In Pierrefonds, on Montreal’s West Island, the non-profit Hilm and the Canadian Youth Development Center came together Thursday night to host an inter-community dinner and Eid celebration.
The evening brought together dozens of community leaders, cultural groups, elected officials, and organizations from across Montreal, all gathered under one roof for a shared purpose: to explore how to build bridges, foster understanding, and strengthen the very fabric of society.
“We need to do this more,” said Darryl Macdonald, pastor at Roxboro United Church. “We need more community gatherings that, especially coming out of COVID and with the mess of the world that it’s in now, being together in community and supporting each other is the best thing we need to move forward with. So yeah, we need to do more of this.”
This invitation-only event brought together carefully selected individuals and groups united by a common mission: to work together, not divide; to celebrate differences while recognizing shared values of respect, compassion, and community.
It was the third gathering of its kind held at the CYD Center, part of a growing effort to create spaces where dialogue and collaboration can take root. This latest event came at a particularly meaningful time, as the Muslim community celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, a period of fasting, reflection, and renewal.
“I thought today was a beautiful event bringing all different cultural communities together, united just bridging gaps,” said Akilah Newton, founder of Overture with the Arts. “I had a fantastic time, learned a lot and I just love being here with all the different cultural groups and community organizations.”
The evening was filled with delicious food, laughter, and the unmistakable sweetness of Eid, both in spirit and in dessert. Beyond the celebration, however, it carried something deeper: a vision of what’s possible when communities connect not through their differences, but through their shared humanity.
