and peace; all of which embeded in Aman Ali's humor.

On April 11, 2012, Aman Ali presented his "30 Mosques in 30 Days" to eight and ninth grade students at the DIA Privatskole and mosque constituents at the Dansk Islamisk Center in the Danish capital Copenhagen. Focused on the idea behind visiting 30 different mosques in 30 states for 30 days in the month of Ramadan, his presentations also conveyed religious, cultural, geographical diversity and tolerance in the United States—ideals that Denmark also shares. On the same day, he also shared his experiences and participated in a discussion with some of the minority figures at the Somali Diaspora Organization. Stressing ethnic and cultural differences and difficulties minorities face, the conversation was inspirational.

Continuing his tour in Denmark, on April 12, 2012, Aman Ali visited Odense where he engaged in interfaith dialogues with Reverend Toben Hangaard and other religious and community leaders. During this meeting he discussed about his experiences in the United States during the "30 Mosques in 30 Days" project and related similar experiences to what these individuals face in Denmark. This was followed by an interview with TV2 Fyn Odense during which Aman Ali spoke about his observations and cultural encounters in Denmark. Furthermore during the evening, he presented his stories at the Vollsmose Kulturhus to mosque constituents of different ethnic backgrounds. 

On April 13, 2012, Aman Ali concluded his trip in Aarhus during which time he spoke to two different groups of students. Whereas in the morning he delivered his presentation to elementary students at the Selam Friskole, later in the afternoon he presented his stories to a group of Arabic studies students at Aarhus University. More importantly, all of these speaking engagements provided the opportunity for his audiences to be interactive, inspiring them to engage in their own societies and attempt to understand each other to establish a peaceful and more harmonious community.

To learn more about the "30 Mosques in 30 Days" project, click here.