The Carlton community come together to celebrate Eid

The Carlton Learning Precinct is a vibrant and multicultural community and brings many opportunities to celebrate, share, learn about and acknowledge significant cultural events and festivals.

Ramadan and Eid

A significant cultural practice that many Carlton residents undertake is Ramadan, which is observed annually by Muslims worldwide. in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.  During Ramadan, observers participate in a month of fasting (sawm), prayer, reflection, and community.

Eid al-Fitr, commonly referred to as Eid, takes place at the end of Ramadan and translates as “the festival of the breaking of the fast”. Eid is a large celebration that often proceeds over many days and involves the coming together of community and families. Practices vary from country to country, however, during Eid, people often greet each other with “Eid Mubarak,” meaning “Blessed Eid” and formal embraces. Sweet dishes are prepared at home, and gifts are given to children and to those in need. In addition, Muslims are also encouraged to forgive and seek forgiveness.

Multicultural Morning Tea at Carlton

A community morning tea was held on site to celebrate Eid and the start of a new school term. Approximately forty people attended, which consisted of community members including school and early learning parents and carers, their children, early learning and school staff, Maternal Child Health Nurses, local parenting service practitioners, the Our Place team and the Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre.

The morning tea was prepared by a group of mothers who donated their time to come together and cook an abundance of homemade multicultural foods in the school kitchen. Diverse cultures were represented by the homemade foods, such as Ful, Malaysian tofu curry puffs, falafel wraps and Jewish babka cake. Traditional Somali and Ethiopian tea and coffee was also served.

All families were welcomed in by precinct staff, lots of chatter and laughter happened, and many new connections were made. This morning tea also provided an opportunity for staff at the precinct to expand their knowledge of the various cultures of children and families through food and the associated stories that were shared.

Aligning with the Our Place Approach

Families having a sense of connection, pride and belonging are outcomes we aim to achieve through the Our Place approach. This is one example of how Our Place on site staff play the role as ‘the glue’ to facilitate opportunities to work toward and achieve such outcomes.

Facilitating events that acknowledge multicultural traditions helps contribute to community members feeling recognised, accepted, and respected. They also provide other community members and professionals with opportunities to expand their awareness and knowledge of cultural practices observed within the local community.

At Our Place, we also know that providing opportunities for parents and carers to participate in helps form social connections and a sense of belonging, which has several benefits for families. These benefits are often associated with better mental health and can assist with the development of informal support networks, which lead to stronger communities overall.

For more information about the Our Place Approach click here