Student-Led Eid Celebration 2024: Unity and Leadership at CFGS
Eid is an important celebration in Islam, marking the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar. An integral part of Islam is preserving unity, so we wanted to be proactive in bringing our peers and teachers together to mark this special day.
We hosted the event on Wednesday, 17th April 2024, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, organised by our team of Year 13 students with invaluable support from staff members. This occasion was the perfect opportunity to foster a sense of community, inclusivity, and unity within our school, and highlight the importance of celebrating our faith, as well as joining others in celebrating theirs.
We were inspired by the Mayor of London hosting ‘Eid in the Square’ for 18 years to celebrate this holiday and his commendable efforts in integrating communities during Ramadan and Eid. His commitment to fostering respect and understanding within diverse populations motivated us to emulate this spirit within our school community. Witnessing the positive impact, we knew that the event would not only celebrate the cultural richness of our student body but also provide an opportunity for communal sharing and understanding.
Once our proposal was accepted, we formed an event organisation team comprising 10 students from our year group. With little over 3 weeks to plan the entire event, we meticulously coordinated every aspect of the event from catering and desserts to decor and activities while actively encouraging as many of our school members to join us. Much of the planning took place during the April holidays where we had regular team meetings and effectively delegated responsibilities among team members. Following a thorough assessment of the resources required for the event and after allocating our budget, we decided to ticket the event at £12. We were also incredibly fortunate to receive generous voluntary contributions from a few students and many staff members. After comparing and reviewing different catering options, we selected Aaisha Caterers as they stood out for their outstanding hygiene ratings and an incredible selection of appetisers. Our proactive ticket sales approach resulted in over £700 raised within 1.5 days.
The event commenced with a series of inspiring speeches by our teacher lead, Ms Zaneb, and our student team leads. We also invited Dr Mahera Ruby; governor of CFGS, founder of the programme ‘Muslimaat’ in East London Mosque and the Catalyst programme lead, to deliver a speech on the importance of unity. She highlighted the Islamic virtues of maintaining and valuing every relationship we have and taught us the significance of upholding unity within our community through Islamic practices, such as spreading greetings of peace. Following these insightful speeches, we concluded our evening with games including musical chairs which both students and teachers participated in and enjoyed thoroughly.
We celebrate the success of this event not only due to the incredible speeches and the valuable time spent together as a school cohort, but we also place great value in this event as our contribution to the legacy we’ll leave behind in CFGS as strong, female leaders who worked hard to make a stand.
CFGS6- Eid Celebration
Nusrat Hoque and Zakiyah Begum
13HHN