On the 14th of April this year, Raffles Institution organised a mass Iftar Break Fast event to mark the end of the day’s fasting for Muslim students and the event was attended by over 200 Rafflesians including myself, and several guests from RGS. This cultural activity was organised by the Malay Language Department and the Festival and Celebrations community in conjunction with Ramadan, for the purpose of educating non-Muslim students about Ramadan and for students to bond over a meal.

After the introduction to Ramadan by the emcees, during which we learnt about Muslim traditions, guest speakers Mr Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib, Master Chung Kwang Tong and Mr Kuek Yi Hsing had a very fruitful discussion. From it, we learnt that religion stems from moral values, and many religions use different methods of teaching people values like kindness and resilience and that we should learn to respect each other’s religions.

After a short and fun quiz, it was time for the food! The appetisers featured many Malay ‘kueh’, and delicious pastries. After the Muslim participants completed their prayers, we started on the main course which was biryani with fried chicken. 

It was a wonderful opportunity bringing together students and staff from diverse backgrounds to learn from each other’s cultures and traditions, fostering better understanding and empathy between people of different faiths. It was a meaningful activity with attendees expressing their appreciation for the opportunity to come together to celebrate breaking fast, with many saying that they enjoyed the games, talks and food.