Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Vocational Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity to extend a sincere thank you to a local couple, Nihal and Cetin Uckan, who invited me into their home last Thursday evening to enjoy an Iftar dinner with them, for our local Muslim community and their holy month of Ramadan. The family had fasted and broken their fast at sunset, and had extended hospitality to the community on that important occasion for them. They invited me to join them for a meal. It was a wonderful location. Their two sons joined us as well. That was particularly pertinent to me as Nihal had gone to the same primary school as me, and we are much the same age and our two boys are much the same age. We were able to talk about the challenges facing young people today. It was organised by the Affinity Intercultural Foundation and our local representatives, Nurhayat and Bilal Aydemir. They were also present at the dinner and have been very active in our community organising all sorts of dinners to reach across religious differences—things that should actually bind us together not divide us. It was a great occasion and I thank them.