London City Center Celebrates Ramadan Amid Calls for Unity

Dok Instagram Sadiq

LONDON - The West End of London was lit up this week when Mayor Sadiq Khan switched on the city's Ramadan lights on Friday night (13/2) marking the fourth consecutive year of the Muslim holy month's celebration in central London.

More than 30,000 LED lights inspired by Islamic geometric patterns are now shining on Leicester Square and the surrounding streets, displaying the words "Happy Ramadan" before changing to "Happy Eid" on March 18.

The initiative is funded and organized by the Aziz Foundation - a foundation that supports British Muslims.

In his speech, Khan called for unity amid rising political tensions and growing Islamophobia.

"Let's show the best of London, the best of Britain, and the best of Islam," he said.

"I call on Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs, those who adhere to organized religions and those who do not, to unite during this month of Ramadan," he added.

Highlighting the wider global conflict, Khan urged worshippers to remember those suffering in various places, including Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine, through prayer and charity, and warned those who "sow the seeds of division, hatred, and fear."

"One of our tasks during this Ramadan, both Muslims and non-Muslims, is to show that London is an antidote to this hatred. We are the antithesis of everything they believe in," he said.

Khan then said via the X social media, that turning on the lights at Piccadilly Circus was "an honor". He also described London as a beacon of hope, unity, and inclusivity, where diversity is strength, and everyone is loved and accepted.