Ramadan in Rotterdam begins

This year, the start of Ramadan is on Monday morning, March 11, 2024, and is likely to end on Tuesday evening, April 9, 2024. Eid al-Fitr will start on Wednesday 10 April 2024. Leading up to the Islamic month of fasting, there are already events such as the Ramadan Market on 6 March on Noordplein. The market is organised by sisters Rachida and Najima Kharbouch, better known as the Healthy Sisters, and Knorr. There are also Iftars and other get-togethers during Ramadan .

The Ramadan Market in Rotterdam will take place between 14.00 and 18.00. Visitors are invited to eat together, spend time together and enjoy Arabic music. Rachida and Najima will be present at the market with their Healthy Sisters Ramadan Truck from which they will serve free halal dishes, including a Chorba soup, Harira soup and a veggie wrap. Also present at the market are several local entrepreneurs from the community, including sellers of prayer clothes and Eid decorations.

Ramadan Market

"Food stands for connecting and during Ramadan even more so. We are looking forward to visiting different cities and having great conversations there while enjoying delicious dishes. We ourselves grew up with Knorr bouillon cubes; our mother also used them while preparing her recipes. She even brought them to the Netherlands from Morocco at the time, because halal bouillon cubes were already in the range there,'' say the Healthy Sisters.

Iftar and more

Of course, there are again many restaurants like Beymen, Hkiki Restaurant, Ortam, Nirvana, Pistache Halab and Helai that offer a special menu at the time when eating is allowed after fasting. After a short prayer, a glass of milk and a date, the meal, or iftar, follows.

On Sunday 17 March, Theatre Zuidplein is organising its secondSoulfood Iftar with a sumptuous buffet dinner catered by Mlouza Catering. The programme is all about connecting and meeting. Ensemble Tasnim will be there throughout the evening under the direction of Saad Chemmari for musical entertainment. Host of the evening is Alia Azzouzi. Beforehand, there will be a photoshoot by Rotterdam-based photographer Khalid Amakran to capture multiple generations in images. Khalid will also exhibit a selection from his exhibition Bnadem throughout Ramadan month in Theater Zuidplein.

Cover photo: Emma Peijnenburg