Amity College Student Leaders’ Iftar Dinner

Each year our College Leaders’ are invited to attend the Student Leaders’ Iftar Dinner at Amity College in Prestons. This evening provides our student leaders with an opportunity for interfaith dialogue and personal encounter with Muslim students. The conversations held on the evening highlighted the similarities we as Christians share with the Muslim faith as “people of the book”. The program for the evening included a Quran recitation, Islamic call to prayer and personal testimonies from Muslim students about their personal experience of Ramadan. The food was also amazing! The evening was a thoroughly enjoyed by our students and many friendships were formed during the evening.

Student Reflection

On the 29 May, 10 Mercy Catholic College representatives from the student leadership team attended an interfaith dialogue event at Amity College in Prestons. The Student Leaders Iftar dinner was held to celebrate the breaking of fast at sunset during Ramadan. The dinner began with a call to prayer, by an Amity student which was sung in Arabic which shows devotion to the Muslim belief in Allah. The breaking of the fast began with eating a date, this is of religious significance as it mimics the action of the Prophet Muhammad. This was followed by a dinner incorporating a diverse range of delicious food. During the meal we conversed with other students representing schools throughout NSW. This conversation provided the opportunity for us to gain an appreciation and understanding of other cultures and religious traditions.

Following the meal, a student recited a passage from the Qur’an. The extract explained the importance and reason for Ramadan as celebrating the giving of the Qur’an to the prophet Muhammad. We learnt about the College’s social justice initiatives and listened to a presentation on ‘inspiring leadership’.

The evening concluded with a ‘table discussion’ on how we can lead change in our contemporary world. These questions provoked discussions about current issues faced by leaders and also allowed for us to share current initiatives being implemented within our respective schools to inspire change in the world, and for the betterment of all people.

We would like to thank Ms Stojanovski for this interfaith opportunity allowing us to engage in dialogue and develop a greater understanding of other faiths.

Cailin G- Year 11 Liturgy Portfolio Prefect