Joe Biden restores celebration of Eid Al-Fitr at White House
May 3, 2022, 5:33 am

Joe Biden restores celebration of Eid Al-Fitr at White House

Jill and I were honored to host an Eid al-Fitr reception at the White House tonight, and we send our warmest greetings to everyone celebrating across the world. Eid Mubarak! (Photo: US President Joe Biden Twitter page)

The Arab News reported, citing the Associated Press, president Joe Biden celebrated Eid Al-Fitr on Monday (May 2), restoring celebrations of the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan at the White House after his predecessor scrapped them.

Muslims around the world typically abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan. Its end often means gathering for prayers, visiting family and friends and holding festive meals.

Addressing hundreds of attendees in the East Room, Biden said he’d promised as a presidential candidate to bring back marking Eid Al-Fitr at the White House — but was forced to hold a virtual celebration last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden said: “Today, around the world, we’ve seen so many Muslims that have been targeted by violence. No one, no one should discriminate against or be oppressed, or be repressed, for their religious beliefs.

Joe Biden celebrated Eid Al-Fitr on Monday (May 2) at the White House (Photo: President Biden Twitter page)

We have to acknowledge that an awful lot of work remains to be done, abroad and here at home. Muslims make our nation stronger every single day, even as they still face real challenges and threats in our society, including targeted violence and Islamophobia.”

Presidents have held Eid Al-Fitr celebrations since the Clinton administration, until Donald Trump, who didn’t hold formal events.

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He instead released statements marking the holiday, including one in 2020 when Trump said of Muslims “we hope they find both comfort and strength in the healing powers of prayer and devotion.”

Biden said Monday that he’d recently nominated the first Muslim woman to the federal bench as part of a commitment to build an administration that values diversity and “looks like America.”

He also jokingly compared fasting for Ramadan to his Catholic faith, which he said mandates that he make major sacrifices for Lent including having to “go 40 days” with “no sweets and no ice cream.”

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Talib Shareef, Imam of Masjid Muhammad in Washington, known to some as “The Nation’s Mosque,” said of the White House gathering, “Being hosted here is an important statement for our nation and for the world.”

Shareef said: “A statement that Islam is a welcome part of our nation together with all the other faith traditions. And that the highest office in this land is committed to our nation’s foundational values and laws protecting religious freedom.”

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Also addressing the event was first lady Jill Biden, who drew applause by saying that the holiday embodies above all “a joy born from love. Love for our families and for our communities, and for THIS community.”

Source: arabnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”