This year, Ramadan and Lent overlap. Marquette students have a remarkable opportunity to discover that breaking bread together is a powerful way to connect with one another, learn from each other, and build bridges across cultures and communities. The Turkish-American community in the Milwaukee area opened its doors to Marquette students to experience the richness and diversity of our human family.
The students witnessed the hosts’ rendition of the adhan (call to prayer), signaling the iftar (the break-fast dinner) time and their performance of the evening prayer. The night was filled with culture, religion, food, games and laughter. The students appreciated being pushed out of their comfort zones to share conversations and meals with people from other religious and ethnic backgrounds.
This iftar dinner, organized by the Turkish-American Society of Wisconsin (TASWI), is designed to bring together Marquette students to share a meal and break the fast, fostering intercultural dialogue and understanding. The students sharing smiles, food and best wishes reminded people of the true spirit of the blessed month of Ramadan — a time of harmony, gratitude and reflection. The students saw how Islamic traditions and practices blended with Turkish culture.
With an estimated population of 1.8 billion followers, Islam is the world’s second-largest religious tradition after Christianity. Still, more than half of Americans say they know little or nothing about Islam and Muslims. The study and presence of Islamic traditions is vital on college campuses because it reminds us that Muslims are part of the society in which we live.
