February is a special month

February is a special month. There are two important celebrations and meaningful traditions that sometimes take place around the same time: Chinese New Year and the beginning of the fasting month of Ramadan. Although they come from different cultures and religions, both celebrations focus on family, gratitude, and self-improvement.

Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year, is celebrated in many Asian countries. It marks the beginning of a new year based on the lunar calendar. Families clean their homes to welcome good luck and decorate with red, which symbolizes happiness and prosperity. They gather for reunion dinners, enjoy traditional foods such as dumplings and fish, and children receive red envelopes filled with money as a symbol of good wishes. The celebration often includes dragon dances and fireworks.

Around the same time, many Muslims begin the holy month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. They do not eat or drink during the day and break their fast in the evening with a meal called iftar. Ramadan is a time for prayer, reflection, self-discipline, and helping others.

Although these two events come from different cultures and religions, they both emphasize family, gratitude, and new beginnings. This reminds us that Harapan Bangsa School is a multicultural educational institution that welcomes students from various ethnic and religious backgrounds. This vision is in line with the principle of our country, Indonesia: Unity in Diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika). Our school values harmony and respect for differences and teaches us to work together in unity as one big family.