On April 12, the celebration of Iftar will take place at Schiphol. The evening is all about diversity, faith, togetherness and good food. Spot talked to colleagues Lisa Engberts and Ayyoub Moadine, who are involved in the organization.
The Iftar is the meal served at the end of the day during Ramadan, to break the day's fast. "Once the sun has set, we gather with family and friends to eat and talk about faith," Ayyoub Moadine says. Ayyoub is Authority Officer Landside at Schiphol Group and is organizing the Iftar on 12 April together with five colleagues.
Connection
Just like Ramadan, the evening is all about sharing. ‘We want to connect colleagues in a pleasant, accessible way, regardless of religion, belief or color. This is important, because so many people with different backgrounds work at Schiphol,' says Ayyoub. Among other things, he invited an imam to give a lecture. He is coming to tell us about Ramadan and our faith. On the evening itself we will talk to each other. Everyone is welcome, including – especially – non-believers. It is a good time to ask questions about Islam and our traditions.”
Eating dates
Besides connecting, the evening revolves around food. “As soon as the sun has set, we all sit down to dinner,” Ayyoub says. “We start, traditionally, with a date. It contains many nutrients, which your body needs after fasting. Then we drink a little water, and then it's time for the hot meal.”
Diversity and Inclusion
Lisa Engberts chairs the Diversity & Inclusion Board and is closely involved in the event and the organization. On the evening itself, she will tell visitors about Schiphol's D&I ambitions. “We want to be an organization where diversity and inclusion are self-evident. We achieve this by being a reflection of society,' she says. "It is good that everyone within the organization learns about Ramadan, including colleagues who are not Muslim themselves."
Finally together again
It is the first event organized by Schiphol Group after corona, says Ayyoub. "We've been waiting for two years, finally we're getting back together. With more than 200 colleagues!
And now it's your turn!
Are you inspired by this story, and would you like to organize something around Ramadan, too? You can contact Ayyoub via Ayyoub.Moadine@schiphol.nl. He is happy to help you on your way! Would you like to know more about Schiphol Group's Diversity & Inclusion Board and are you curious about what they do? Then you can send an email to diboard@schiphol.nl.
We are curious: does your company do something with Ramadan? Let us know in the comments!
