A special festival away from bombs and persecution

(VO/JB) More than 300 Syrian refugees celebrated Eid al-Adha with Muslims in Mamer at a special feast organised on Sunday.

The festival is a strong spiritual moment in the Muslim calendar, marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimmage to Mecca. Each year, Muslims sacrifice a sheep for the occasion.

The festival commemorates the story of Abraham, who was willing to give up his son to God for which he was rewarded with a sheep.

For the many Syrian refugees who attended, it was an important occasion, enabling them to make friends and contacts. Sisters-in-law Soumia and Hiba told wort.lu it was the first time they had celebrated the feast as a family in five years.

“The last time we celebrated Eid, it was under the bombs and the war in Homs," said Soumia, a mother-of-four, who now lives in Michelau.

"We finally feel safe and integrated within a community that welcomes us for a day of major celebration for us but also in a country that respects our beliefs and does not ask us to change or remove our veil," added Hiba.

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