Holding workshop during Ramadan - what can help Muslim colleagues?

[Curbingmyenthusiasm]

I'm organizing a residential workshop which is going to be held on a Mon to Thurs during Ramadan. Out of about 50 people, I expect there to be 10-12 Muslims but not sure how observant they are. How can I best support them to participate in a workshop during Ramadan?

I thought I would ask the hotel to make available a prayer room/quiet room for them to use (although their rooms will be in the same hotel as the workshop so easy to access to rest during the day if needed). I will also ask the hotel if they can provide them with a breakfast box or allow them access to breakfast before dawn.

Anything else I can do? Dinner is independently organized and we are in a city with lots of halal options close by and we will end before sundown.

Why not sent a general email to all staff and mention then you will get replies that are relvenat to any staff there and not us making up things for them

If you genuinley want to help the actual staff then ask them direct

Make sure sessions finish a good 15 maybe even 30 before sunset so people can wash before eating. Depending what time you might want to have a light snack available or access for them to have it.

But best to ask.

Not my staff. They are coming from lots of different organizations and countries and I don't even have all the email addresses yet or confirmations. I will have at a later point and will email then. But want to be able to set things up first to have an offer and to have things in place.

Don't really appreciate the snarky use of "if you genuinely want to help" BTW. Perhaps you didn't mean it to sound the way it did but it came across as quite unpleasant and patronizing. No, I'm just pretending I want to help....

That's a good idea about the light snack. We're paying for a meeting package which includes coffee breaks with snacks and lunches. But of course people keeping Ramadan won't be able to make use of that. So I can ask the hotel if, instead, they can lay out fewer snacks but put some aside for our fasting participants. Great!

Just the fact you tried will go a long way.

Do you think have Muslims in your organisation? Maybe approach them and ask for helpful suggestions??

Accommodations can range from simply ensuring the hotel/venue provides breakfast before dawn and a small meal at sunset to making your workshop room/space food and drink free with a breakout room nearby for tea/coffee/biscuits so that those fasting don’t have to see others eating and drinking. If you make an announcement about this, do not say that it is because of Ramadan. Just say this Room Name is no food/drink/water but there are options available in Other Room Name.

You could check local prayer time and try to time your coffee breaks accordingly.

keep in mind that there is no obligation to fast while traveling. Some people will interpret this as literally being on an airplane whilst others will interpret it as applying to their whole trip abroad.

Thank you! I like this idea a lot. I can imagine the afternoon coffee break might be particularly challenging so a food free room but one where they can also network and chat is a good idea

I'll ask them as well. But actually all the Muslim participants will be from outside my organization. I don't think we will have any Muslims participating from my own organization but I do have Muslim colleagues who may have good insights.

I really wouldn’t make the main workspace coffee/water free. You could maybe justify saying no coffee, though if it’s like any workshop I have attended people guzzle it. However, access to water during meetings is not optional.

I wouldn't restrict it for everyone else and I'm sure the Muslim participants don't expect this either. But I like the idea of a space which might be food free if the hotel can arrange it which people can choose to use if they so wish.

I respectfully disagree.

Back in the olden days (let’s say about 25 years ago), people would cope without slurping water every 5 minutes. It was quite normal to attend meetings and conferences (and actually pay attention in them) for several hours at a time.

In fact, that is why there were times designated as ‘coffee breaks’ - it was expected that people were not eating and drinking constantly. They were for coffee. They weren’t called ‘rest and recharge breaks.

If people need to get a drink before the coffee break, they can quietly slip out, have a drink, and come back in…without the drink.

I acknowledge that it is not usual today.

Additionally, OP, you will probably find that your Muslim attendees from overseas are surprised that such concessions have been made for them. It would be a nice gesture but I doubt they will be expecting it.

This is why I want to have some things in place for them to use as needed and then ask what else they might need as I think some might not feel comfortable making demands.

Depending on the exact date you may also have Hindus and Christians fasting.

Some Christians may also be abstaining from meat.

Some Catholics attend an early mass during Lent, often at 6am so they might like a breakfast in a bag to come back to.

Purim is also in March this year.

Favardigan and Ava Mah Parab are also in March

Buddha Shakyamuni’s birthday is in early April.

So if you have a quiet / prayer room make sure it is available to all.

Depending on the hotel it might be worth asking if they can provide a fridge in some or all of the rooms (if they don't already have one there) Then people can take snacks and store them. Or have the hotel put a selection in the fridges instead of providing them in the day. Breakfast can then be delivered the night before for people who are fasting or just don't want to go down to a hotel breakfast.

Even hotels that do not normally have fridges in the room usually have some that can be booked for medical reasons.

Once you have emails I'd send a form asking for any information relevant information for accommodations eg dietary, medical, cultural etc.

Ask the hotel to provide fruit as a snack, most seen to think you need biscuits with coffee but fruit can be eaten by most people and can be kept in the fridge.

Can you tell my favorite unit to teach was 'Equality and Diversity'?

I'm just thinking through the logistics of a food/no food room and thinking it could be really divisive. At these things, I tend to go for a coffee on auto pilot & for something to do rather than because I actually want one. I then also tend to draw it out for ages as holding a cup is something to do with my hands. I realise it will be different for others so I'm not suggesting you entirely remove the tea & coffee but I do wonder if it might be possible for the tea & coffee to be in a side room so people can go & get a drink if they wish, drink it and then come out & mix with those who aren't drinking for whatever reason.

Also, I wonder if it is easier for people to simply go back to their rooms where there will be washing facilities than it is to allocate a conference room. If you have male & female attendees, won't you need two or some way of dividing the room?

hmm, maybe i'm overthinking the food/no food. I guess these people know it's ramadan and have volunteered to travel to a workshop in a non Muslim majority country so they won't expect no one else to eat or drink.

I think maybe a quiet room/prayer room (no idea if it is usually separated for men and women) can work, packaged snacks for a light meal before going for dinner from the snacks laid out at break and a breakfast box or access to breakfast earlier. I'm sure the hotel will have had many Muslim guests so it won't be a totally unusual request.

At the workshop, I'll also quietly suggest to any one fasting that they can excuse themselves to go and rest in the afternoon if needed. Our agenda is quite busy and I udnerstand that working hours during Ramadan are often shortened in Muslim countries. I obviously can't change the agenda for everyone though.

I think having no water in the main conference room wouldn't be considered particularly acceptable. I understand that previously we didn't constantly have bottled water with us but it's considered fairly culturally normal to have water now.
Also, there may be some people who need to drink throughout the day, for example people suffering with nausea in early pregnancy or going through chemo, people with increased fluid output eg. People with diabetes or IBD. Anyone on certain laxatives will need to increase their fluid intake or could end up with deranged electrolytes.

I lived in the middle East for a short spell and it was very common for offices to close 2 hours early during ramadan. Not sure how easy that would be to accommodate for a short course though. I think asking for any cultural/dietary needs and seeing what they disclose would be helpful. Dates should be eaten to break fast so might be nice to have a small plate with dates sent by the hotel at sun down?

Having worked in several Muslim countries I wouldn't worry too much about keeping food/drink hidden. Obviously serving a 12 course meal isn't appropriate but biscuits and coffee, water etc is fine. Muslims overseas know to adapt to local cultures and there may be sone who aren't fasting for a number of reasons.
Allow breaks at prayer times, people who want to then have time to go to their rooms, perform the ablutions and pray.
Arrange for early breakfast bags and a basic snack for iftar (dates, yogurt and a drink). You can check the times of suhooor and iftar online easily enough and the hotel may have their own Muslim staff.
@dancinginthewind generally speaking unless at the Mosque or very strict, men and women do mix at work, at university, etc

As a practicing Muslim. The pre dawn meal box is fantastic idea. I would appreciate that. Thats all i would need.

Me personally I would pack my own, such as dates, water, dry foods, oats and keep ot simple. I wouldn't expect anything to be arranged. So the fact you are trying to help is wonderful and amazing. Thank you.

And no 😂 not bothered by people eating. We are used to it not just becuase of other cultures. But family members who are unwell, women who are on their menses, elderly and children. It is not offensive to us 😂

I worked in the NHS for 13 years with 0 adjustments to my schedule. Meaning breaking my fast while working and not able to take breaks later.

The closing for 2 hours etc is across most Arab countries and is usually to do
with prayers and going home to eat with family.
When I was in Saudia most people worked very early and finished the day at 1pm due to the heat.
We don't have that worry here or need that adjustment.
Especially as sunset is relatively early this year i wouldn't be worrying at all.

I agree water has to be provided - while we may have all gone a long time between drinks last century, those who are accustomed to frequent sips will be uncomfortable without.

I'd suggest having a self-serve water station to avoid putting people in a position of having to decline an offer of a drink, or sitting down to one already in front of them.

Workshop won't be in UK but Iftar will be about 18.30 so not too bad I think.

Partly I want the hotel to pack up the snacks from coffee breaks for any fasting participants since we will have paid for them anyway since we're charged per head so they may as well benefit! 😀

Definitely don't make the room water free or anything like that. They won't expect it, they won't need it and it will probably make them uncomfortable.

Do make sure they have breakfast options and a place to eat and drink at sundown though! I've done Ramadan and you really don't want to delay the moment 😆 check with them what time they break their fast as it's not exactly the same time as sunset, the local mosque will publish the prayer times so they will know.

@MiltonNorthern
No, I have no plans to restrict what other participants may or may not do. Participation in the workshop is entirely voluntary so fasting participants are aware of what they have signed up for and where. But I do want to show my appreciation for them making the effort to attend during Ramadan by arranging with the hotel some accommodations. We will also ask when we send out more information once we get all the confirmations but it'll be nice to already set out what we can offer now in the information note.