London’s West End has been lit up with 30,000 lights to celebrate the Muslim’s holiest month of Ramadan for the first time. London’s Coventry street which links Leicester Square with Piccadilly is decorated with the message “Happy Ramadan” after a woman single-handedly campaigned to get the month-long Muslim festival recognized in central London.
The lights were lit up by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who is one of the 1.3 million Muslims in London marking Ramadan. While the display was organized by Ayshea Desai.
The street in the heart of London’s West End will be decked out with lights displaying crescent moons, stars, and traditional lanterns. Organized by the non-profit organization Ramadan Lights UK, the organization is run on donations from associates of the public and Muslim firms.
Aisha Desai, who is a head of the community of Algbra, said this was an extension of her initial Ramadan lights campaign launched three years ago. Ms. Desai said that as a child, a journey to central London to witness the festive lights was an annual pleasure. My sister and I would lie in the back of the car looking at the lights through the sunroof. It was magical.
As a proud Muslim, I wanted to bring some of that magic to my community.
Year one brought the lights to my local community in Henlys Corner on the North Circular. Year two took their beauty to the tourists and the Lions of Trafalgar Square. This year I am so proud that our lights will line one of London’s most famous streets — Coventry Street, the road that joins Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square.”
Aisha Desai.
Chelsea football club will also maintain an open Iftar at the side of the pitch at Stamford Bridge, in what will be a first for the club and a Premier League stadium. Wembley stadium will do the same later in the month.
According to their official Instagram page the lights will be lit up on from 5 pm to 1 am throughout the month of Ramadan.
