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Jul 13

London 2012 Olympics Scheduled during Ramadan – Cultural Faux-Pas?

Cross Cultural Training, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

London’s Mayor and Culture Secretary are working hard to ensure that the London 2012 Olympics involve all of Britain’s ethnic groups equally. This may be more challenging than they thought, however, as the Olympics fall during the important religious event of Ramadan. Thousands of Muslims who will compete in, work or volunteer at this summer’s Olympic events will be left with the question on whether or not to follow Ramadan in the traditional sense this year.

The timing could not have been more inopportune, but there was no real choice for the LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) to schedule the 2012 Olympics outside the Ramadan period. Being provided a strict window for the Games to take place by the International Olympic Committee and the need to consider aspects such as public transport in London and the availability of volunteers needed, they decided to schedule the Olympics from 27 July to 12 August, which lies in the middle of Ramadan.

Quran Koran Retrovizor i London 2012 Olympics Scheduled during Ramadan – Cultural Faux Pas?

The religious fasting period of Ramadan takes place this year from 20 July to 20 August. The period of Ramadan changes by about eleven days every year according to the lunar calendar. The 30 day long period of fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, considered to be a time of worship and closeness with God and therefore one of the most important celebrations for Muslims.

As most Muslims strictly fast from dawn until dusk during this period, the impact of Ramadan on personal and professional spheres must be acknowledged – not only in Arabic countries. The Olympics being a huge multicultural and multi-ethnic event will therefore require cross-cultural sensitivity towards this religious tradition and how it may impact everyone involved in the games.

Influence on Athletes

There are an estimated 3,000 Muslim athletes who may be impacted by Ramadan during the games this year. Fasting during the Olympics is not only inconvenient and challenging, but depending on the type of sport it could deplete an athlete’s liver and muscle glycogen stores and lead to dehydration and a drop in performance.

As Muslim athletes are usually allowed to defer their fasts, many of them are going to postpone the fasting period to maintain the performance they have been working so hard for during the last years. Not all Muslim sportsmen and women will do this, however, especially if not fasting during the holy month is frowned upon in their culture, so it’s important to be conscious of this.

Influence on Staff and Fans

Although the athletes are the ones which are most obviously influenced by the clash of these two important events, we cannot forget about the enormous number of Muslims who will work or volunteer at the Olympics or be watching the games as spectators. Organisers will need to consider the requirements they have for praying and eating during this period and provide the time and space they need to carry out these religious traditions.

What are they doing about it?

In order to meet athletes’ and workers’ Ramadan needs, organisers are putting in place a series of initiatives including:

Fast-breaking packs with dates and other traditional foods
Open dining facilities 24 hours a day so that competitors will be able to eat before dawn
Prayer rooms at every venue with Muslim clerics on hand to assist people
Large multi-faith centre at the Olympic village in Stratford with a common lounge and specific areas for the five largest faiths

The Olympic Games are a true test of London’s well-known multiculturalism and cross-cultural sensitivity. This great event will determine whether organisers have been able not only to make the most of London and its people but whether they can create an environment where all athletes will be able to have outstanding performances. All of this must be done with minimal frustration and difficulties to the organisers, athletes, volunteers and spectators as well as to the general population of London.

Some may argue that the organisers of the Olympics have made a cultural faux-pas by scheduling them during such an important religious event celebrated around the world. It should instead be considered as a cultural opportunity – a time when we can allow all cultures and traditions to shine in the face of adversity and challenge.

Tagged with: Cross cultural sensitivity • Cross Cultural Training • cross-cultural awareness • cultural awareness • Culture • intercultural communication • Islam • Living and Working in the UK • London 2012 Olympics • Olympic Games • Ramadan • Working across cultures • Working effectively across cultures

Aug 09

Ramadan Mubarak! – A Month to Celebrate

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management 1 Comment »

Ramadan is without a doubt one of most important Muslim celebrations. One of the five pillars of Islam, Ramadan occurs during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is calculated according to the moon. This is why this 30 days long celebration takes place at a different time each year.

Ramadan is mainly a time of worship and closeness with God. Most people associate Ramadan with a time when Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. Muslims believe this fasting helps them to clean their soul and allows them to practise self control, sacrifice and empathy.

Ramadan is also a time for prayer. Each night 1/30 of the Qur’an is read so that the whole holy book is completed by the end of the month. Generosity is emphasised as well and Muslims are strongly encouraged to act like the prophet Muhammad who, according to the Qur’an, was “as generous as the blowing breeze”.

While some adjustments are made for young children, pregnant women or elderly people, all Muslims are expected to respect the fast and other aspects of the celebrations. Severe punishments can be imposed against people who eat, drink or behave improperly during this period in some strict Muslim countries.

Ramadan is not merely a religious celebration, rather it impacts all aspects of a Muslim’s life for 30 days. In most Islamic countries or nations counting a large Muslim population, the whole social and economic life is affected during Ramadan. Shops have different opening hours and will usually close during the afternoon and reopen during the evening. The same goes for many companies who tend to change their working hours and avoid scheduling important meetings during this period of the year.

Night life activity also increases during the month of Ramadan which often results in a lower performance rate during the day. In fact, the Arab World Institute based in Cairo published a survey showing that employee productivity decreases by 73.3% during the month of Ramadan. Absenteeism also rises as fasting and eating large portions of food once per day can create illness or digestive disorders.

Holy Koran Adem Demir i Ramadan Mubarak! – A Month to Celebrate

Investors doing business in countries that observe Ramadan need to be aware of these elements when doing business with Muslim counterparts and avoid scheduling meetings during inappropriate hours of the day. International assignees living in Arabic countries must also adapt. Even if they are not obliged to fast, they should eat behind closed doors and avoid any disrespectful behaviour that might offend Muslims.

It is not only in Arab countries where you need to acknowledge the impact of Ramadan on professional and personal spheres. Muslim employees working in western countries also fast and celebrate the Ramadan traditions. Managers should be aware of this fact to avoid critical incidents or cultural insensitivity. Organising important business lunches or company events with food and drinks in the middle of the day during Ramadan for instance can put Muslims in uneasy or frustrating situations that can damage your business relationship with them.

Cross cultural awareness training programmes such as Living and Working in Saudi Arabia or Doing Business in the Middle East can help managers, international assignees and employees to have a better understanding of their Muslim counterparts. Training is tailored to provide the cross cultural tools and strategies required to deal with and fully understand Ramadan and its impact on business.

If you want to impress your Muslim counterparts by acknowledging this important time of the year, you can now purchase cards (even e-cards for the tech savvy) with Ramadan greetings. Showing your interest in this holiday is a great way to build relationships with Muslim counterparts and colleagues.

Ramadan Mubarak (a blessed Ramadan) to you all!