Giants host, Super League's first, Iftar event

The 26th of March was a historic day for, not only, the Huddersfield Giants, but also the Super League, as the Giants hosted a first of it's kind Iftar event at the Stadium for the first time.

The 26th of March was a historic day for, not only, the Huddersfield Giants, but also the Super League, as the Giants hosted a first ever Iftar event at the Stadium.

During the month of Ramadan an Iftar is the meal eaten by Muslims at sunset to break their fast during Ramadan. It is the main meal of the day for those who are fasting. Iftar begins at Maghrib (sunset) each day, in many parts of the world, including the UK, the time of Iftar varies as the month progresses, due to changes in day length. For our event those fasting were able to break their long fast at exactly 18:32 on the night, and culturally appropriate food was prepared immaculately by the catering staff at the Stadium. 

The event symbolises the passion and desire of the club to reach everyone in the Huddersfield and Kirklees area and to not only show acceptance to all who live in our town but also to help spread message of learning and togetherness. For many in the room it was the first time that they would have learnt about Ramadan, it's meaning and the importance of it to Muslim people around the world. It will have been the first time that many will have seen the call to prayer and once again learn it's significance and English translation. As a club we want to embrace everyone who lives in our town, and region, and we want to make sure that we can act as a gateway for every community to experience each other.

Ikram Butt the former England and Huddersfield Giants player and now Executive Director of the British Asian Rugby Association had this to say as host of the event:  

"Wednesday night marked a historic moment as the Huddersfield Giants Super League Club hosted its inaugural iftar, a testament to the power of collaboration and community spirit. Together with the British Asian Rugby Association and the generous support of the One Community Foundation, as well as Radio Sangam, Malik Group Holdings, and Regal, we celebrated unity, diversity, and the spirit of Ramadan. 

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who attended, and we reserve special thanks for Richard Thewlis, Cllr Masood, Emma Woods-Bolger, Hayley Austin, Mohammed Qaiser, Maulana Abu Bakr Saleem, Junaid Malik, Nene MacDonald and David Nofoaluma. Their unwavering support and dedication were instrumental in bringing this event to fruition, showcasing the true spirit of community and inclusivity." 

Huddersfield Giants Ambassador Masood Ahmed was equally fulsome in his pleasure and delight as he told www.giantsrl.com:

"The Giants have led on this project which feels right as the birthplace of Rugby league and it was an undoubted success enjoyed by a full room of people many of whom have never interacted with the club before but who will hopefully have enjoyed their experience and speak well of the Giants as a welcoming environment for all. The tours of the boardroom and dressing rooms following the Iftar went well as places that many may feel are impossible to access but that's not the case at our club. Our thanks go to all the attendees and the British Asian Rugby League association who were pivotal in ensuring a great evening." 

Ramadan Mubarak!