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Islam in America - Women's Issues and Tolerance in American Society

Photo courtesy of Seema Matin

Seema Matin Date: Thursday, 12 June 2007 Time: 12:00 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT) View Webchat Transcript

Seema Matin will discuss what life is like in America for a covered Muslim professional woman. Additionally, she will address how the United States' political, economic and legal systems support diversity, religious and personal tolerance; how they tackle discrimination; and the ways in which they promote personal choice and opportunity.

Guest Biography: Seema Matin joined the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Specialist in January of 2002. Her first assignment was at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During this tour, she was the first female to serve as the U.S. ambassador’s representative to the bi-annual Kaba Washing Ceremony (one of the most prestigious diplomatic functions in Saudi Arabia). In June of 2003, Matin was selected to support a visit by President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell to Doha, Qatar. For her service in Riyadh, she earned the State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award.

In June of 2004, Matin switched to the civil service and worked in the Department’s Bureau of International Organizations, Office of Policy, Planning, and Congressional Affairs. She currently is a public diplomacy officer working for Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes. Matin has been recognized for her contributions to one of the Hughes' War of Ideas initiatives, which focuses on countering ideological support for terror. Matin's portfolio consists of: a joint Department of State/Department of Homeland Security initiative aimed at enhancing entry procedures at U.S embassies and airports to improve U.S. tourism and business; a summer youth enrichment program that focuses on underprivileged, underserved youth around the world; and Muslim outreach efforts.

Matin was born in Annapolis, MD, and received a B.S. in computer and information science and a M.S. in information management systems from the University of Maryland. She currently resides in Arlington, VA.