Open iftar held at London’s iconic Tate Modern art gallery for Ramadan

LONDON 

Hundreds gathered Saturday at London’s iconic Tate Modern for an open iftar, or fast-breaking meal, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Many gathered for the fast-breaking meal hosted by the Ramadan Tent Project, an award-winning charity founded in 2013.

After the recitation of the adhan, or call to prayer, Muslims broke their fasts which was followed by a congregational prayer.

Catherine Wood, Tate Modern’s program director, expressed pleasure in hosting the open iftar.

Touching on the Turbine Hall, the venue for the event, she noted that it was “incredible” to be there, a museum that has a collection and a program of artworks from all over the world.

“It’s a space where it’s both a kind of public square and the gallery and I think it’s beautiful that we can sit here. We can come together and we can also make this image being together which is so powerful,” added Wood.

Dowshan Humzah, advisory board member of the Ramadan Tent Project, said the aim is to bring people together regardless of faith.

“Open Iftar, being open to all, whether people are fasting or not, Muslim or not, faithful or not. We aim to bring everyone together to have the opening of the fast,” he added.

Saying that open iftar’s theme is heritage this year, Humzah noted that it is a “thread that really connects all of us.”

Tarin, who came to the iftar event, told Anadolu that the initiative is about unity and celebrating “our Islamic blessed month.”

“I especially came out just to support the initiative and I think it’s fantastic, especially to bring non-Muslim communities here as well,” she added.

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