News / grand iftar
Grand Iftar to be held inside Bristol Cathedral
People of different faiths and none are invited to come together in unity as they break the fast during the month of Ramadan.
A citywide Grand Iftar will take place this year inside Bristol Cathedral on Thursday with the theme ‘peace and hope’, as communities have the opportunity to reflect on recent tragic events and join in solidarity.
Following on from last year’s Grand Iftar, which took place on College Green, and previous events that saw crowds flock to St Mark’s Road in Easton, the Iftar is organised by Muslims4Bristol, Bristol Cathedral and Bridges for Communities.
is needed now More than ever
Mohammed El Sharif, one of the co-founders and organisers of the Grand Iftar, told Bristol24/7: “The Iftar aims to bring people from all walks of life together, to celebrate, social richness, cohesion and cultural diversity of our community and our city in the spirit of Ramadan.”
He added: “Muslims4Bristol and the diverse organising committee of Somali, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sudanese, Kurdish, Arab, Turkish, Afghan and Revert communities is pleased to partner with Bristol Cathedral and Bridges for Communities to organise this year’s event.”
People of different faiths and none are invited to come together in unity as they break the fast during the month of Ramadan – photo: Bristol City Council
With Ramadan moving into the winter months and making outdoor events more difficult, the Iftar is moving into the cathedral for this year after shifting to a central location for the first time last year.
Reverend Dr Mandy Ford, the dean of Bristol, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming people from around Bristol, but especially our sisters and brothers from the Muslim community, to break the Ramadan fast together. I hope that this will truly be an opportunity for us to share our hopes for a more peaceful world.”
Mohamed A Sayaqle, one of the co-organisers and volunteer lead of the event, added: “Grand Iftar has become a pinnacle annual event for our city.
“As a Muslim community in Bristol, we want to extend the gesture of generosity, kindness and sharing in Ramadan to our fellow Bristolians in the city. The event is engaging people from all walks of life, from different postcodes and backgrounds.”
First held in 2017, soon after the Manchester Arena bombing, Bristol’s Grand Iftar was created as a way to bring people from across the city together in a display of unity and compassion.
Bristol’s Grand Iftar was created as a way to bring people from across the city together in a display of unity and compassion – photo: Ellie Pipe
Speaking ahead of this year’s event, Dan Green from Bridges for Communities said: “We’re excited to see faith communities coming together and working together in this new way.
“It’s vital in the multicultural and multifaith Bristol we live in that we find ways of living well together, and living well with difference. Sharing a meal together is a great starting point, and we’re looking forward to hearing all the conversations that take place and the new possibilities that emerge through this event.”
The Grand Iftar takes place from 6.45pm to 9pm, is free, fully accessible and open to everyone. There will be speakers, a prayer on College Green and a shared meal. Due to restrictions on numbers, people are asked to register for free via: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/grand-iftar-at-bristol-cathedral-tickets-868261833517, with tickets to be shown on arrival.
The event is sponsored by Black2Nature, Feeding Bristol, St Peter’s Hospice and other community organisations.
Main photo: Bristol City Council
Read next:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
