On 7th July 2015 a Big Iftar event was held at Whitehall, in the Ministry of Defence London. The event was hosted by The Rt Hon Earl Howe, Minister of State for Defence in the House of Lords as Patron of the Armed Forces Muslim Forum.
Imam Asim Hafiz OBE who is the Islamic Religious Advisor to the armed forces was instrumental in organising the second Big Ifar event at the Ministry of Defence with Julie Siddique the founder of the Big Iftar.
The date of this event was significant in two ways as it marked 20 years since the Srebrenica genocide and 10 years since the terrorist attacks in London. The evening was an opportunity to remember the victims of these atrocities and to promote better understanding and dialogue amongst people and communities – just what Ramadan is all about.
The fast was opened after a beautiful recitation from the Quran, then after prayers food was served. There were representatives from the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths who each said a few words. The audience included individuals from the army, navy and air force as well as invited guests from a variety of different backgrounds to celebrate this event.
The event demonstrated how people from different backgrounds and faiths can work together in a positive and cohesive way to share culture and traditions that move us all forward in developing a more positive and cohesive society.