Sydney: A massive colourful crowd of ethnic communities across New South Wales and other states queued up in thousands with their families and friends at Sydney Showground Olympic Park to attend the much awaited and anticipated event of the year, the annual Chand Raat Eid Festival 2011.

The buzzing excitement and energy of the overwhelming attendees was incredible. 150 stalls of business promotions, fashion, jewellery, electronics, photography, art & scriptures, toys, henna painting etc in the exhibition hall no. 4 with a variety of ethnic food stalls and attracting rides/amusements outdoor brought an overwhelming excitement for hundreds of families, youth and children.

Among many community leaders and organisations’ heads, Hon Victor Dominello, Minister for Citizenship & Communities representing the Premier NSW; Hon John Cameron Robertson, MP, Leader of the opposition, NSW; Hon Barbara Perry, MP; Hon Laurie Ferguson, House of Representatives, Federal Parliament; Deputy Mayor, Auburn Council, Mr. Jack Au; Dr Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chairperson, Community Relations Commission, NSW; Mr. Azam Mohammed, Consul General of Pakistan (Sydney); Dr. Verk, Indian Community Leader and Dr, Ali Sarfraz, Patron Pakistani Australian Federation (PAF) attended the official ceremony. The distinguish guests applauded the event by acknowledging the record crowd on Sunday from Islamic and non-Islamic communities. Following the past traditions, the event again broke the previous records. The opening time was 6.00pm but the people started lining up on the entry gates from 5.00pm. First time, the Organisers introduced $2.00 entry fee to meet growing cost of the event but due to massive influx of the crowd waiting outside for a long time in the queue compelled the management to open the gates for free. at about 9.30pm.

Previously the event was being held in Liverpool but due to 20 to 25 percent growth every year the organisers decided to move the event to the bigger location at Sydney Showground, Olympic Park, Homebush.

People from Pakistani, Indian, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Afghani, African, Arabic, Turkish, Malaysian, Sri Lankan, Indonesian, Chinese and mainstream Australians attended this remarkable event with their family and friends.

Young Australians of ethnic and Anglo Saxon origins were eating Tandoori, Gozleme, Donor Kebab and Donuts. Though CREF is a traditional event on the eve of Eid - an Islamic celebration at the end of fasting the month of Ramadan, the people who don’t celebrate Eid from other faiths were also enjoying the night. CREF is the perfect example for people of different backgrounds desirously enjoy with others when an event delivers an opportunity to sharing thoughts, culture, tradition and food.

The official ceremony was held at 7.30pm, Hon Victor Dominello, Minister for Citizenship & Communities, Hon Laurie Ferguson, House of Representatives, Federal Parliament, Hon John Cameron Robertson, MP, Leader of the opposition, NSW; Hon Barbara Perry, MP; Dr Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chairperson, Community Relations Commission, NSW; Deputy Mayor, Auburn Council, Mr. Jack Au; Mr. Azam Mohammed, Consul General of Pakistan (Sydney); Dr. Jagvinder Singh Virk Indian Community Representative, Dr. Ali Sarfraz Patron Pakistani Australian Federation, Mrs. Surraya Hassan founder of Chand Raat Eid Festival and Syed Atiq ul Hassan Director Chand Raat Eid Festival delivered their messages related to the festivity.

All the distinguish guests acknowledged the efforts of the Organising Committee especially the dedication and commitments of Mr. Syed Atiq ul Hassan and Mrs. Surraya Hassan for holding the event successfully for the last 12 years. The master of ceremony Miss Sarwat Hassan briefly described the 12 years journey of Chand Raat Eid Festival. Chand Raat Eid Festival (CREF) is a traditional event (not a religious event). It creates the opportunity for people to do last minute shopping for Eid, and happiness and social entertainment to everyone.

‘In today’s politicised world there are lots of stereotypes that are found in the commercialised media about the relationship between people of different faiths especially between Muslims and non-Muslims. CREF shows that it does not matter what religion people belong to or what colour skin they possess, they all want to live in peace & harmony with others. "In Australia people don’t care about political differences and views as long as there is mutual respect and acceptance for each other" said Syed Atiq ul Hassan, the Director, Chand Raat Eid Festival.

‘By the Grace of God and support of everyone, today, we are marking the 13^th year of Chand Raat Eid Festival. It has been a persistent hard work in the last 12 years by our team, sponsors, stallholders and everyone who have attended this great festivity of the year, I am sure with the support of everyone Chand Raat Eid Festival will expand year by year and become the great event of the multicultural Australia’, said Surraya Hassan, founder of Chand Raat Eid Festival (CREF).

Hon Victor Dominello, Minister for Citizenship & Communities, who was representing the Premier of New South Wales said that he had attended first time and he could very boldly say that he has never seen such a wonderful mix crowed of different backgrounds enjoying the ending of Ramadan celebrations. He said Australia has given wonderful opportunity to the people came from various part of world to freely observe and celebrate their traditional, cultural and religious activities. Hon John Cameron Robertson, MP, Leader of the opposition, NSW acknowledged the efforts of the organisers for holding such a colourful and huge gathering in celebrations of the end of Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr where people from different communities participated. He said that this was great example of our multicultural Australia.

Hon Laurie Ferguson, House of Representatives, Federal Parliament said that he has been attending the event for the last few years and I always say that this CREF is very different unique and an event where should be proud of on the exhibition of our multicultural Australia. Hon Laurie Ferguson that the organisers, particularly Mr. Hassan, Mrs. Surraya Hassan and their family must be appreciated for their consist hard work in the last 12 years to make this event a great event annual festivity for everyone.

Hon Barbara Perry member parliament NSW said that she has been very happy to have CREF now in her constituency. She said it a great opportunity for the people in the vicinity of Olympic Park especially people of city of Auburn to demonstrate their cultural, integrity, unity and peace through their participation in this remarkable annual event.

Dr Stepan Kerkyasharian, Chairperson, Community Relations Commission, NSW said that he has been observing the dedicated and sincere hard work by Syed Atiq ul Hassan and Surraya Hassan and now they have given our multicultural New South Wales this great event of Chand Raat Eid Festival. He said that he congratulated to all the team of Syed Atiq ul Hassan and Surraya Hassan for having such a successful event at Sydney Showground.

Deputy Mayor, Auburn Council, Mr. Jack Au who was representing the Mayor of Auburn City Council said that Auburn is very proud to be one of the sponsors of the Chand Raat Eid Festival this year. He said he would like to congratulate on behalf of the Mayor of City of Auburn to the organisers particularly, Syed Atiq ul Hassan for holding such a wonderful multicultural display in the City of Auburn. He said that he would like to assure that the Auburn Council would continue to support this event in coming years.

Mr. Azam Mohammed, Consul General of Pakistan in his address said that Islam especially in the month of Ramadan teaches us patience, respect and tolerance and he is very proud CREF is run by Pakistanis and they have staged this event for everyone, today we find people from different communities in this event. He congratulated Syed Atiq ul Hassan, Surraya Hassan and their team for having a successful event.

Dr. Virk, Indian Community a well-known Indian Community leader and a local politician form Australian Liberal Party said that Chand Raat Eid Festival is a great example of how Indian, Pakistan and people from other communities live and enjoy together. He said, today we are celebrating ending of fasting & holy month of Ramadan of Muslims but we have people from different faith, colour and race. Mr. Virk said said, ‘our most treasured strength is the diversity of cultures that each of us bring into this country to create this great mosaic we call multiculturalism’.

Dr. Ali Sarfraz Patron, Patron Pakistani Australia Federation (PAF) thanks the respected guests, the community members and the organisers to have such a wonderful event. He said, he is very proud of this event of Chand Raat Eid Festival which has been bringing the people from different background together.

Chand Raat which means 'night of the moon ' marks the end of Ramadan and the start of Eid-ul-Fitr. It celebrates, traditionally, the end of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr festivity. It was first held in 1998 at Lakemba on limited scale. Sarwat also explained among many good reasons and mission of promoting multiculturalism was one noble cause of Chand Raat Eid Festival.

Sarwat explained how festival’s organisers Syed Atiq ul Hassan and Surraya Hassan are working on the project of helping the children who are impoverished in Education in South Asia under a non-profit organisation ‘South Asian Assistance for Impoverished in Education’. Whatever, funds will be generated from the event will go the charity of the children in education.

The host Syed Atiq ul Hassan, director of CREF 2011, thanked the guests and attendees for their wonderful support and also highlighted the various issues & activities being conducted by CREF. Distinguish guests also distributed awards to the winners (sponsors and supporters including media owners). The guests also visited the stalls, tasted delicious foods and showed lots of interest in various stalls. The main attraction of the people was the $1786.00 cash prize who was announced by one of the major Gold Sponsor, Value World Travel. The cash prize draw was held at midnight. Aisha Khan, a young girl won the prize. She said she was so happy that could not image that she was coming in the event to win a prize of almost $2000.00.

The organizers Mr Syed Atiq ul Hassan and Mrs Surraya Hassan thanked all the stall holders and the major sponsors Auburn Council, Sydney Showground, Western Union, Lebara, Department of Health and Ageing, Sydney Taxi Training and Value World Travel. The Chand Raat Eid Festival 2011 Committee also thanked all the stall holders of the event for their wonderful support especially the ethnic, local and international media and promised to continue providing a bigger event every year.

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