The international iftar in Borgerhout (Antwerp) on Easter Sunday was a big success. Iftar is the meal that breaks the Muslim fast during the month of Ramadan. This year Ramadan, the Christian holiday of Easter and the Jewish Pesach or Passover all coincided. This meant people of all faiths were welcome at the iftar in the Antwerp district of Borgerhout.
Because of the convergence of the holidays several events were staged. Zahra Eljadid of the organising charity Voem explains: “300 children went in search of a golden Easter egg. We cooked food in a 3-metre-long saucepan, organised an international market and seated 3,000 people at a kilometre long table”.
People from diverse backgrounds gathered at the long table. “Several faiths are represented in Borgerhout” says Frederike of charity SAAMO. “Every day we live together, but it’s also nice to have an opportunity to get to know each other better, not only in the street, but also during a meal”.
The meal too was very international. “We made rice with vegetables” explains Frederike “according to the recipe of a Syrian volunteer. People of different nationalities cooked together using food surpluses donated by the supermarkets”.
Organisers were keen to see a good cultural mix as learning each other’s habits and customs increases understanding.