“The media has a way of negatively representing Islam and coming here today really showed me that the Islamic community is far from that,” says Dhanuddara Mohottalage, a young high school graduate of Buddhist faith.

Ms. Mohottalage joined many other non-Muslims to celebrate and learn more about the month of Ramadhan at the 5th Annual Harmony Iftar dinner held at Sala San Marco Banquet Hall on Friday, July 26. The fast-breaking dinner is an annual event that invites Muslims to build a stronger relationship with their friends and neighbours of other faiths by introducing them to the holy month of Ramadhan and correcting any misconceptions they may have about Islam in a friendly relaxed and environment.

With about roughly 300 guests, the hall was a mosaic of Ottawa's diversity.

In high school, Ayan Ismail would get constant questions about why she wasn't eating or drinking during the month of Ramadan. The questions persisted right through university.

“I wanted to answer them,” she explained in an interview, “but I also wanted to do something.”