Members of the Filipino community in Riyadh gather at a reunion at the International Philippine School in Riyadh on Thursday.

Expatriates here joined Saudis in celebrating Eid Al-Adha in their own traditional style.

Despite difference in their race and color, they still demonstrate the spirit of the Eid. The spirit of brotherhood was evident right after the Eid prayers when everybody embraced each other and exchanged greetings and brotherly words.

Some communities organized family or community get-together reunions or gatherings and visitations while others utilized the week-long holidays for sports activities.

A newly formed Filipino organization in the capital, Ranao Sports Commission (RSC) hosted a program on Thursday on this occasion that featured among others Islamic lectures at the first International Philippine School in Riyadh (IPSR) attended by the Filipino Muslim community.

The head of the organizer, Allan Macabangkit, described it as a great opportunity for reviving the spirit of brotherhood.

“We seek through our organization to unite and strength friendship among our fellow community leaders. Through sports could be a tool for such camaraderie, a medical doctor, Sambo Bantuas, the RSC vice chairman, said in his speech.

The event was also attended by Prof. Mohammad Hassan Cana, former dean and professor at the King Faisal Center for Islamic and Asian Studies of the Mindanao State University, among various community leaders.

Other expats here also follow practices on this day by making animal sacrifices. “For those of us from Sudan, sacrifice is an obligatory duty for each and everyone,” said a Sudanese translator. He added that it is a strict Islamic duty that we should adhere to. He described Eid Festival as an occasion for reunion with families and friends.

At 5 a.m. on Saturday, worshippers started arriving at the mosque in Dubhat district, in Malaz on a spacious area for accommodating the congregation.

Some expatriates came along with children in their own attire that symbolized their nationality and countries. It was a colorful event with different cultural background, but all were listening intently in a common direction for conducting Eid Al-Adha prayers.

“I take this festive occasion to exchange greetings and embrace fellow brothers immediately after congregation prayer at the mosque to open a new chapter of friendship,” an Indian IT specialist, Mojeeb Aftab, told Arab News.

He said although he finds it difficult to understand the sermon, he knows that everybody came to purify ourselves and ask for divine forgiveness.