Ramadan lights illuminate London’s Piccadilly Circus for first time ever
TDT | Agencies
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
London celebrated the start of the Islamic holy month with the capital’s first Ramadan lights.
In a first-ever celebratory display for the festival, London Mayor Sadiq Khan switched on the illuminations in Piccadilly Circus that will illuminate the city throughout the holy month.
The installation features 30,000 sustainable lights that were designed to mark the importance of Ramadan in the city, the Mirror reported.
The Heart of London Business Alliance collaborated with Aisha Desai, the organizer of Ramadan Lights UK, to bring the display to fruition.
Desai, who has been working on the project for three years, said she wanted to bring the magic of Christmas lights to the Islamic community.
She was inspired by her time living in the Middle East and visiting central London as a child with her sister to see the festive lights.
Desai said the response had been overwhelming and that she wanted to raise awareness of the importance of Ramadan and what it entails.
As the Islamic holy month began, the display in Piccadilly Circus included the message “Happy Ramadan” and glittering moons and stars.
The concept is curated to depict the phases of the moon throughout Ramadan, with the installation to remain in place throughout the festival, which will continue from March 22 to April 21 this year.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and believers fast during daylight hours to honour the month.
The display marks the first time a European city has put on such a display for Ramadan. It is intended to raise awareness among London’s Islamic community, which numbers 1.3 million, and across the UK.
Desai added: “I wanted to raise that awareness as well to let our neighbours know that this is a really important month for us, it’s my favourite month of the year and I’m just grateful that we’re here today. And our generous donors have helped us go from strength to strength.”
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ramadan celebrations will be more subdued this year.
However, the display in London is a reminder that communities are finding creative ways to celebrate and mark the holy month while still adhering to social distancing guidelines.
The Ramadan lights in London are a beautiful reminder of the importance of faith, unity and hope, especially during these uncertain times.
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