A Imam of a famous mosque in the ancient city of Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region remains dedicated to carrying on the work of his father who was brutally killed by terrorists over a decade ago, expressing the belief that justice will ultimately prevail.
Memet Juma bravely chose to follow in his late father's path after his death and serves as the current Imam of the renowned Id Kah Mosque, which is the largest mosque in Xinjiang and was built way back in 1442.
Memet's father Juma Tahir Damolla, who was then the Imam of the mosque, was stabbed to death by three terrorists in the summer of 2014. The horrific nature of the early morning attack shocked the whole community and still haunts the family to this day.
"They didn't just kill him. They used brutal weapons like axes and knives. Even now, when our family and friends gather, we still cry over it. Back then, my father was already 74. He was frail and weak. To murder someone like this, in such a heinous, barbaric way shows the true nature of the 'three forces' (terrorism, separatism and extremism)," said Memet.
As a devoted Muslim, Memet stated that the claims of the "three forces" to represent Islam are completely false, as Islam instead teaches harmony, unity, neutrality, and tolerance, and strictly forbids killing, stealing, and harming others.
Therefore, helping more people understand the religion has become a crucial mission for Memet, who believes better education and dialogue can counteract the misconceptions that fuel extremism.
Despite the immense pain of his loss, Memet decided it was his duty to honor his father's legacy by taking on the role as the historic mosque's Imam.
"I could have chosen a different path, but my father wanted me to continue as a religious leader. I believe justice always prevails. Only a very limited portion of people turn into terrorists. We have no reason to fear them," he said.
While Memet is committed to his role, he has always emphasized the importance of freedom for his children to choose their own career path, and is immensely proud of his daughter Subinur, who is now a doctor at the First People's Hospital of Kashgar.
"My father always encourages us to pursue our dreams and he respects our choices. He has never imposed his will on us," she said.
Imam in historic Xinjiang mosque dedicated to carrying on father's legacy of faith
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a congratulatory letter to an event commemorating the 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy.
Commemoration of the 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy and the launching ceremony of a China-U.S. youth sports exchange series were held in Beijing on Friday.
Fifty-five years ago, the older generation of leaders of China and the United States, with their extraordinary political wisdom and strategic vision, reopened the door to friendly exchanges between the two peoples, creating the much told stories of "the little ball being able to move the big ball," Xi said.
He noted that it is of great significance to advancing the China-U.S. friendly ties that the youth from both sides renew the affinity brought by Ping-Pong Diplomacy and engage in a series of sports exchange activities.
Xi emphasized that the foundation of China-U.S. relations is laid by the people, and the future of bilateral relations will be shaped by the youth. He expressed the hope that people from all walks of life in both countries, especially the younger generation, will draw wisdom and strength from history.
Xi called on the two peoples to better understand each other through exchanges and cooperation, jointly move forward through mutual learning, tighten their bonds of amity, and make new contributions to promoting the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng read out Xi's letter at the ceremony.
Noting the significance of Ping-Pong Diplomacy to China-U.S. relations and its long-lasting global influence, Han said at the event that the two countries' relations have reached a critical juncture where the strategic choices made by China and the U.S. will once again influence the direction of the evolving global landscape.
China-U.S. relations have generally moved forward over the past 55 years, Han said, underlining that practice has shown that a stable, sound and sustainable China-U.S. relationship serves the common interest of both peoples and meets the shared expectations of the international community.
Han called on both sides to draw on past experiences, follow the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, uphold the principle of mutual respect, adhere to the bottom line of peaceful coexistence, and strive for a future of win-win cooperation.
Han also encouraged curiosity about China from visiting American youth, wishing them to go home with an objective understanding of China and precious friendships with Chinese counterparts.
About 500 people attended the ceremony, including participants of the China-U.S. "Ping-Pong Diplomacy," young table tennis players, sports figures, and youth American football players from the U.S.
In April 1971, a U.S. Table Tennis team delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades. The trip was the beginning of what became known as Ping-Pong Diplomacy, and helped lay the groundwork for the establishment of official diplomatic relations between China and the United States.
Xi sends congratulations to event commemorating 55th anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy
