Eid in the Square

Trafalgar Square
20 October 2007
1pm - 5pm

In association with
Islamic Relief

Eid in the Square on Saturday 20 October celebrated the Muslim Festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. This marks the end of Ramadan, a period observed simultaneously by millions of followers of Islam around the world, including London.The Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations are an exciting time intended to bring diverse communities, families and friends together. Eid in the Square, to which all Londoners were welcome, is estimated to have attracted up to 30,000 people throughout the day.

Visitors to Trafalgar Square were able to experience live acts and entertainment and enjoy various stalls and exhibitions on display. There was also a children’s play area and of course a prayer marquee for adults.

Artists taking part included:

Mesut Kurtis – Mesut comes from a scholarly and religious family of Turkish origin and came to the UK to pursue his studies. He joined several nasheed groups in Macedonia from an early age and performed locally and internationally. Mesut is a gifted multi-linguist, being fluent in five languages, and this is wonderfully portrayed in his first nasheed album, ‘Salawat’.
Hamza Robertson – Born in Lancashire, Hamza took a keen interest in music and performing arts from an early age. During his academic career he formed a band with his friends where he became the lead singer, keyboard player and guitarist. Hamza aims to take part in a new dynamics in calling to God, or ‘Dawah’, in a new world, through producing songs with a positive message.
Hussein Zahawy – Hussain is an accomplished percussionist based in London. Coming from a musical family in Kurdistan, his grandfather taught him to play the Def (Kurdish drum) at the age of three. Hussein studied ethnomusicology at SOAS (University of London) and has performed worldwide, both as a soloist and with other well known musicians and singers such as Sami Yusuf. His tours include the World Sacred Music Festival in North Africa and he has also famously performed as a percussionist for the Hollywood production of the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’.
Poetic Pilgrimage – Muneera Rashida and Sukina Abdul Noor are an exciting female hip-hop and spoken word duo set and have been performing together for five years. They are a rare act, being one of the few Muslim female outfits around, and are unafraid to express themselves through the art of rhyme, covering personal and social issues without compromising their Islamic faith. They have received much media attention, featuring in The Times and appearing on the Asian Arts programme Desi DNA on BBC2 and radio channels such as BBC Radio 4 and BBC Asian Network.
Prince Abdi - Prince Abdi is a talented young comic from South London and is the only comic who hails from Somalia. At only 24 years of age, he has already performed in venues such as Hackney Empire, Comedy Café, Comedy Store and many more.

Eid in the Square is organised by the Muslim Council of Britain and the Mayor of London.