Writing by Faris al-Rifai; Translation by Rana Abdul
(Zaman al-Wasl)- Syrian refugees suffer this year again the lack of food in Ramadan in Italy trying to compensate with creating a spiritual atmosphere to forget what they have been deprived of during the past 6 years away from their families and loved ones.
Weeks before Ramadan starts, the institutions serving the refugee camps in Italy distribute a paper on refugees to count those who will fast and to count the meals.
They add dates and milk to the meals since dates are not included in meals usually except for Ramadan. These institutions adapt meals times in Ramadan to two Iftar and Sahour, activist Rima Aboud from the Association for Refugee Rights.
Rima told Zaman al-Wasl the Islamic bodies prepare the meals set-up and religious programs for Ramadan as well as print the times of prayers to distribute it on refugees.
The activist explained the food in camps in Italy does not have the Ramadan food like other asylum countries. The food served in the camps is the same over the year, but the times of meals change. The refugees set their alarms to go to Sahour in food hall whereas others prepare their own basic meals in their tents amid the hard living conditions in the camp.
“Refugees in Italy suffer from the bad quality of food offered especially that Syrians are used to home-cooked food and variety of dishes especially in Ramadan. Some resort to cooking in their rooms in basic tools and basic money although cooking in rooms is banned completely,” activist Rima added.
Rima pointed out that camps in Italy do not have mosques and so refugees have to go to the mosques in the capital to perform Tarawih prayers and other Muslim practices are do not individually in their rooms.
The Italians have deep respect for the fasting people and try to come close to the Islamic culture during Ramadan; however, they see it as strange that refugees fast and renew their relationship with God despite hard refugee conditions.
(Zaman al-Wasl)- Syrian refugees suffer this year again the lack of food in Ramadan in Italy trying to compensate with creating a spiritual atmosphere to forget what they have been deprived of during the past 6 years away from their families and loved ones.
Weeks before Ramadan starts, the institutions serving the refugee camps in Italy distribute a paper on refugees to count those who will fast and to count the meals.
They add dates and milk to the meals since dates are not included in meals usually except for Ramadan. These institutions adapt meals times in Ramadan to two Iftar and Sahour, activist Rima Aboud from the Association for Refugee Rights.
Rima told Zaman al-Wasl the Islamic bodies prepare the meals set-up and religious programs for Ramadan as well as print the times of prayers to distribute it on refugees.
The activist explained the food in camps in Italy does not have the Ramadan food like other asylum countries. The food served in the camps is the same over the year, but the times of meals change. The refugees set their alarms to go to Sahour in food hall whereas others prepare their own basic meals in their tents amid the hard living conditions in the camp.
“Refugees in Italy suffer from the bad quality of food offered especially that Syrians are used to home-cooked food and variety of dishes especially in Ramadan. Some resort to cooking in their rooms in basic tools and basic money although cooking in rooms is banned completely,” activist Rima added.
Rima pointed out that camps in Italy do not have mosques and so refugees have to go to the mosques in the capital to perform Tarawih prayers and other Muslim practices are do not individually in their rooms.
The Italians have deep respect for the fasting people and try to come close to the Islamic culture during Ramadan; however, they see it as strange that refugees fast and renew their relationship with God despite hard refugee conditions.
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