US Ambassador Visits W Nusa Tenggara's Islamic Center

MATARAM, W Nusa Tenggara, May 17 (Antara) - US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R Donovan JR and his wife, Mei Choo, visited the Hubbul Wathan Islamic Center Mosque in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Tuesday. During his visit to the largest mosque in the province, the US Ambassador was accompanied by Governor Muhammad Zainul Majdi and his wife, Erica Zainul Majdi, and the US Consul General in Surabaya (East Java), Heather Variava. Ambassador Donovan JR was impressed with the Hubbul Wathan Islamic Center. "Today, I visited Gili Trawangan. Although the beaches are beautiful and the water is clear, the highlight was today's meeting with the governor and the visit to the Islamic Center Mosque," he said. The ambassador added that his visit to Lombok was his first, which came six months after serving as the US ambassador to Indonesia. He had heard much about Lombok, especially from the US Consul General, Variava. "Last weekend, I visited southern Lombok. It has a beautiful beach. Yesterday, I visited Senggigi. I had heard a lot about the Islamic Center from the governor," he remarked. Ambassador Donovan was also impressed with the hospitality of West Nusa Tenggara people, especially with the warm welcome the local people gave him and his wife. "The people were very friendly and kind in welcoming my wife and me in West Nusa Tenggara," he noted. During his stay at the Hubbul Wathan Islamic Center Mosque, the American ambassador was struck by the beauty of the mosque's ornaments that reflect three major tribes in West Nusa Tenggara, namely Sasak, Samawa and Mbojo.