Feature: Refugees celebrate Eid in camp in Serbia

Unlike their brothers who rush towards Mecca on the day of Eid al-Adha, Islam's most important feast, refugees from Middle East and Africa keep moving towards European countries in endless rows.

Thanks to kind citizens of the Serbian-Macedonian border town of Presevo, the Islamic community and the Red Cross, those who on Thursday arrived at the One-Stop Center in the town had a taste of one of their biggest holidays.

In their homeland today would be a day of gathering. First they would go to the mosque to have their Eid prayers, after that they would visit their family members and greet them and exchange gifts with their finest clothes on. After that some of the best among cattle - sheep, goats or cows would be sacrificed to feed themselves and the poor.

People from Presevo and the region, which is inhabited mostly by Muslim population, arrived at the camp from the early morning in order to bring their gifts for refugees to the Red Cross.

Food, fruit, umbrellas and other necessities were on their list. In the afternoon they made a small celebration of their holiday with the help from Islamic Community - meat from this year's feast, candies and many other gifts typical for the celebration.

For these people arriving across muddy, wet fields from the north of Macedonia, this was the first decent meal they had in days.

Amet Alimi, secretary of the Presevo's Red Cross, said that donors wished to show special compassion to refugees during the Eid al-Adha.

More than 100,000 people, who crossed into Serbia through an informal crossing at the Miratovac village in the south, received at the camp in Presevo medical assistance, food, water, diapers, and other necessities, and were registered by police before they boarded buses to further north.

Ameti said that many citizens of Presevo made donations to the Red Cross, and one of the biggest donors alone provided more than 8,000 meals since the crisis began.

"We want to show them that although they are refugees in Serbia, and are on this tough journey, they can celebrate the holiday and relax a little bit," Ameti said.

He added that he is full of admiration for Presevo and whole Serbia for their treatment of refugees, and that everybody here wishes to give his helping hand if needed.

"We are here all ready to help. Citizens of Presevo and Serbia were always ready to help others when it is hard," he said, explaining that despite the holidays, the team of Red Cross will provide nonstop service to refugees.

Some of the refugees, if they weren't running from their countries, would maybe undertake a Hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Mushab from Damascus said that this year he will not celebrate the Eid al-Adha, as his mother, sisters and friends stayed back home and he is afraid of their fate. Most of the young people in his group in Presevo agreed that they will celebrate when they get to Germany or some other country.

Mushab said that he and his friends will find jobs, earn money and try to bring their families to where they are, and they will celebrate the holiday together again.

Another Syrian, Ibrahim from the western city of Latakia is not planning to celebrate either, as he has no one, apart from other refugees to be with in these days, and he has no means to celebrate the holidays.

The meaning of celebrating is thus lost, he claimed.

Instead of praying and exchanging greetings and gifts, these believers now silently wait for their numbers to come up and to climb onto a bus that will get them closer to Europe.

Around 2,000 refugees of different faiths came here every day, and left within 24 hours, after their data, fingerprints and photos had been obtained by police.

They said they are baffled by the situation at Serbia's northern borders, don't know where to go, and find few reasons to celebrate or be cheerful. Endit