Yesterday, while searching YouTube for a non-Ramadan related video, I came across a 3-minute video clip uploaded by Coca Cola Middle East for Ramadan, entitled "Remove Labels This Ramadan." In the video, a group of six strangers is brought to sit at a table in complete darkness, among them a member of a heavy metal band, a cognitive psychologist who has spoken at TED Talks, an Arabic speaker fascinated by Emirati culture, an Emirati chef and an extreme sports athlete. The group is then asked to describe what they imagine each person looks like. The rocker, for example, is described as probably having long hair and tattoos, while the psychologist is described as likely having a "nerdy" look. When the lights come on, the group members quickly realise how unfair their assumptions had been. The rocker turns out to be tame-looking, bespectacled and well-dressed. The psychologist, on the other hand, is a rather frightening looking chap, his face completely covered in tattoos. The extreme sports athlete is bound to a wheelchair, and the Arabic speaker - who was assumed to be clad in a Kandoora - turns out to be a white westerner. Looking beyond Coca Cola's marketing ploy, this commercial brings up an important aspect of Ramadan, which people should really consider all year. The UAE is, unfortunately, a place in which stereotyping is the norm. Many people, for example, automatically assume that Westerners are born wealthy, and many expats unfairly characterise Emiratis as being pampered and lazy, despite not having many interactions from which to judge. These stereotypes, I've seen, largely melted away during the holy month, as Muslims from all around the world were bonded together by religion, and non-Muslims were forced, whether they wanted to or not, to examine the culture of the country in which they live. Why, I wonder, does this only take place during Ramadan? The holy month provides an opportunity for people to get to know one another. This should happen all year long. On a different note, I was invited to another posh Iftar meal last night. This time, however, the atmosphere was considerably different. There were fewer people - especially locals - and the entire affair seemed subdued compared to Iftars I had attended earlier in the month. Presumably, those with the time are spending more time in mosques during these important last ten days of Ramadan which including the Laylat Al-Qadr. This is what I imagined Ramadan to be like before I came. Religion first, everything else after. bernd@khaleejtimes.com
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