Facebook’s global community comes together across its apps to celebrate the Holy Month by
exploring, inspiring and expressing good
Dubai, UAE-: This Ramadan, Facebook Inc. is marking the Holy Month with a global campaign that aims to explore, inspire and express good across its family of apps. The #MonthofGood campaign – which brings together Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, in a celebration of charity, collaboration and community – will run throughout Ramadan across the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] region.
Despite the barriers to coming together in-person, Ramadan remains a time for generosity, charity and reflection. Globally in 2020, people raised twice as much as in 2019 through Ramadan-related fundraisers across Facebook and Instagram. People sent over 20 million “Happy Ramadan” messages on Facebook, and WhatsApp video calls spiked on the first day of Eid.
In the MENA region and Turkey, more than 6.5 million people joined the Ramadan-related groups created in 2020, demonstrating the role local communities, including Facebook Groups, Pages and NGOs in these regions play in bringing people together and encouraging acts of kindness as well as charity, fundraising and donations.
The #MonthofGood campaign, now in its third year, was initially developed by Instagram to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan. In 2020, it helped Muslims fasting in isolation come together virtually and forge new traditions. This year, with social distancing rules in place, it will continue to help the world’s 2 billion Muslims honour Ramadan traditions in new ways – gathering virtually and sharing celebrations online – across all four Facebook platforms.
Exploring, Inspiring and Expressing Good. Globally.
This year, #MonthofGood will help people discover ways to show kindness and give back to their communities using a series of tools:
Ideas of Good – a list of 30 kind deeds and do-good moments for everyone, anywhere to act on virtually, available across platforms.
Facebook is also enabling those looking to make charitable donations during the month by spotlighting zakat-eligible nonprofits with active Ramadan fundraisers with campaigns to provide food baskets, supplies and medical aid to orphans, widows and refugees around the world.
Users can also access “Guide to Ramadan” created by Sarah Sabry in collaboration with her Muslim followers.
Facebook will also elevate the voices of those who are making an impact and those who aspire to do so.
This includes a global pay-it-forward chain that will be initiated in the Middle East by Haifa Beseisso, Nabih Alkayali, Raha Moharrak, Logina Salah, and Adel Aladwani using the hashtag #MonthofGood.
As part of a month-long editorial partnership, Facebook is associating with popular Jordan-based Arabic podcast network, Sowt, to spotlight inspiring community leaders from the MENA diaspora to talk about how they use FB Apps for virtual acts of kindness during Ramadan.
Families and loved ones can also gather together virtually to watch exclusive Facebook Watch and IGTV series, from creators such as Khalid Al Ameri, Manal Al Alem and networks like MBC, TVison, Zee Entertainment.
Facebook will also roll out a Weekly Watch Guides across the region. These watch guides which will bring new shows, clips, and series to the platform under the #MonthofGood hashtag, will be published on a weekly basis on Facebook Arabia.
People will also be able to tune into Live Suhoor Talks, a global series hosted by Muslim creators across the UK, Asia, Middle East and North Africa, featuring conversations every week about topics ranging from food and fasting to mental health and well-being.
In addition, Creators from around the world including the MENA region, will be sharing moments from their Ramadan celebrations on @Instagram, @Design, @Creators and @Shop.
Lastly, across its family of apps, Facebook has rolled out new features for people to share their acts of good and connect with friends and family.
A suite of expression tools has been developed for the community to share their acts of good and connect with friends and family during this month. This includes new stickers on Instagram by @HalaAlAbbasi and on Whatsapp illustrated by Murat Kalkavan, along with new avatars, camera effects and stickers on Facebook, Messenger and Messenger Kids.
Empowering SMBs in MENA
In the MENA region, Facebook and Instagram will be spotlighting local small businesses that have been inspiring good this Ramadan. These are businesses that have gone above and beyond to help people around them and their communities, with their acts of charity and kindness. Given that the bulk of shopping is expected to take place online during Ramadan, Facebook will be helping marketers get ready by unveiling an SMB toolkit which will be a quick guide for businesses to get the most out of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp during the month.