English: U.S. Ambassador Bernadette M. Allen, Niger’s Minister of Religious Affairs Issaka Labo:

Ambassador Allen (front,left) and Minister Labo

On January 23, the U.S. Embassy commemorated the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with an afternoon event at the American Cultural Center (ACC). The program included a screening of the documentary Martin Luther King: A Man of Peace, followed by presentations by Islamic cleric and scholar Cheikh Boureima Daouda and Christian pastor Rev. Soumaila Labo. Cheikh Daouda and Pastor Labo both emphasized the continued value of Dr. King’s legacy of peace and tolerance in the context of the current political situation in Niger, and reinforced these tenets as essential elements of the Muslim and Christian religious traditions.

Program participants included U.S. Ambassador Bernadette M. Allen, Niger’s Minister of Religious Affairs Issaka Labo, and noted religious leaders, academics, and human rights advocates, who filled the ACC auditorium beyond capacity.