- Dr. Mehnaz Afridi established a Holocaust museum at Manhattan College, showcasing the bravery of Muslims who protected Jewish families during WWII.
- She emphasized the importance of religious tolerance and accurate representation of Islam through education to combat Islamophobia.
- Muslim diplomats in Europe, including Iranian and Turkish diplomats, played crucial roles in saving Jewish lives during the Holocaust, while Muslims in the subcontinent and Albania provided shelter and protection to Jewish families.
Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, a Pakistani-American scholar, has achieved the successful creation of a unique museum at Manhattan College in New York, dedicated to the Holocaust. This exceptional institution highlights the genuine accounts of Muslim individuals who exhibited remarkable bravery and made selfless sacrifices to safeguard Jewish families during World War II.
Dr. Afridi, who has been educating on the subject of “Religion and Interfaith” in New York for a dozen years, revealed in an interview with ‘The News’ that approximately 61 Muslims valiantly gave up their lives to shield and support Jews who were victims of the atrocities committed by the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and his forces during that period.
She articulated that the Muslim-American community faced numerous hurdles following the 9/11 attacks in the United States. Nevertheless, she noted that these challenges have been addressed through the promotion of religious tolerance and the cultivation of awareness regarding interfaith harmony.