The lights feature the message “Happy Ramadan” and are funded by the Aziz Foundation, a charity that gifts grants and scholarships to British Muslims…reports Asian Lite News
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has unveiled the “Ramadan lights” in the heart of London, hailing them as a “symbol of the kind of city we are”. The London Mayor took part in the switch-on celebrations for the lights, which will be on for the next month, on Friday.
The lights feature the message “Happy Ramadan” and are funded by the Aziz Foundation, a charity that gifts grants and scholarships to British Muslims. Buildings in the capital were lit up in green for the event.
Khan said: “Great to take part in the switch-on celebrations – a shining symbol of the kind of city we are – inclusive, welcoming and proud to celebrate all our communities.” On social media, the Mayor’s office said: “The Ramadan Lights are shining bright in the West End once again. For the next month, these fantastic lights will celebrate Ramadan and stand as a proud symbol of how our capital welcomes and celebrates our diversity.”
While the Labour Muslim Network hailed them for shining a light on Britain as an “open, positive and loving place”.
“The Ramadan lights in central London don’t just illuminate the capital, but they share the light that exists all across our communities,” the group said. “They shine a light on the open, positive, and loving place Britain can be.”
Now in their fourth year, the annual light-up features more than 30,000 “energy-efficient LED bulbs” and will be illuminated between 5 pm and 5 am. Rahima Aziz, a trustee at the Aziz Foundation, posed alongside Sir Sadiq as they lit up.
She said: “Ramadan Lights London is our open invitation to people of all beliefs and backgrounds to come together and experience the values at the heart of Ramadan. “We at The Aziz Foundation are proud that this initiative has become a shining symbol of London’s rich diversity, reflecting the warmth, coexistence and community spirit that make this city so incredible.”
