Taipei Main Station sees record Eid al-Fitr crowd

2015/07/21

A record 50,000-plus participants took part in the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr marking the end of the Muslim holy fasting month Ramadan July 19 at Taipei Main Station.

The facility’s first-floor central area was reserved for the event, with foot traffic lanes designated for train passengers so as to ensure normal operations. A total of 64 staffers and volunteers provided support, while tannoy announcements were made in Chinese and Indonesian.

Taipei Railway Station Director Chien Hsin-li said he was deeply moved by the efforts of attendees to help clean the station and maintain order. “The public’s friendliness and understanding toward such a large-scale gathering was also touching and underscores the respect in local society for those from other cultures.”

According to Chien, the event featured a series of Indonesian dance and music performances, as well as mounds of mouthwatering Muslim fare in the station’s main atrium. “Many of the merrymakers invited passersby to share in their feasts and feel the spirit of the special day,” he said.

National Taiwan Museum also offered free admission over the weekend in honor of Eid al-Fitr, while an outdoor party was thrown at 228 Peace Memorial Park by Taipei’s Foreign and Disabled Labor Office in appreciation of Muslim workers’ contribution to the city.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=232803&ctNode=413)