Last year was the first time the West End had ever been decorated with lights to celebrate Ramadan, and this year that tradition has once again taken place with 30,000 sustainable lights celebrating the holy month of Ramadan between 10th March and 10th April 2024 with a neon purple sign at the centrepiece reading “Happy Ramadan”, along with a bright set of shapes that have been inspired by Islamic geometric symbols.
The month-long festival commemorates the ninth month in the Islamic calendar with the lights illuminating Coventry Street in the West End. Once Ramadan is over, the sign will be changed to read “Happy Eid” as the celebrations commence at the end of Ramadan, coinciding with other Eid al-Fitr festivities across London, including the annual Eid In The Square celebrations at Trafalgar Square.
The Coventry Street’s lights were switched on this year by Rahima Aziz, Trustee of the Aziz Foundation, along with London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan.
Rahima Aziz commented:
“These lights are a beacon of solidarity and harmony, representing the coming together of people from all faiths and none in this great, multicultural city. They are also a celebration of Muslims in Britain, a bold and prominent display of how proud we are to be Muslims at a time of shocking levels of hate towards Muslims and other faith groups.”
Last year’s lights were run entirely on donations, and this year’s lights are once again the result of the hard work put in by Aisha Desai and the Aziz Foundations, amongst others involved in making this project happen once again.