LONDON: Over 220,000 visitors are expected to attend London Eid Festival from Apr. 29 to May 1, as the event returns for the fourth year to Westfield Square, making it Europe’s biggest Eid Al-Fitr festival.
Scheduled to take place at the Atrium and Westfield Square, London Eid Festival will welcome Muslim and non-Muslim community members to celebrate the end of Ramadan during this free annual event, where guests get to enjoy live entertainment, activities, a feast of food stalls and modest fashion concessions inspired by Muslim regions from across the globe.
Open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. over the weekend and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the bank holiday Monday, Westfield London’s visitors will find at the Atrium a range of concessions including fashion and Eid gift stalls, as well as a Crepe Protect Trainer Cleaning Vehicle to ensure their shoes are sparkling whilst roaming around the venue.
Meanwhile at John Lewis, live activities include cookery demonstrations, a fashion show and beauty masterclass, as well as an Islamic art gallery where all culture lovers can unite and share traditions.
At Westfield Square, visitors will enjoy the beautiful works of henna artists and experience makeovers from face painters in addition to the Halal Food Festival where there will be a wide variety of cuisines from all over the world, including Pakistan, North Africa and the Middle East. For children, there will be a play area and children’s choir.
In a media statement issued Friday, Waleed Jahangir, managing director at Algebra Consulting, said: “We’ve felt a great sense of belonging at Westfield London for the last few years and are excited to bring back the London Eid Festival for its fourth year. With its ever-growing success, the event offers a plethora of activities and enjoyment for the thousands of people celebrating Eid this year.”
Meanwhile Katie Wyle, general manager at Westfield London, said the Muslim community is incredibly important to Westfield London, and they are honored to welcome the return of the London Eid Festival. “The event has grown to become a major highlight in our cultural events calendar, and we look forward to once again welcoming families and individuals of Muslim faith, as well as wider communities, to participate in a marvellous celebration of good will and unity,” added Wyle.
London to hold Europe’s biggest Eid festival at Westfield Square for 4th time
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London to hold Europe’s biggest Eid festival at Westfield Square for 4th time
- London Eid Festival will welcome Muslim and non-Muslim community members to celebrate the end of Ramadan
- Westfield London’s visitors will find at the Atrium a range of concessions including fashion and Eid gift stalls
Indonesia reaffirms Yemen’s territorial integrity, backs stability efforts amid tensions
- Statement comes after Saudi Arabia bombed a UAE weapons shipment at Yemeni port city
- Jakarta last week said it ‘appreciates’ Riyadh ‘working together’ with Yemen to restore stability
JAKARTA: Indonesia has called for respect for Yemen’s territorial integrity and commended efforts to maintain stability in the region, a day after Saudi Arabia bombed a weapons shipment from the UAE at a Yemeni port city that Riyadh said was intended for separatist forces.
Saudi Arabia carried out a “limited airstrike” at Yemen’s port city of Al-Mukalla in the southern province of Hadramout on Tuesday, following the arrival of an Emirati shipment that came amid heightened tensions linked to advances by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in the war-torn country.
In a statement issued late on Wednesday, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “appreciates further efforts by concerned parties to maintain stability and security,” particularly in the provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahara.
“Indonesia reaffirms the importance of peaceful settlement through an inclusive and comprehensive political dialogue under the coordination of the United Nations and respecting Yemen’s legitimate government and territorial integrity,” Indonesia’s foreign affairs ministry said.
The latest statement comes after Jakarta said last week that it “appreciates the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as other relevant countries, working together with Yemeni stakeholders to de-escalate tensions and restore stability.”
Saudi Arabia leads the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, which includes the UAE and was established in 2015 to combat the Houthi rebels, who control most of northern Yemen.
Riyadh has been calling on the STC, which initially supported Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthi rebels, to withdraw after it launched an offensive against the Saudi-backed government troops last month, seeking an independent state in the south.
Indonesia has also urged for “all parties to exercise restraint and avoid unilateral action that could impact security conditions,” and has previously said that the rising tensions in Yemen could “further deteriorate the security situation and exacerbate the suffering” of the Yemeni people.
Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country, maintains close ties with both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which are its main trade and investment partners in the Middle East.
