Ramadan, a meeting place for the Three Cultures Foundation
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar has been the month of Ramadan since the dawn of the Muslim religion. A sacred month for the entire community of the faithful of Islam that not only translates into fasting during the hours of sunshine, but also involves a profound dedication to spirituality, reflection and prayer. The month of Ramadan becomes a time of unity with family, friends and the rest of the Muslim community, and is celebrated with joy and devotion.
However, since 2017, the Three Cultures Foundation has been working to make the celebration of Ramadan a celebration that can be shared with followers of other religions. And, with this aim, it has developed the "Ramadan between cultures" sessions, which have a wide programme of activities to involve a wide range of groups in this tradition.
The first of the "Ramadan between cultures" sessions was held this year at the headquarters of the Three Cultures Foundation, in Seville, with the meeting of important authorities and representatives of the three main Abrahamic religions - Christians, Jews and Muslims. It lasted until after the breaking of the fast, the iftar, in which the two co-presidents of the Three Cultures Foundation took part: the Minister of the Presidency, Public Administration and Interior of the Andalusian Regional Government, Elías Bendodo Benasayag, and the advisor to the Moroccan monarch Mohamed VI, André Azolulay.
The event began with a welcome speech by the Managing Director of the Three Cultures Foundation, María de la Concepción de Santa Ana, who praised all those present and introduced the "Ramadan between cultures" programme for the sixth consecutive year. A short speech gave way to the three representatives of the main monotheistic religions in Spain; Manuel Portillo, Diocesan Delegate for Ecumenism of the Archdiocese of Seville; Isaac Benzaquen, President of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain; and Ibrahim Hernández, President of the Seville Mosque Foundation.
These speeches once again highlighted the intention to generate links between the three religious confessions, one of the main objectives of "Ramadan between cultures".
Afterwards, it was the turn of the political representatives who had travelled to the headquarters of Three Cultures Foundation to take part in the event to speak. The Ambassador Director General of Bilateral Relations and Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad of the Kingdom of Morocco, Fouad Yazourh, and the co-presidents of the Three Cultures Foundation, the advisor to the Moroccan monarch Mohamed VI, André Azolulay, and the Minister of the Presidency, Public Administration and Interior of the Andalusian Regional Government, Elías Bendodo Benasayag, spoke.
The latter did not miss the opportunity to highlight Andalusia's role as an "open land" in which all religions have a place, and where work is being done towards a fusion of cultures.
The call to prayer - or Adhan - made by the president of the Moroccan Azarquiel Association, Anas Bentaouet, was the preface to the institutional iftal which broke the day's fast. A few minutes after 21:00, as the sun went down, all the attendees gathered around a table to share experiences and typical dishes, and where the Muslim faithful put an end to their Ramadan fast accompanied by the faithful of different groups and religious denominations.
And finally, as a finale to an evening marked by tolerance and diversity, Nasamat Duet offered a musical concert that entertained the participants and served as a space for celebrating the cultural and religious differences of all the attendees. "Ramadan between cultures" once again became a heterogeneous meeting platform.
