Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry joined with Muslims from Fort Wayne to commemorate the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Henry hosted the 10th annual Mayor’s Iftar Monday night at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory. More than 150 Fort Wayne Muslim residents shared the sundown meal, or Iftar, at the event.

“Fort Wayne has prided itself in being a diverse community,” said Henry. “We’ve celebrated our diversity over the years and this is one way of sharing with the community that we recognize the presence of the Muslim community in Fort Wayne. And to be able to host an Iftar is something that I’m very proud of and I’m honored to do and hopefully I’ll do it for quite some time to come.”

Henry was the first mayor Indiana Mayor to start such a tradition at the city level.

The Mayor’s Iftar was organized and sponsored by the Fort Wayne chapter of the Muslim Alliance of Indiana.

“We appreciate the Mayor’s openness to embrace the diversity of our great city and to share in the breaking of fast during this important month of Ramadan,” stated Dr. Farrukh Adhami, a MAI Board member, and Oncologist.  “As Americans we are proud of the positive role we play in our community and are glad that this is recognized by our public leadership.”