President Barack Obama hosted an Iftar dinner Tuesday evening in celebration of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, which began on June 18.
"Last night's celebration was President Obama's seventh Iftar dinner at the White House," the White House said on its website. The website said the dinner included diplomats, White House staff and leaders from the Muslim community.
"Our Iftar is also a reminder of the freedoms that bind us together as Americans, including the freedom of religion — that inviolable right to practice our faiths freely," the President said during the event.
Iftar is the Arabic term for the meal Muslims have when they break their fast at sunset.
During the dinner party, Obama recognized several famous figures from the Muslim-American community, including Samantha Elauf, who campaigned to defend her right to wear a hijab at work and garnered a Supreme Court ruling in her favor.
"To all of you, and to Muslim-Americans across the country — Ramadan Kareem," the president ended his remarks saying.
