Ambassadors and envoys of countries representing members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab Group in Romania on Tuesday (March, 03, 2025) hosted an Iftar dinner attended by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and other high-ranking officials of the government and members of parliament.
“Thank you for making us feel at home. We are truly grateful, as we gather to welcome this blessed month,” said Mohammed Abdulghani Khayat, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the OIC Group.
“Ramadan teaches us to be better…To work for peace all over the world, especially to our Palestinian brothers and sisters. Our hearts and prayers are with them. We wish peace for Ukraine as well,” he told the gathering which included Minister of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Bogdan-Gruia Ivan, Minister of Family, Youth, and Equal Opportunities Simona Bucura-Oprescu, Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies Hajdu Gábor, Senator Mr. Sorin Moise, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sorin-Mihai Grindeanu and Minister of Justice Radu Marinescu.
Prime Minister Ciolacu described the evening as an expression of values.
“The Iftar is the end of the daily Ramadan fast. It represents, at the same time, a symbol of reunion, reflection, and recognition,” he said while adding that “it brings us together with others and helps us build a community, a communion between people”.
“In the spirit of community, reflection, and recognition, I would like to wish all Muslims in Romania a joyful Ramadan filled with health, prosperity, and peace. Ramadan Kareem!” said the Prime Minister.
Iftar is the meal to end a day of fasting. Muslims throughout the world are required to fast from dawn to dusk during the Holy month of Ramadan.
Rana Mokaddem, Ambassador of Lebanon and Dean of Arab Group, reminded that Ramadan is not merely a time of abstaining from food and drink but an opportunity for strengthening relationships with tolerance, kindness, and empathy to the suffering of others.
“We need these humanitarian values more than ever-particularly in Congo, Sudan, Ukraine, Lebanon, and Palestine, where innocent people endure the tragedies of war and devastation,” she said.
She further underlined that the people of Palestine “face continuous threats of renewal of Israeli attacks in addition to a blockade during Ramadan”.
Present were also leaders of religious groups, such as Apostolic Nuncio Msgr. Giampiero Gloder, Chief of the Muslim Community of Romania Mufti Iusuf Muurat and Vicar of the Archdiocese of Bucharest Rev. Father Michael Tița.
The evening’s event at the InterContinental Athenee Palace, Bucharest, was highlighted by a colorful array of delicacies from various participating countries.
The OIC and Arab Group Ambassadors attending were from Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey and Turkmenistan, along with envoys from Iraq, Malaysia, Nigeria, Syria, and Sudan.
