ORF-E
English
1 x 30 min
Worldwide  

When the Islamic world is in the fasting month of Ramadan, devout Muslims are not allowed to eat any food from sunrise to sunset – a spiritual month in which they feel particularly close to their God and in which solidarity with the poor is central. Breaking the fast in the evening and night hours, Ramadan is an extremely festive time, similar to the Christmas season for Christians: the family comes together for a feast, friends and colleagues invite each other and it is ensured that even the poor do not go to bed hungry. But lately Ramadan has become a challenge for many Muslims, as food prices, which have gone up worldwide due to the Corona pandemic and the Ukraine war, are putting a significant damper on the festivities. ORF correspondent Karim El-Gawhary has thrown himself into the Ramadan hustle in Cairo, a city of 20 million, breaking the fast with a family in one of the city’s poorer neighborhoods and talking to them about the difficulties of putting a festive meal on the table. He accompanies volunteers from an upscale neighborhood as they prepare a Ramadan home-delivery meal of sorts and distribute it in poor neighborhoods. Most importantly, he takes viewers into the decorated streets, to the Ramadan lanterns and the shining children’s eyes – and finally takes up the drum himself to parade through the alleyways and remind the fasting people to eat one last meal before sunrise, before the fast begins again.