Fancy an extra bank holiday on top of the one asked for for St Georges Day?
Proposal
Make Eid a public holiday for all
Two Turkish-Flemish intellectuals, Selahattin and Bahattin Koçak advocate establishing a public holiday at Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the month of fasting (Ramadan). In a proposal published in De Morgen they argue that "the best solution would be if this celebration became a holiday for everyone, because acceptance of other cultures depends on their integration." Consider the implications of growing up in a culture that does not feature on the national calendar: "our sense of equality is undermined, because on a symbolic level the celebration of Ramadan is similar to the celebration of Christmas. When we were children, we thought Santa Claus must be racist because he had presents for our neighbour Frankie [a typical Flemish first name], but never anything for us. By the same token, acceptance of Islam cannot solely depend on the good will of neighbours and employers," who tolerate the fast "as long as it does not undermine productivity." What is needed is a greater acknowledgement: "We must move on from the stage where we were simply becoming acquainted with each others’ religions and cultures. Today, the integration of Islam in mainstream society is a challenge that will enable us to make progress together.”
13 August 2010 Die Zeit Hamburg
