Ramadan Mass Iftar Table in Egypt Goes Viral on Social Media

Residents enjoy the mass iftar. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Residents enjoy the mass iftar. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Ramadan Mass Iftar Table in Egypt Goes Viral on Social Media

Residents enjoy the mass iftar. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Residents enjoy the mass iftar. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Social media users in Egypt have shared photographs of a mass street iftar table surrounded by dozens of people breaking their fast.

Before the sunset call to prayer, a 1,000-meter table was placed in the heart of the El Matareya neighborhood, Cairo.

This mass iftar looked like a celebration with the Ramadan decorations and lanterns swaying above the diners.

“People expressed how much they missed this mass iftar, which was a yearly tradition in the neighborhood and halted due to the pandemic,” said Amir Karam, admin of "Matareya Youth" page on Facebook.

“This mass iftar tradition debuted seven years ago, but it was canceled in the past two years because of the pandemic and health restrictions,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The table featured all kinds of food and deserts and required long hours of preparation. It was prepared by the neighborhood’s residents who shared the burden equally on this day to spend a few hours of companionship on a Ramadan night.

“The residents, from all ages, helped make this day happen. They spent money to buy needs, and prepared food. Some participated financially, some cooked, while others organized the sitting area, decorated the place and cleaned after the gathering,” said Karam, who helped organize the event.

The iftar was unique and one of a kind. It was covered with much interest by media outlets, photographers, and social media users, who shared pictures of it accompanied with captions praising the residents and their spirit for organizing such a gathering.



South Korean President Takes up Golf Again to Forge a Bond with Trump

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for a news conference at the Presidential Office in Seoul, South Korea, 07 November 2024. (EPA)
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for a news conference at the Presidential Office in Seoul, South Korea, 07 November 2024. (EPA)
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South Korean President Takes up Golf Again to Forge a Bond with Trump

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for a news conference at the Presidential Office in Seoul, South Korea, 07 November 2024. (EPA)
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives for a news conference at the Presidential Office in Seoul, South Korea, 07 November 2024. (EPA)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has dusted off his golf clubs in an attempt to forge a bond with President-elect Donald Trump, an avid lover of the game.

The presidential office said Tuesday that Yoon began practicing the game for the first time in eight years in preparation for a possible round of golf with Trump.

Since his election, Trump’s "America first" approach has raised concerns it could negatively affect the US defense commitment to South Korea and hurt the trade interests of the Northeast Asian country in various ways, including increased tariffs.

Some experts say it’s important to build a close personal friendship with Trump during the transition period before he formally takes office in January.

"Much could depend on whether Yoon is able to strike up positive chemistry with Trump immediately during the transition and foster a close personal friendship to convince him to want to support and advance Seoul’s interests," said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security in Washington.

Yoon and Trump discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and agreed to hold an in-person meeting soon during a phone call on Thursday. The South Korean president told reporters later that while things couldn't remain the same as under the Biden administration, "we have been preparing to hedge these risks for a long time."

And apparently, a game of golf may be what's needed.

Local media said Yoon went to a Seoul golf course on Saturday, but the presidential office said it couldn't confirm the reports.

A senior presidential official, speaking on condition of anonymity in a background briefing, said that while he didn’t know how hard Yoon practiced golf, training was necessary as "our president also has to hit a ball properly to get conversations going on" with Trump, who has "outstanding" golf skills.

Yoon isn’t the first world leader to try to use golf to develop relations with Trump.

When he was in office, Japan’s assassinated prime minister, Shinzo Abe, struck up a personal friendship with then-President Trump, on the greens of golf clubs both in Japan and the US. In 2017, Abe said that a round of golf with Trump was a good chance to relax and discuss difficult issues.