US president hosts Eid al-Fitr reception at White House

By Firdevs Bulut Kartal

TORONTO (AA) - US President Joe Biden hosted a reception for Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, at the White House on Monday.

Biden thanked those in attendance and greeted them, saying "Welcome home."

“Thank all of you for joining us at the White House. It is the people’s house for real. It is your house. It represents the incredibly diverse contributions that Muslims made to our nation as teachers, engineers, doctors, lawyers, business owners, congresswomen and congressmen. Muslims have served very bravely in the US Armed Forces and law enforcement," Biden said.

Muslims are at the center of US culture and the arts, said Biden, referencing the Muslim Marvel superhero Ms. Marvel.

Today, more Muslim Americans are serving in Congress than any other time in US history, he said, adding this is very important for US democracy.

He also thanked all Muslim representatives and officials in his administration.

"We are determined to confront all forms of hate including Islamophobia, which is important to me and a priority for my administration, which is why I established an interagency task force to address attacks on Muslims, bias and discrimination," Biden said.

As a country founded on freedom and justice for all, “standing up against Muslim hate is at the core of who we are,” he added.