Kapayapaan Kapatid Council together with SOCSARGEN Peace Network join the 2,000 Muslims in celebrating the end of the Holy Month of fasting, Eid ul-Fitr at MSU-HS campus on September 9, 2010 at 6:00 am.
“Having the Christians and Lumads attending one of the biggest celebration of the Muslims shows that here in SOCSARGEN, we are united, helping each other and shows that we are all children of God”, says Atty. Guailil Canda, NCMF Field Director.
More than 300 Christians and Lumads (from various sectors - the media, academe, military & police, doctors, student organizations and various parishes) volunteered to distribute the food they donated, do medical and dental mission, secure the place, and distribute “peace flaglets” to the Muslim faithful.
Gestures of reconciliation, love and peace were all over the places - huggings, kissings, and hand shakings that extended to the whole community attending the events.
During the interview over the radio DXCP-CMN, Fr. Joy Pelino, convenor of the SOCSARGEN Peace Network and Kapayapaan Kapatid Council, highlighted how the Christians and Lumad joins the Muslim community in prayer and in welcoming the end of Ramadhan – the Eid ul-Fitr
Food was abundant after the prayer. Various organizations prepared bottled water, halal food (such as arroz caldo, bread, etc.), boiled eggs, hot coffee and some Muslim food.
Many of the Muslim faithful also received free eyeglasses, medicines, and check up for blood pressures.
Joining the Eid ul-Fitr from the SOCSARGEN Peace Network include Kapayapan Kapatid Council, UNDP ACT For Peace Programme, KBP-SARGEN Chapter, PNP, Philippine Army, NDDU Peace Center, Holy Trinity College, Doctor’s Hospital, Golden State College, MSU/YSCS, Alpha Phi Omega, MEDA/St. Michael Parish, individual professionals, and others.
From Wikepedia, Eid ul-Fitr, often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiṭr means "conclusion of the fast"; and so the holiday symbolizes the celebration of the conclusion of the month of fasting from dawn to sunset during the entire month of Ramadan (calendar month). The first day of Eid, therefore, is the first day of the month Shawwal that comes after Ramadan.
Estimated 8,000 youths from various school in General Santos City and Manila were bridged by technology through teleconferencing. Stories and voices of hatred, biases, perceptions, reconciliations, apologies, affirmations, hopes, etc. were heard to build understanding in overcoming prejudices and discrimination among tri-people (Muslims, Christiams, Lumads)... in real time!
people. Through the use of technolgy to bring people from different groups together across large distances, building bridges of understanding, reduce ignorance, and ultimately, lessen conflict.
SOCSARGEN Peace Network joined the Peace Teach forum held at Lagao Gym, General Santos City, March 1, 2011.
