During this COVID year, the community spirit of Ramadan need not be dampened – even if we cannot have family gatherings or communal prayers, we can have other forms of celebrating this month.
During this COVID year, the community spirit of Ramadan need not be dampened – even if we cannot have family gatherings or communal prayers, we can have other forms of celebrating this month.
We love London! It’s one of the greatest cities in the world, and the UK is home to a diverse community of 4.2 million Muslims. This year help ‘Ramadan Lights London‘ share the beauty and spirit of our holy month with this great city!
As a young born and brought up Muslim Londoner, I have always been very encouraged about the impact we have on our London spaces, not often recognised in the media, in fact, on the contrary, often vilified.
‘Ramadan Lights London’ was born out of my desire to see a positive representation of our faith, depicted in an installation of some description, at a very spiritual and elevating time in our calendar, that is Ramadan. At the same time, I wanted the wider London community to be aware of our presence and our impact in an artistic and creative way, hence ‘Ramadan Lights London’.
As it is the first of its kind, I am piloting it in North London, at the busy arterial intersection of Henly’s corner along the A406 North Circular. We have applied to other London councils, so I’m hoping we’ll get the green lights for next year, inshallah.
Muslims make up 15% of London’s population. With our installation, we want to give our community something to be proud of and to celebrate our collective contribution to the city we call home. In the future we’d like the installation to travel around the country and hope that we will inspire others to follow in our footsteps, using our designs freely. This is only the beginning!
I am hoping ‘Ramadan Lights London’ will be a metaphor of positivity, hope, spiritual elevation – all much needed in this time. All the elements of Ramadan itself resonate so profoundly with what we as a London community have been undergoing this past year.
We visit Muslim countries where the streets and bazaars become alive at Ramadan, full of life, love, and community in a spirit of sharing. I have grown up in London with the same feeling for Christmas, whilst not celebrating it, inevitably been drawn into the wonderful festive spirit.
During this COVID year, the community spirit of Ramadan need not be dampened – even if we cannot have family gatherings or communal prayers, we can have other forms of celebrating this month. I believe ‘Ramadan Lights London’ will lend to a really feel-good factor, inshallah.
We have commissioned an experienced design agency to create work that is elegant, weatherproof, and sturdy enough to use for years to come.
‘Ramadan Lights London’ is a non-profit making community initiative, from the community, by the community and for the community and we are dependent on your contributions however small. All money raised will go to:
- Design, production, installation, and removal of the work
- Year-round storage of the work so it can be used every year
- Public liability insurance
Please donate whatever you can. No amount is too small! Ramadan is the most uplifting time for us Muslims. Let’s share its beauty with our neighbours.
If any organisation would like to sponsor the works that would be great.
To find the Gofundmepage of this initiative, click here!
For more contact details, see below:
Email address: aishadesai91@gmail.com
Instagram: @ramadanlightsUK
