The Youth Events
The Youth Dinner Event is a family event organized by Greater Cincinnati Islamic Association to celebrate the Muslim holidays. The event usually takes place on the first weekend following holidays (Ramadan or Eid al-Adha) indoors (at the Mosque) or outdoors (Park). Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the social distancing measures, some of the 2020-2021 events were canceled or celebrated at a distance (virtual).
The 7th edition took place at Roselawn Mosque on Saturday, July 24, 2021, and that was the first youth event celebrated in that new location. The previous editions were celebrated at the following locations:
1. 3 editions were celebrated (indoors) at the Clifton Mosque
2. 3 editions were celebrated (in a park) at Koenig Park, Reading OHIO
3. 1 was virtual via Zoom.
4. Since the 7the edition, two more editions were celebrated at the Roselawn Mosque which brings it to three in total at the Roselawn Mosque
A Time of joy and Family Celebration!
The Youth Dinner is an occasion for a feast where the attendees can enjoy African and Muslim traditional cuisine, sweet foods, and special homemade drinks. Kids receive gifts and play educational games, and Islamic and African quizzes with fun prizes to win; having fun while getting to know each other better and building a lasting bond between themselves.
Objective
The main objective is to facilitate the families to gather and celebrate together the holiday in joyful spirits. Create the opportunity for their American children to experience some of the traditions of Muslim holiday celebrations to connect them with their Islamic heritage and culture.
The name: Youth Events
As a Holiday event, this is a family event, open to both, the parents, and their kids. However, it is especially geared toward the youth and children of the community who were born or grow up in the US to make them more aware of the Islamic holidays and connect them with their African roots and Pulaar/Fulbe heritage.
In the earlier editions, it was called “Youth Dinner”, because it was mainly a dinner party organized for the kids with a distribution of gifts. In the later editions, however, many other activities were added to it, such as the celebration of the high school graduates which sometimes coincides with the Eids.
