Sharing heritage and celebrating Muslim valuable contributions, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Friday declared July as Muslim American Heritage Month.
“Today Utah is enriched by its Muslim American people and culture in the arts, cuisine, business, government and sports,” reads a declaration from Cox.
“For over a century, Muslims have been making valuable contributions to virtually every aspect of American society.”
We are happy to share that July has officially been declared Muslim American Heritage Month in the state of Utah! A moment of gratitude for the advocacy efforts of the @CivicUtah for their work towards a more equitable Utah where communities are welcomed & celebrated.✨ pic.twitter.com/DNNuRdJ4pw
— Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs (@MulticulturalUT) July 22, 2022
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The declaration stated that bigotry, stereotypes and anti-Muslim hate speech must be combated with education and awareness, KSL News reported.
Gratitude
Announcing the declaration, the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs expressed gratitude for the advocacy work of the Utah Muslim Civic League on social media.
“We are extremely thankful,” said Luna Banuri, the league’s executive director.
“The reaction from the community has been varying. Some had not heard about it and some had looked at it as the gateway to solutions for every issue the Muslims face in their daily life to be solved by this proclamation.”
This is not the only state that recognizes the contributions of Muslims and their achievements.
Last year, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a proclamation in December to celebrate January as Muslim History Month.
Also in 2021, the city of Fullerton, Los Angeles, recognized August as “Muslim-American Appreciation Month”
Ohio also celebrates the Islamic Day of Ohio every second Saturday in October since 1987.