Debate in Vienna: Ramadan is celebrated while Christmas is absent!
A primary school in the Leopoldstadt district of Vienna is preparing to celebrate the occasion of Ramadan, with an event that will include all the children in the school. This celebration will be organized by an Islamic education teacher and supported by the parents' association.
In a message sent by the school administration to the parents, it was clarified that attendance at school on this day is mandatory, and any absence must be coordinated in advance with the class teacher. Despite the school's clarification that participation in the celebration is optional and lasts no more than 10 to 15 minutes for each class, one parent expressed strong dissatisfaction with the idea, saying: "My child is Catholic, why should he celebrate Ramadan? There was no celebration for Christmas, and if we wanted our children to celebrate Ramadan, we would be living in Arab countries, not in Austria."
According to the angry father, his child informed him that some of his classmates do not speak German well, and that some only speak Arabic, which necessitated the presence of an additional teacher who is proficient in Arabic to support the lessons. Regarding the content of the celebration, the education administration in Vienna clarified that what is being organized is not a religious ritual but a cultural and educational activity that promotes mutual understanding between cultures and religions. Ramadan bags containing sweets will be distributed, and dishes from various parts of the world will be served in the hall. The spokesperson confirmed that children who do not wish to participate will be supervised outside the hall in small groups.
She added that the school had previously organized celebrations for Christmas, which included singing carols and discussing the topic "Christmas around the world," in addition to celebrating Nikolaus Day (Saint Nicholas), where each child received a bag of sweets in a manner similar to what will happen during Ramadan celebrations.
As for the language issue, the administration confirmed that the school relies on a highly skilled team to support German language education, working with a spirit of understanding and integration, noting that integration in the classrooms is successful and goes beyond just language barriers.