Charity is a pillar of the Islamic faith and what better way to be charitable than to give back to the community.
The Annual school Iftar dinners for Ramadan 2024 have taken place with a number of new and also familiar schools participating attracting hundreds of guests across Western and South West Sydney. The dinners, sponsored by Human Appeal Australia have been a consistent initiative run by the organization as a bid to establish social ties and connections amongst members of the broader community.
CHESTER HILL HIGH SCHOOL
The first school and event for this year was held at was Chester Hill High School on March 20, hosting their largest Iftar dinner yet with over 300 guests. Crowds of parents, students and school staff members gathered in the buzzing hall lining the rows of tables throughout the hall.
The event kicked off with speeches from the Principal and associated staff who helped organise the event. HAA representatives also presented a speech and video highlighting the importance of community engagement and allowing for opportunities like this to bring together people from different backgrounds around one table as a single entity.
“It was wonderful, especially during Harmony Week, to recognize and share such a significant occasion for so many students and staff” Chester Hill High School expressed on social media.
“We would like to thank our sponsors Human Appeal Australia and acknowledge the extraordinary humanitarian work they do within our community and internationally.”
The call to prayer rang through before guests were prompted to break their fasts and enjoy the rest of their night. Guests also had the chance to express their generosity and charity through learning about Human Appeal and making donations.
AIAE KELLYVILLE PRIMARY
Among other school Iftars that week was at the Australian International Academy in Kellyville where the institution hosted a primary school Iftar dinner. The school organised the Iftar for year 5 & 6 students with more than 145 guests attending including staff.
“The kids were very happy to go through this experience and come together to share the Iftar” said Walid Ahmed, Quran and Islamic Studies Coordinator at AIAE Kellyville.
Staff members embellished the area with Ramadan themed decorations creating a fun environment for the kids to enjoy with their Iftar and enhance the spirit of this blessed month amongst them.
BANKSTOWN GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL
Bankstown Girls High School have brought back Ramadan School Iftars to their community in 2024. Upon becoming school Principal in 2019, Suada Bilali introduced this incentive to Bankstown Girl’s High School for the first time that year before it was halted due to the Covid-19 outbreak the following year and the restrictions it brought. This year however, the community Iftar dinner has made a comeback with hundreds of guests gathering to share a meal in the school hall including school students, parents, sponsors and school staff. The hall was adorned with Ramadan themed decorations which elevated the spiritual and cultural meaning of the event, alongside a wide variety of food options available for guests.
“Bankstown Girls High School is an integral part of our community and this evening, we truly experienced that sense of belonging” the School mentioned on their socials.
Human Appeal representatives were present throughout the night to organise and accept donations as well as to simply educate guests about the organisation and its mission.
BERALA PUBLIC SCHOOL
It was a special Ramadan for Berala Public School as they organised their very first Iftar dinner for their school community, garnering a spectacular attendance.
“We had a hugely successful evening with 416 people attending, well beyond our expectations when we first began the planning of our first Iftar event” said Ashleigh Davis, Deputy Principal at Berala Public School.
The evening began with a video presentation of Human Appeal Australia as sponsors before the school Principal gave an address, followed by other guest speakers. The call to prayer was then announced before the commencement of the dinner service.
This event was the first of its kind at the school and was an effective call to highlight communal values, diversity and harmony within the region.
“It was an incredible evening and we look forward to continuing for years to come” said Ms Davis.
BIRRONG BOYS HIGH SCHOOL
It was a big night for Birrong Boys High School on March 26 as they hosted their annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner, organised by Community Liaisons Officer Souhair Afiouny Harris. Birrong Boys High School has had a consistent role in this initiative for the past years with Human Appeal Australia having sponsored previous events for them.
The venue was adorned with gold Ramadan themed decorations as 280 guests attended alongside various public figures who took to the stage to express their gratitude and support for the night.
Lynda Voltz, Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly was one of the notable political figures to attend, who happens to be a local alumni at Birrong Girls High School.
Billy Dib, former professional boxer and brother of the NSW Minister for emergency services and active community member, Jihad Dib, was one of the special guests to have attended the Iftar. Fellow sportsman and former professional NRL footballer Hazem El Masri was also present alongside Billy to break their fasts with the Muslim community of Birrong brought together during this special occasion.
Human Appeal representative shared a speech with the guests, shining light on the significance of charity in Ramadan as well as sharing a prayer for those suffering distressing circumstances overseas.