The Australian Muslim community will observe the Eid Al Fitr on September 21, the traditional holiday that marks the end of Ramadam this year.  Although customs differ from country to country, the day is one of prayer and of charity, remembering the dead and for quiet festivities with extended family.

According to the 2006 Census, there are 340,393 Muslims in Australia (ABS) and 82% of these live in Sydney or Melbourne.  86% speak a language other than English at home, with Arabic being the most common, followed by Turkish.

*  Muslims are encouraged to dress in their best clothes, preferably new, to attend the Eid prayers
*  Migrants from the Middle East eat lamb, as the traditional meat for the Eid family gathering
*  Children may be given gifts and sweets
*  After the prayers and the feasting – Muslims will ring friends and family, both local and overseas

The Muslim community is also significantly younger than the Australian average with a 58.6% aged 29 years and under.

As with other major cultural events, Eid Al Fitr does present opportunities for advertisers to connect to a unique audience and the community is well-served by specialist media.  In Sydney alone, there are two dedicated Muslim radio stations as well as numerous stations broadcasting in Arabic, Turkish, Bahasa and other relevant languages.