Forging peace at Eidfest

Written by Glenine Hamlyn Monday, 27 September 2010 09:11

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Eidfest banner.

Every year that the Queensland Forum for Christians, Jews and Muslims holds a stall at Eidfest, the Brisbane Muslim community's celebration of the end of Ramadan, I am encouraged by the number of passers-by who tell us how important our presence is. This year it seemed that even more people took the opportunity to let us know that they were glad we were there.

Information display at Eidfest.

And yet we had no eye-catching program: just a few flyers, a DVD that fought to compete with the music flowing from the loudspeakers, and a display wall. Nothing to sell, no food, no flashing lights. That did not matter to those who wished to find out more. A number of people were drawn to the explanations of the three faiths, their scriptures and practices as presented on the display wall. 

One of the conversations that I remember in particular was with a Christian couple, a baker and his wife, active churchgoers in a multi-ethnic and multicultural suburb. A while ago they decided to provide exclusively halal food in their bakery. They discovered that not only did the change make good business sense, but it created a natural point of contact to many Muslim residents as well.The couple spoke with enthusiasm of the way these relationships have enriched their lives.

Naturally we did not miss an opportunity to advertise the musical evening being held by the Queensland Forum for Christians, Jews and Muslims and the Multi-Faith Centre of Griffith University on 4th November: One God, Many Voices . 

Eidfest was held this year on the anniversary of 9/11 - logistically it was the only possible date - and at the end of the week in which a pastor in the USA threatened to desecrate the holy scriptures of Islam. For the members of the Queensland Forum for Christians, Jews and Muslims, this was all the more reason to attend Eidfest together. The fact that Archbishop John Bathersby of the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane was invited to be the keynote speaker underlined the desire of the organizers to convey a sign of peace.