Brussels- King Philippe of Belgium shared Iftar with a Muslim family in the city of Ghent on Monday, making headlines in the Belgian media, which published the king’s pictures while saluting the family members and eating Moroccan meals with them.

According to the Belgian media, the king wanted to partake in a Ramadan meal. The king chose a regular family, the Benhaddous who live in Evergem near Ghent, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium.

Khalid Benhaddou, one of eight sons in the family, said: “This is a very honorable event for which we are very grateful.” King Philippe joined three generations of family for the event, which Benhaddou views as a sign of coexistence and commitment.

The king took his time to meet all the family members and hear them explain the meaning of Ramadan. The conversation also turned to various social challenges facing the Muslim community in Belgium.

The king started the meal with dates and milk before he moved to the dishes selected from the traditional Moroccan cuisine.