The trip by Rama Duvaji, wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, to Mallorca during the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence has drawn public attention.

According to a report by the New York Post, the 29-year-old Syrian-American visual artist and animator was in Spain to serve as one of the hosts of a multi-day spiritual wellness program organized by the group “The Women’s Sanctuary.”

The program in question is a five-day retreat titled “Plants of the Quran,” which was reportedly already fully booked and costs around $3,400 (approximately €3,000) per person. It focuses on plants mentioned in the Quran and includes art workshops, botanical studies, creative activities, and sessions of spiritual reflection.

After its conclusion, the New York “first lady” is also expected to attend another retreat, this time in Corsica, France, titled “Mary in the Quran,” which explores the figure of the Virgin Mary, regarded as the most honored woman in the Quran.

Reactions to her absence

Her absence from the July 4 celebrations sparked strong criticism from Republican officials in New York, who argued that the mayor’s wife should have been present during such a significant national moment.

Queens City Council member Joan Ariola said that “nothing symbolizes America’s 250th anniversary better than skipping the celebrations to go on vacation in the Mediterranean.” She also suggested that Duvaji’s stance was not surprising, noting that she has previously expressed negative views about the United States.

Staten Island City Council member Frank Morano said that while no one disputes the right of elected officials and their families to take vacations, the anniversary represented an important moment for both the city and the country, and her absence sent the wrong message.

The debate was further fueled by photos posted on Platform X showing Rama Duvaji at Newark Airport shortly before departing for Spain on Monday.

“It’s strange that while Zohran Mamdani was telling New Yorkers to turn down their air conditioning, his wife, Rama Duvaji, was boarding a flight to party in Mallorca,” comedian Arin Wexler wrote on X, sharing the images.

In a follow-up post, he added: “Just a reminder that I can’t tag her because she deleted her account after her outrageously offensive tweets were discovered. Champagne socialists.”

Her trip has also been linked to recent appeals by the mayor urging New Yorkers to reduce their use of air conditioning during a heatwave.

The mayor’s office declined to comment on the political reactions, stating only that Duvaji was not accompanied by municipal police officers on her trip.

The incident has also brought renewed attention to earlier social media posts by Duvaji that caused controversy during Zohran Mamdani’s election campaign.

In 2015, she reposted a derogatory comment stating that “American soldiers fighting in imperialist wars are neither brave nor fighting for anyone’s freedom. They mercilessly slaughter Third World civilians and fight to maintain American hegemony.”

At the time, the mayor argued that his wife holds no official position in the city administration and therefore should not be held to the same standards as public officials. She has since apologized for several of her earlier posts.

Zohran Mamdani remained in New York and participated in the official events marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence.