WKTV
Thursday June 29, 2023
New Hartford, N.Y. -- For the second year in a row the Midtown Utica Community Center hosted Eid-Al Adha, one of the largest Muslim celebrations.
For those unaware, Eid-Al Adha is celebrated as an act of obedience to God where a goat is sacrificed to pay homage to the biblical story of Abraham. While undergoing the tradition, Muslims from all over the world are encouraged to wear their best clothes and enjoy the company of friends and family.
MUCC found this holiday to be a great way to bring the Somali Bantu community together in Utica. According to Hawa Juma, director of community outreach for MUCC, upwards of over 1,000 people showed up.
"MUCC celebrates all types of people from different communities whether it's the Korean, the Burmese, the Napal, Samali Bantu, all different communities," Juma said. "...All the people that live in Utica that come from different backgrounds... MUCC celebrates them."
Donations from the Bank of Utica, Mosaic Health, and the Community Foundation as well as donations from community members helped make this event possible. MUCC was seeking $2,000 in funding and made more than enough to make the event "A big success."