(Photo: Credit: Misbah Medi)

Harun Nasrullah

Over 500 people attended a belated Eid street party in Hackney on July 1. Now in its fourth consecutive year, the Eid party hosted by Musallaa an-Noor Mosque, saw diverse communities gather around stalls on Dynevor Road-off Stoke Newington High Street.

Notable attendees to the event included Hackney Mayor Philip Glanville, Deputy Chair of the London Assembly, Jennette Arnold; Hackney Speaker Clare Potter, Councillors Caroline Selman & Feryal Demirci as well as Chair and founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum Rabbi Herschel Gluck.

Also attending were local Church leaders, police officers and PCSOs, imams, Hackney IAG members, and Community organisation representatives.

In a statement to The Muslim News Mayor Glanville said: “I was really happy to join Musallaa an-Noor Mosque for their Eid street party, which had lots of stalls and activities, tasty food and a great atmosphere. Events like this really bring the community together, and I’d like to thank everyone for their hard work in organising it.”

Andrea Cohen, a local described the event “was fluent, effortlessly educational, non-judgemental and inclusive. The volunteers all modelled tolerance, gentle kindness and humour and giving just for the joy of it. We left feeling ‘loved up’ and high. High on hope.”

A combination of vegan and Kosher foods reflected the diversity of the event. Spicy vegan Indian cuisine was accompanied by classic British summer ice cream flavours, fresh cream cakes, cool drinks, and popcorn and sweets.

The crowd were entertained by activities including henna tattoos, Arabic calligraphy, arts and crafts, field games and a bouncy castle.

Guests attended tours of the mosque throughout the day to learn about the beliefs, practices and teachings of Islam observed by the Muslim community.