MCC hosts 2023 Bachar Houli Foundation Iftar dinner

On Wednesday March 29 guests from all across Melbourne’s sporting community were given a special insight into the holy month of Ramadan, a time of spiritual significance for people of Muslim faith, at the Bachar Houli Foundation (BHF) Iftar, presented by the Melbourne Cricket Club Foundation.

The 2023 Iftar dinner marked the 10 year anniversary of the event which was started by Bachar Houli in 2013, and was also the largest Iftar held by BHF to date.

The ‘People’s Ground’ truly lived up to its name with more than 370 guests from all backgrounds, cultures and faiths coming together in the Members Dining Room overlooking the hallowed MCG turf to celebrate the breaking of the daily fast.

Bachar Houli spoke of the significant impact the BHF and its partners - including the MCC Foundation - has had in acting as a platform for young people of Muslim faith to grow and develop skills, ultimately helping guide the next generation of leaders.

 

The MCC is privileged to host the BHF Iftar dinner, a night that brings to life so much of what makes the partnership between the MCC Foundation and the BHF so cherished. The MCC Foundation first partnered with the BHF in 2019 and recently announced a three-year extension of the partnership through to 2025.

The ethos of the MCC Foundation is to provide meaningful support to the community it operates in and to use sport as a means to grow invaluable life skills, embracing diversity in each and every aspect.

MCC Foundation chair Sally Macindoe acknowledged the progress that has been made since the MCC Foundation partnered with the BHF in 2019, providing key support in the work the BHF does to foster young Muslim people with a sense of belonging and connection through the game loved by so many - football.

 

This event also marked one year since the MCG opened a multi-faith prayer room – designed with the help and guidance of the BHF to deliver a space that fits the needs of the diverse communities visiting the MCG on both match and non-match days – particularly during periods such as Ramadan.