The religious celebrations of Eid and Easter share similarities in philosophy, practice and principle.

It is what inspired the principal of Belmore Boys High School, Hala Ramadan, to create an ‘Eidster’ event that has been celebrated on school grounds for the past four years.

The event features show rides, including a bucking bronco and a petting zoo. There’s also food and ice cream stalls.

Ms Ramadan said at the heart of the Eidster concept was a celebration of the “commonalities” between the Islamic and Christian faiths.

“With Eidster we focus on what unites us as communities, regardless of where we come from,” she said.

“We focus on our commonalities, whether it’s cultural commonalities or religious commonalities.

“Eid and Easter reflect two major religions, Islam and Christianity. For both religions there’s a period of Lent or Fast. There’s sacrifice, there’s care, and support for the less fortunate.

“There’s the celebration part of it as well, which is about family and friends. And of course, it’s about spending quality time with your loved ones, with a lot of food and sweets around.”

Eidster also provides students with a rare opportunity to have a day of fun-filled activities with their peers for free.

Ms Ramadan said Eidster was a reflection of the harmony and diversity at the school, which has students from 37 different language groups.

“We are a very harmonious community at Belmore Boys High, and we (students and staff) cover the majority of the planet,” she said.

“We support students’ academic achievements of course, but with Eidster, our students have an understanding of the amount of love and care that we have for them too.

“There’s a huge commitment at the staff level to support the wellbeing of our boys, their level of connectedness to the school, and their sense of belonging.

“Our boys, regardless of their experiences outside the school, know their school cares about them, celebrates them and values them.