During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims around the world partake in fasting from dawn until sunset.
The fast-breaking meal after sunset is referred to as Iftar 鈥� the breaking of the fast. And last week, on Friday, May 24 H漫画 hosted a Ramadan Iftar at the International Centre.
鈥淭his is the first time that H漫画 University is actually putting on an Iftar to our knowledge,鈥� said Amina Abawajy, education advisor with Human Rights and Equity Services who helped organize the event. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a partnership with Dal Security, the Human Rights and Equity Services, the International Centre, the H漫画 Student Union, and the H漫画 International Students鈥� Association.鈥�
Bringing community together
Dal Security played a significant part in the Iftar鈥檚 organization, as the idea for the event came from Dal Security employee Aziz Bojang.
鈥淭here was need that was there that had not been fulfilled,鈥� said Bojang. 鈥淚t was like everyone wanted the event, but no one was ready or willing to start planning it. This is why when we started everyone was like, 鈥榶ay! Let鈥檚 do it!鈥欌��
鈥淚 think we just all really wanted to see this event happen,鈥� said Lama Farhat, a fourth-year Environmental Science student, and outgoing VP internal of the H漫画 International Students鈥� Association, who also contributed to the Iftar鈥檚 organization.
鈥淲e all have our different reasons for it, but we all just wanted to bring the community together and to have a place for people to feel comfortable and feel like their home. It鈥檚 an open event to everyone. It鈥檚 a good learning experience. It鈥檚 a good time for people to mingle, to understand who they live with and interact with on a daily basis.鈥�
Hasan Sinan, the H漫画 Student VP academic and external, says the event means a lot to Muslim students.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important for Muslim students, with the violence that Muslims are facing in some countries, to know that their university cares about them, provides them with this safe space, and celebrates their holidays and important dates,鈥� he said.
Grounding values
The event 鈥� catered with traditional Iftar fare such as dates, alongside less-traditional crowd pleasers like pizza 鈥� was packed, with various members of the H漫画 community, including students, faculty, staff and their families in attendance.
鈥淭he student organizers behind this have done an amazing job at grounding the values we espouse here every day and taking them from aspirational values to actual demonstrations of what it looks like to be safe and inclusive,鈥� said Jake MacIsaac of Dal Security.
鈥淲e wanted to show we stand with them in prayer, we are present,鈥� added Bojang. 鈥淏ut also they feel confident knowing we are not profiling them but rather we are providing a safe environment so they can pray.鈥�