Togetherness during Ramadan, 19th May 2020, online workshop

On 19th May 2020, Forward Thinking held a video conference for community representatives from the UK, Gaza, the West Bank, Qatar and Tunisia to celebrate Ramadan.Community figures gathered to discuss their experiences of Ramadan during this time, including the challenges that they have encountered in being unable to come together with family and friends. However, they also emphasised the opportunities that this time has presented, including reaffirming the importance of spending time with loved ones, and taking time to reflect on their faith.Discussion also focused on the positive contributions made by Muslim communities in response to COVID-19. For example, communities in the UK have been assisting with burials, reaching out to their communities to provide material and emotional support including offering food packages and counselling to those in need. Organisations including the British Muslim Heritage Centre have also opened up their facilities to the homeless. Similarly, in Palestine, communities have been coming together to support each other despite the challenges faced, particularly the difficulty in social distancing given their current context.A key component of the conversation centred on the role of youth in responding to this crisis and the impact on their opportunities. In Tunisia, youth participants have been active in fundraising and giving their time to support the effort to combat coronavirus, with initiatives shared through social media. Speakers also gave advice for young people on how to adapt to the current challenges posed by the lockdown.Participants noted how valuable they found hearing the perspectives of those from other contexts and suggested that we hold further meetings with this group.