Event: Eid Festival
Location: Trafalgar Square
Date: Saturday 17 August 2013
Time: 1:30pm-6pm
Entry: FREE
Information: www.london.gov.uk/eid
In celebration of the end of Ramadan, thousands of Muslims are expected to congregate in Trafalgar Square this Saturday for the free festival, Eid-ul-Fitr, which has been organised by the Mayor of London in association with the Eid Committee.
Eid-ul-Fitr literally means 'breaking the fast' and signals the end of the holy month of fasting. For the first time there will be a food festival which will offer people the opportunity to sample delicacies from across the Islamic world, including Turkey, Lebanon, India and Morocco.
The free event offers a welcome to people from all communities and faiths, with exhibitions and activities for the whole family to enjoy, including stage entertainment, arts and crafts, henna, face painting and much more. There’ll also be live performances from Nasheed artists such as Saif Adam and Suhail Ahmed and singers Jasraj Joshi and Tariq Khan.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “London is the best big city in the world, full of exciting cultural diversity. Eid-ul-Fitr is a great opportunity for Londoners to get a little flavour of what Eid is all about and the important contribution the Muslim community has made to the capital. I hope everyone has a fantastic day. Eid Mubarak!”
The Eid Festival is presented by the Mayor in association with the Eid Committee, a voluntary body made up of representatives from various Muslim community groups and organisations in London, including the presenting partner Lebara and media partner Zee TV.
Neeraj Dhingra, CEO, Zee Network, Europe said: “Multiculturalism is what London stands for and at the heart of all our entertainment across Zee Network channels. We are thrilled and excited to be the official Media Partner to celebrate the pious festival of Eid in the most iconic square in the country. We would like to wish everyone Eid Mubarak on this occasion and welcome one and all to the festivities in Trafalgar Square. This year we are bringing the winner of our popular contest, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Jasraj from India along with local UK talent including Mumzy Stranger, Char Avell and Tariq Khan to ensure there is something for everyone.”
Lebara Mobile’s UK Managing Director, Justin Cockerill, said: “We are delighted to be associated with the Mayor’s Eid Festival taking place in Trafalgar Square, London. Eid marks the end of Ramadan when Muslims all over the world thank God for the gift of fasting that brings families and friends closer. Engaging directly with our customers has always been a key part of our success and the Eid Festival offers us the opportunity to do exactly that. We wish a happy Eid to all of our customers.”
ENDS
MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Media wishing to attend should contact the Community desk on [email protected]
GENERAL PUBLIC/NON-MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Call the Public Liaison Unit at the Greater London Authority on 020 7983 4100
DUTY PRESS OFFICER: For out-of-hours media enquiries, please call 020 7983 4000
Notes to editors
Food festival
The Food Festival opens at 12:30 and the following exhibitors will be present:
The Arabica Food and Spice Company - Food from the eastern Med including free-range chicken shawarma, seasonal fresh mezze, Turkish delight, baklava pastries and hibiscus quencher drinks
Horn OK - Authentic Indian street food
The Juice Shack - Fresh made juices using Herefordshire apples
Fresh Lemonade Company -Fresh lemonade in a variety of flavours
Big Apple Hotdogs - Launching a brand new Halal dog for Eid
The Malaysian Pancake - Savoury and sweet pancakes from London’s Chinatown
Big Mama Food - Traditional African cuisine and chutneys
Masala Zone - Indian cuisine dishes
Exotic Tagine - Moroccan cuisine
Biriyani Shack – Persian rice dishes
Shana Foods - Parathas and samosas
Shocka’s Coconut Hub - Coconut water
Fresh Falafel - Turkish cuisine