Samisoni Nabilivalu
SUVA (The Sunday Times/Pacific Media Watch): An inaugural Eid-in-the-Park celebration yesterday by the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation was meant to allow members of other religions to understand and enjoy the meaning of Eid, says Veena Bhatanagar, programmes director of FBC's Radio Fiji 2.
"FBC is celebrating Eid-in-the Park and our chief executive officer Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum believes the whole focus behind this was to get the people of every religion together to celebrate Eid with the Muslims," Bhatanagar said.
"We live in a multiracial country and people need to respect and understand each others' cultures and religions," she said.
Members and senior officials of the Fiji Muslim League were also present to show their support for the event and helped with the organising of the programme.
They also organised students from religious schools for the nazam.
"We have songs, nazam, naat, she-o-shayari, jokes, and hymns. The Fiji Muslim League is giving free samai from 10am to 12pm and it's been prepared very nicely," Bhatanagar said.
The celebration, which took place at the United Nations Park in Suva also featured stalls selling a variety of halal dishes as well and a bouncing castle for children.
"We really got into the mood of celebrating Eid because it only comes once a year and we do the same with Diwali and Holi.
"We had people from all over Fiji and the world calling in, emailing us, and texting because all our stations are live all day on the internet," she said.
Bhatanagar said their radio stations had run daily programmes for Muslims from 3am to 5:30am throughout the month of Ramadan.
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