Hi, I’m Baran Bani Asadi, and I’m 10 years old. Two years ago, I moved to Canada with my mom. One of my challenges was worrying that I couldn’t celebrate the festivals I loved in my home country and that I wouldn’t be able to adapt to the new culture. I felt lonely. So, I decided to invite my friends who speak my language to celebrate Eid al-Adha, a special festival for Muslims, together.
When Muslims pray, they face a direction called the Qibla, which points towards the Kaaba. The Kaaba is a sacred building located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and it is considered the house of God, built by Prophet Abraham. Muslims all over the world turn towards the Kaaba during their prayers to show unity and direction in worship. Every year, many Muslims go to Mecca to perform a pilgrimage called Hajj. During Hajj, they wear white clothes (Ihram) to show that everyone is equal before God, regardless of nationality or skin color. This teaches us to live together in peace and kindness, no matter our differences.
Living in Canada, I have experienced how welcoming this country is, with its diverse mix of nationalities and cultures. Canada has embraced people from all over the world, making it a place where everyone can feel at home. Inspired by this, my mom and I created models with paper figures of people of different skin colors and nationalities, and a model of the Kaaba. We made white clothes for the figures. My friends and I cut out the figures, glued them together, and dressed them in white clothes to see how everyone could look the same despite their differences. We also decorated the base for our models with drawings and embroidery. Through these crafts, I wanted to show how Canada, like the Kaaba, brings people together regardless of their backgrounds.
Through this activity, we learned that just like our homeland, Canada has welcomed us, and we can progress together here. It was a fun and educational experience that showed us the beauty of unity and diversity. It also helped us appreciate that despite our different nationalities, we can all come together and celebrate our common values in a welcoming environment.
