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Muslim children in St. John’s, Newfoundland had been eagerly anticipating the Eid al-Fitr celebration at the end of Ramadan, where they would be rewarded for fasting the entire month. Their reward was a day of bouncing around on bouncy castles at École des Grands-Vents in St. John’s. The event was organized by the Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (MANAL), and hundreds of children and parents attended, filling both the school’s gymnasium and theatre with bouncy castles.
Hasan Zaman, a longtime affiliate of MANAL, helped organize the event, which he said was about “celebrating community and getting together.” For Ayse Akinturk, a volunteer executive with MANAL who also helped organize the activities, Eid al-Fitr is an important occasion for Muslims all over the world, particularly those living in Newfoundland and Labrador. She said that events like this are great because they highlight the diversity of the province’s Muslim population.
Soraya Carrim-White, who attended the festivities with her two children, said that it was great to come together as a group and celebrate diversity. Akinturk emphasized that Saturday’s event was all about the children and that it meant a lot to them to see their happiness acknowledged and celebrated by the larger community. She added that it helps them feel a sense of belonging.
