London Mayor Sadiq Khan leads Eid celebrations in Trafalgar Square

LONDON: The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan joined thousands of Londoners and visitors to the capital for the annual Eid Festival celebrations in Trafalgar Square.

The Eid Festival was held on the Square for the 14th time as Londoners and guests of all ages, backgrounds, faiths and communities celebrated Eid al-Fitr and marked the end of Ramadan. Most of the audience were London Muslims but Muslims from outside also thronged to the famous square.

The Mayor was joined on stage by the award-winning Hollywood actor, rapper and activist Riz Ahmed onstage.

The international programme was hosted by journalist and broadcaster Myriam Francois and actor and comedian Abdullah Afzal. The festival featured music and performances from American singer Alman Nusrat, West African–European contemporary artists Koroleko Band as well as Indonesian dance group Lila Bhawa.

The Mayor of London said: “I’m delighted to have again joined with Londoners of all backgrounds to celebrate the close of Ramadan. Eid is a time for celebration and I’m so proud that Londoners can come together in the iconic surroundings of Trafalgar Square to embrace the breadth and diversity of Muslim culture. It’s a perfect illustration of the spirt of unity and inclusion of our city, and shows the world that London is open to all.”

Aamer Naeem, CEO of Penny Appeal said: “Penny Appeal is a Confidently Muslim and Comfortably British organisation and Eid at Trafalgar Square is a perfect example of how that identity can be celebrated by all people. It is a pleasure to be working with the Mayor's office serving those in need in London, nationally and in 30 countries around the world”