By Helen Musa

As the month of Ramadan draws to a close, Canberra’s faith communities and political leaders all over the territory have been coming together at evening gatherings which mark the breaking of the fast.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset as a way of developing empathy for those less fortunate, a value shared across many religious traditions and cultures.

One recent Iftar gathering was held by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Canberra, which has hosted interfaith Iftar gatherings for more than a decade.

This year’s event on March 15 carried special significance as it was hosted at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in O’Connor.

The setting reflected a growing spirit of interfaith co-operation in Canberra, similar to an initiative in late February by the Kippax Uniting Church, which hosted an Iftar dinner in its church.

More than 200 guests attended Sunday’s dinner in O’Connor, including members of the ACT Legislative Assembly, federal representatives, heads of diplomatic missions, leaders from civil society and interfaith organisations, and members of the broader community.

Faith leaders from different traditions spoke about the shared values reflected in Ramadan. Speakers included Shanti Reddy from the Hindu community, president Matthew Moir from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Amardeep Singh representing the Sikh community, and Rabbi Eddi Shimon from the Jewish community.

The evening concluded with the call to prayer marking the breaking of the fast, after which guests shared the Iftar meal together.

The fasting month comes to an end on Friday or Saturday this week, following the sighting of the new moon.