On April 2, PDS came together to celebrate Eid, a holiday which marks the end of Ramadan–a month during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and reflect spiritually. This celebration was organized by many parties including the Parents Association, several staff members, and the Muslim Student Association (MSA). The event was not just for Muslims, or those who observed Ramadan, but for the entire PDS community. The goal of this event, MSA co-head, sophomore Zain Hamdia elaborated, was to “show everyone the importance of Ramadan.”
This joyful event featured various engaging activities, such as a henna station, and a delicious spread of food. Hamdia shared that there was a diverse selection of food from different cultures, such as Indian food, Pakistani food, and many others as well.
The importance of Eid was highlighted by personal narratives shared by those who celebrate Eid from the Lower, Middle and Upper divisions of PDS.
For Hamdia, Eid is a time that allows him to celebrate with people close to him, including his extended family who live far away. MSA Faculty Advisor and Freshman Dean, Mr. Abid Shakoor, who helped organize the celebration, concurred, “It’s about people coming together, having a good time, sharing good food, and sharing each other’s company.”
When asked what his favorite part of the celebration was, Mr. Shakoor responded, “My favorite part was one of the videos that we created that showed what Eid means to people and how they celebrate it. That, to me, was really powerful. It doesn’t make a difference what color you are, what race you are, or what culture you’re a part of; Muslims don’t have a particular color or a culture.”
Looking forward to next year, there are several changes the organizers hope to make to improve the Eid celebration. Zain commented, “We hope to have an even bigger celebration with even more people, a bigger draw [that would take place] on a better day where more people could attend.” Mr. Shakoor exclaimed, “Let’s bridge and celebrate with each other!”
When Eid comes around next year, make sure to take part in the PDS celebration!
