Turkey’s top religious body head starts four-day visit to US

WASHINGTON – Anadolu Agency

The head of Turkey’s top religious body, the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), began a trip to the U.S., visiting the Turkish embassy and Georgetown University in Washington on Jan. 10.

On the first day of his four-day U.S. visit, Ali Erbaş met with Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington Serdar Kılıç at the his residence.

Erbaş, in a brief statement, gave information about his schedule, stating that he will have meetings to have an exchange of ideas with both Turkish community representatives and the leaders of the American Muslim community.

After the meeting with Kılıç, Erbaş also visited the Islamic Cultural Center in Georgetown University. He inspected the center, which is being renovated under the auspices of the Diyanet.

It was reported that the center, which will allow a large number of Muslim students to pray at the same time and to organize different cultural events, will be completed and put into service as soon as possible.

Erbaş, who will come together with representatives and opinion leaders of different religions on Jan. 11, is expected to give the Friday sermon at the Diyanet Center of America (DCA) in Maryland on Jan. 12.

The center, opened in late 2015 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is being run by Diyanet.

It is Erbaş’s first visit to the U.S. as the head of Diyanet, and he is accompanied by his wife, Seher Erbaş, and a delegation from the body.

After the program ends at the DCA, Erbas will leave for New York.