Charity dinner on the occasion of the holy month for the Muslims, Ramadan, was organized in Kardzhali on 16th of July, 2014. The initiative, which has a 7-years history, is a joint one – f the Municipality of Kardzhali and its twin Turkish Municipality of Osmangazi in Bursa. A founder of the idea is the Mayor of the Turkish municipality Mustafa Dündar. On the day of the iftar the restaurant in the city’s park gathered more than 500 people despite the rainy weather.
According to the words of the guests the holy for the Muslims month of Ramadan is filled with many lessons, but it mostly provides opportunity for achieving peace and understanding between the people, regardless their ethnicity and religion.
“Holidays are an occasion to strengthen once more the strong relations between our two brotherly and friendly nations”, shared the Deputy Mayor of Osmangazi Halil Döner Cebeci. He greeted the Muslims for the upcoming feast of Ramadan Bayram.
“This evening once again I feel proud and happy that I am a citizen of Kardzhali. We are again at one table with our guests from the twin municipality, we are together with the Regional Governor, the leaders of the religious communities – the Regional Mufti Beyahn Mehmed and Parish Priest Father Petar are also with us. This is something that can be seen just at few places in the country. It is not surprisingly that our city is called “the capital of tolerance”. Kardzhali is a sign for good neighbourship of people from different ethnic communities who shared together the holidays and together overcome the hardship. What we all need today, is unity. Kardzhali again gives the good example and the good sign for unity”, said the Mayor Eng. Hasan Azis and expressed his satisfaction with the presence of the Christian friends who honored the tradition of the Muslim community.
The Mayor thanked the Municipality of Osmangazi, which for a seventh time participates in the organization of iftar in Kardzhali.
On behalf of the Muslim community the Regional Mufti of Kardzhali Beyhan Mehmed expressed gratitude to the organizers. “By abstaining our bodies from food and water during the month of Ramadan, by fasting in the Name of the Almighty, it is an honor for me to break the fasting together. The month of Ramadan is one spiritual school which teaches us to be better, more united, more believing and well-intended. This is the month filled with blessing and mercy”, stressed the Mufti of Kardzhali Beyhan Mehmed.
“In Kardzhali we live under the sky of the most protected city. When Christians finish the fasting, by chance or not, immediately starts the fasting of the Muslims. When a prayer fades in one of the temples, it starts in the other. In this way our city does not stay without prayer’s protection and without people who pray to the Most High, Who is above all of us, regardless faith and nationality”, shared the Parish Priest Father Petar.
Among the guests of the festive dinner were the Chairman of the Municipal Council Raif Mustafa, the deputy mayors of municipality of Kardzhali Elisaveta Kehayova, Ivan Velev, Yusein Ahmed, Muharem Muharem, the Regional Governor Biser Nikolov and his two deputies – Nazmi Myumyun and Musa Seidahmed, municipal councilors and representatives of the business.