Tariq Abla – HIBAPRESS
In a tradition that has become firmly established in many European cities, members of the Moroccan community in Amsterdam gathered around a Ramadan Iftar table that accommodated dozens of participants from different backgrounds and nationalities. The evening was not just a fleeting meeting, but an open space for sharing food, words, and the common preoccupation with questions of coexistence and citizenship.
The event was organized by Ahmed Al-Masri, the president of the Friendship Association in Amsterdam, and brought together a notable presence of Moroccans alongside a large number of Dutch people who participated extensively in this Ramadan event. Since 5 pm, the delegations began to arrive, and the attendees were distributed at the tables where side and extended discussions took place, while the organizing teams took care of presenting the dishes in succession in a scene that reflects the accuracy of the preparation and the spirit of volunteering. The religious aspect of the meeting carried an educational dimension. A jurist from Morocco gave a speech in which he addressed the meanings and values of the month of Ramadan, focusing on the principles of Islam in coexistence and respect for religions, and recalling models from the biography of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in good neighborliness, and his companion translated the word into Dutch, which allowed the audience who do not speak Arabic to follow the basic messages of the speech. With sunset, everyone broke their fast in a moment in which prayer mingled with collective reverence, before the Maghrib prayer was held in congregation inside the same hall. As planned in the program, the presence of a number of political actors, from Moroccans and Dutch, including candidates for the upcoming elections, and the interventions stressed the importance of political participation and the right of every individual to determine their destiny through the ballot boxes, especially in light of the discussions that have taken place in recent years and touched on issues affecting the image of Arabs and Muslims in the public space. Ahmed Al-Masri was the first to speak in this axis, calling for not leaving the electoral voice open to exploitation, and emphasizing that conscious participation is the way to ensure representation that reflects the aspirations of the community and preserves its gains. Art was also present in a segment performed by the Egyptian artist Hana Zeidan, who presented a bouquet of songs and authentic music, alleviating with her sweet feeling the formality of the discussions, and adding a festive character to the evening in which the audience regained the warmth of Ramadan nights in their homelands. The program continued until the call to the Isha prayer, before a number of participants went to the mosque to complete the prayer, with a promise of a near meeting that will be renewed on March 8, on an occasion that will be dedicated to celebrating women and their role in society. Thus, Amsterdam appeared on that night, a city that accommodates one table, around which identities coexist, and in which dialogue precedes stereotypes, and in which the Moroccan community finds a way to consolidate its presence with confidence and responsibility.
