One of the most popular events on the club’s calendar, the GIANTS - in conjunction with the Bachar Houli Foundation - celebrated their annual Iftar dinner at the VALO Community Centre in Sydney Olympic Park on Monday night.
The GIANTS welcomed over 200 guests through their doors for the Iftar dinner, which is an opportunity for the club to bring the local community together to embrace cultural diversity and celebrate the breaking of the fast during Ramadan.
Special guests included the AFL’s Executive GM of Football Operations, Legal & Integrity Andrew Dillon, Julia Finn MP, Member for Granville, and former Richmond player and Bachar Houli Foundation Founder Bachar Houli.
Shaykh Wesam Charkawi was awarded the Bachar Houli Foundation’s NSW Award for his ongoing work in the community.
GIANTS Head of Community, Ali Faraj, was excited to see the event continuing to grow in what was the club’s eighth annual dinner.
“It's amazing to be honest with you,” Faraj said.
“To see the crowd here bigger than last year, the vendors all enjoy coming here and you can see the smiles on everyone’s faces just around that community spirit. Hopefully we can convert all these guests into GIANTS fans so we can see them all at a game soon.
“We had the formalities at the start of the night, we had Bachar recite some of the Quaran, then we had some special panel guests, and we finished off with the call for prayer.
“When the call for prayer happens, we get the dates and water out and we’re straight into the food. The food’s been absolutely sensational - lots of the vendors were running out of food because people can’t get enough of it - it’s been a terrific night and a celebration for everyone.
Bachar Houli who has been involved with the GIANTS through his Foundation for several years now and was also thrilled to see such a strong turnout.
“This event, the GIANTS Iftar dinner, it’s the greatest of all,” Houli said.
“The guys back in Melbourne won't be happy with me saying that, but I just think the event is such a relaxed, friendly, loving environment.
“You get the opportunity to speak to everyone and obviously we all gather here for a special occasion but being able to come together over food and meeting people from all walks of life, it’s just such a special event that the GIANTS do really well, and I think they are the benchmark when it comes to Iftar dinners.”
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset. It is a time of spiritual discipline, of deep contemplation of one's relationship with God, prayer, increased charity and generosity, and study of the Quran. Iftar means ‘break of fast’.
GIANTS AFLW player Haneen Zreika, who is a practicing Muslim, was joined by players from the club’s AFL, AFLW and netball teams to celebrate the festivities.
