The Multicultural Eid Festival & Fair (MEFF) 2026 witnessed a remarkable display of youth-led excellence as Young Innovators Australia (YIA) delivered a high-energy program of children’s competitions and educational stalls.
Managed entirely by a dedicated team of young volunteers, the initiative engaged over 150 participants and distributed more than 500 show bags, creating an atmosphere of learning and celebration at the Fairfield Showground.
STEM and leadership at the forefront
Beyond the stage, YIA maintained a vibrant presence through a specialised stall designed to bridge the gap between faith and modern skills.
Throughout the day, volunteers worked in shifts to educate visiting children about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and leadership.
Under the supervision of Shafqat Ali, Naeem Haq and Sharmeen Ali, the team managed the following interactive zones:
- DUCTU Stall: Focused on community engagement and registration.
- YIA / Competition Stall: Provided briefings on Robotics, Parenting resources, and QR-coded educational pathways.
A stage for bright minds
The event reached its peak at 5 PM on the Main Stage with event emcees Naeem Haq and Shayyan Ali commencing with recitation of the Holy Quran with Surah Al-A’la, setting a tone of reflection before the competitions commenced.
Speech competition: Addressing global challenges
Finalists Anas Tahir, Eman Ali, Tehzeeb Tahir, Haris Tahir, Minahil Tahir, Zaviaar Idrees delivered powerful 5-minute orations on the relevance of Environmental Issues, Politics, and the Role of AI within an Islamic context.
Evaluated by Shaista Khan (Director of School Programs at UNAA NSW), the winners were:
- Tehzeeb Tahir
- Zaviaar Idrees
- Minahil Tahir
Poster competition & iQuiz
The Poster Competition showcased visual talent across three age brackets, from “Ramadan Memories” for the little ones to “Islamic Calligraphy” for adults.
Simultaneously, the MEFF iQuiz 2026 utilised the Kahoot platform to test the audience’s knowledge of Muslim culture and festival history in a fast-paced digital format.
Awarding excellence
The ceremony concluded with a grand prize distribution featuring distinguished guests and the YIA leadership team. Winners were celebrated for their hard work, with top honours in the poster categories going to
- 9 & Under (Ramadan Memories): 1st place Minahil Tahir, 2nd place Eshaal Ali, and 3rd place Arina Amir.
- 10–17 Years (Islamic Landmarks): 1st place Menaal Idrees, 2nd place Mishel Zia, and 3rd place Haris Tahir.
- 18+ Years (Islamic Calligraphy): Highlighting the beauty of traditional Arabic script.
Distinguished Guests in attendance at the session included: Mehar Ahmed, Tariq Mirza, Imran Mirza, Shaista Khan, Adil Siddique, and Gulzar Ali.
The Dedicated Youth Volunteer Team: The success of the day was made possible by the tireless efforts of Shayyan Ali, Sharmeen Ali, Shahzeen Ali, Dua Ali, Shanze Ali, Eman Ali, Mansora Shafqat, Anas Tahir, Zaviaar Idrees, Menaal Idrees, Naeem Haq, Abdulla Mohammed, Ahmed Umer and Shafqat Ali.
Through these competitions and educational initiatives, Young Innovators Australia continues to transform youth into confident leaders, proving that the future of the community is in very capable hands.
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