Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and a month of fasting, is beginning on March 23. In Antwerp, an event called Queer Iftar was planned for March 31. However, the Roma hall and ASBL Merhaba, the co-organizers, have decided to cancel due to threats made on social media. Many locals expressed concern over the cancellation. Bart Somers, a liberal minister for equal opportunities in Flanders, stated that the threat was unacceptable, and ensuring that love in all forms deserves respect is important. N-VA municipal councilor Kevin Verheecke wanted to use the event to bring communities together but said he would organize supervised iftars for those interested. Annelies Verlinden, Minister of the Interior, invited the LGBTI community to join her iftar on March 23 at Hilton Antwerp, which she is organizing with the Antwerp branch of Belgium’s Federation of Citizen Associations. Fedactio’s Ibrahim Anaz stated that the event would be inclusive of all regardless of religious beliefs or sexual orientation.
This Thursday, March 23 marks the start of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim year and month of fasting. Traditionally, this fast is broken at sunset with a meal called iftar. In Antwerp, the performance hall Roma had planned to organize an event called Queer Iftar for Muslims from the LGBTI community on March 31. The Roma room and the ASBL Merhaba, co-organizer of the evening, have however decided to cancel the event following threats made on social media, arousing the concern of many local residents.
Bart Somers (Open VLD), Minister for Equal Opportunities in Flanders, was the first to express his regrets. “Unacceptable”, reacted the Malinois who underlines that we cannot give in to threats. “We will make every effort to find out their origin and to help the organizers. In Flanders, love in all its forms deserves respect”certifies the Liberal minister.
Verlinden proposes l’Hilton
In Antwerp, N-VA municipal councilor Kevin Verheecke, himself gay, recalls that the evening would have been a unique opportunity to build bridges between communities. The elected official who presides over the Amuz performance hall, located in Kammenstraat, affirms that he will do everything so that people who ask him to can attend iftar in the performance hall under his supervision.
Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), the Minister of the Interior, announced on Wednesday that she was inviting the LGBTI community to join the iftar she will organize this Thursday, March 23 at the Hilton hotel in Antwerp in collaboration with the Antwerp branch of Fedactio, the Federation of Belgian Citizen Associations which had already organized an iftar in Antwerp for the LGBTI community in 2019.”It went very well, this year we will add a few tables”, said Ibrahim Anaz of the Fedactio federation. “I look forward to celebrating iftar on this first day of Ramadan with as many people as possible beyond their religious beliefs and regardless of their sexual orientation”underlined the minister.
The cancellation of the Queer Iftar event in Antwerp due to threats made on social media is a cause for concern. However, it is heartening to see elected officials like Bart Somers and Kevin Verheecke stand up for the LGBTI community and strive to build bridges between communities. Annelies Verlinden’s invitation to the LGBTI community to join her for iftar at the Hilton hotel in Antwerp is a welcome gesture of inclusivity and respect for love in all its forms. Let us hope that events like these can continue to bring people together, regardless of their religious beliefs or sexual orientation.
