For Muslims around the globe, Ramadan is a month of giving and receiving blessings. The ninth month of the Hijri calendar, Ramadan, is regarded as the holiest month of the year as it was the month in which the Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) on the night of Laylat Al Qadr, one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims are required to abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Ramadan is a significant month in the Islamic calendar as it is the month of piety, charity and blessings. It is a month that unites Muslims from all traditions, interpretations, cultures and ethnicities. In the Middle East, Ramadan becomes extra special due to the government’s involvement in various festivities, celebrations and charities.
This year, Ramadan was celebrated with much fervour and enthusiasm at the Ismaili Centre Dubai. Two Suhoor (pre-dawn meal consumed by Muslims before fasting) events were held in commemoration of the Holy month. Both Suhoors boasted the spirit of community and the spirit of working towards a peaceful world.
The first Suhoor, held on 6 June 2017 at the Ismaili Centre Dubai was a talk, followed by a panel discussion with the message of Enabling Pluralism. This event was organized by Ismaili Centre Dubai in collaboration with The Embassy of Portugal and The Consulate General of Canada. The panel discussions led by Dr Mohamed Keshavjee and Nazneen Shafi, engaged the audience in thought provoking approaches to pluralism, a set of values and actions that are founded on respecting diversity. The discussion led to an understanding that pluralist societies are societies that choose to ensure full participation of all people in political, economic and socio-cultural life. Further, the event also reflected a strong partnership between the Ismaili Imamat and the two countries, Portugal and Canada, who together aim to support the vision of pluralism and attain peaceful ways to overcome the challenges of living amongst diverse societies. The event was attended by His Excellency Joaquim Lemos, Ambassador of Portugal to the United Arab Emirates and HE Emmanuel Kmarianakis, Consul General of Canada to the United Arab Emirates among other dignitaries and invitees from both countries.
The second Suhoor event on 12 June 2017 was arranged by Ismaili Centre Dubai in collaboration with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Abu Dhabi. The event was a way to celebrate successes of the UNHCR unit and build partnerships in service to humanity. Here, talks focused on success stories of UNHCR endeavors in countries like Jordan, Syria and Congo. Further, talks revolved around humanitarian work conducted in order to support refugees and provide them with an environment in which they feel safe. The event was attended by Toby Harward, CEO of UNHCR in Abu Dhabi along with Shainoor Khoja who represented the AKF and Imamat initiatives with the same cause.
Keeping the spirit of Ramadan in mind, both events reflected the aim of strengthening partnerships with governments, organizations and institutes that together help build bridges to enable hearing the voices of all people along with providing a better quality of life for people across the globe.
