Category Archives: London

Torn from home: Holocaust Memorial Day 27 January

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Torn from home is the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2019.

Kindertransport girls passing through customs

There are activities across the capital to mark this important day. Some of the borough events are listed below. Find an activity near you on the HMD site.

Holocaust Memorial Day is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.

Torn from home encourages us to reflect on how the enforced loss of a safe place to call ‘home’ is part of the trauma faced by anyone experiencing persecution and genocide. ‘Home’ usually means a place of safety, comfort and security. On HMD 2019 people across the UK will reflect on what happens when individuals, families and communities are driven out of, or wrenched from their homes, because of persecution or the threat of genocide, alongside the continuing difficulties survivors face as they try to find and build new homes when the genocide is over.

HMD 2019 will include marking the 25th anniversary of the Genocide in Rwanda, which began in April 1994 and the 40th anniversary of the end of the Genocide in Cambodia, which ended in 1979. HMD activity organisers may particularly want to acknowledge this milestone anniversary, and reflect on how this theme impacts on members of the Rwandan and Cambodian communities.

Safet is a survivor of the Bosnian War. This photograph is taken in his living room.

Safet was 16 when Muslim men and boys began being taken away to concentration camps. He remembers his father and brother being ordered out of the house, and his mother stopped him from going with them. He came to England with his mother, and later his father and brother joined them.

Safet is holding a school photograph, taken in 1982 when he was six years old, before the war started.

‘It was a really mixed group in terms of religion. We were kids and we didn’t think of religion at all. I have chosen this [photograph] because it shows how things were before, and it just reminds me. It would be nice to be able to go back to how it used to be. It can be done, I’m 100% certain. We have no problems between ourselves, it’s the politicians making these problems, and that’s the most frustrating thing.

‘It’s important to keep the memory alive, because some people are just not aware of what was happening in Bosnia, it’s a surprise to me. People were dying in concentration camps, torture took place, in Europe, in the 90s. Everyone thought that once World War II was over that wouldn’t happen again, but it did.

Click on the dates for borough HMD 2019 events. If you know of others, please add a comment to this post with details. A map of activities is on the HMD site.

Visit My Mosque Day 2019

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Visit My Mosque 2018The date has been set for #VMM Day 2019 – Sunday 3 March!  Thirty-four mosques in London opened their doors to the public in 2018 – find them here.  Many more are expected to sign up in 2019.

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To register your mosque and get a pack full of ideas, information & inspiration, visit the #VMM Day website.

If you want to visit a mosque on Sunday 3 March, sign up for the latest news.

Ramadan & Football Factsheet

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Here is the FA’s 2018 Ramadan & Football Factsheet, which has lots of useful information for those organising and participating in sports during the holy month of Ramadan.

Download the Factsheet here.

New Bishop of London

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LBFN will be represented today at St Paul’s Cathedral at the installation of the Rt Rev and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally as Bishop of London, along with London’s religious leaders from the churches and world faiths.

We wish Bishop Sarah well in her new post and look forward to working with her and her team.

Visit My Mosque Sunday 18 February

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Over 50 mosques in London are opening to visitors this Sunday! Check them out below. The promo video includes some familiar faces & spaces in London.

A great opportunity to invite people along who might not have visited an Islamic centre before. Enjoy a warm welcome at one of your local mosques.

Find a map, opening times and contact details on the #VisitMyMosque site.

North London

Dar Al Islam Foundation, 61 Anson Road, Cricklewood, London, NW2 3UY

Finsbury Park Mosque, 7-11 St Thomas’s Road, London, N4 2QH

IANL (North Finchley Mosque), 683-685 High Road North Finchley London N12 0DA

Kentish Town Baitul Aman Mosque, 156-158 Weedington Road, London, NW5 4NU

Husaini Islamic Centre, Wood Lane, Stanmore, HA7 4LQ

Masjid Ayesha Tottenham, 115 Clyde Road, London N15 4JZ

Mevlana Rumi Mosque, 337 Fore St, Edmonton, London N9 0NU

Musallaa an Noor, Basement, 101 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 0PH

The Islamic Cultural Centre and London Central Mosque, 146 Park Road, London, NW8 7RG

Jalalia Jamme Masjeed Enfield, 228 High St, Enfield EN3 4EZ

East London

BBCA Masjid, 6 Madina Place, Masjid Lane, off Wallwood Street, London, E14 7BW

Darul Ummah Jame Mosque, 56 Bigland Street, London E1 2ND

East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre, 82-92 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1JQ

Faizan-e-Islam Centre of Excellence, 757 Leabridge Road, Walthamstow, E17 9DZ

Havering Islamic Cultural Centre, 91 Waterloo Road, Romford, RM7 0AA

Leytonstone Masjid, Leytonstone Islamic Association, Dacre Rd, Leytonstone, London, E11 3AG

Masjid-e-Quba 70-72 Cazenove Rd, Stamford Hill, London, N16 6AA

Masjid Ibrahim and Islamic Centre, Barking Road, London E13 9EU

Masjid Tawheed, 80 High Rd Leyton,London E152BP

Masjid Usman, 134A Ashville Rd ,Leytonstone E11 4DX London

Noor Ul Islam Trust, 711 – 723 High Road, Leyton, E10 5AB

Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, 62-66 Upton Lane, Forest Gate, London, E7 9LN

Redbridge Islamic Centre, 28-28A Woodford Avenue, Gants Hill, Essex, IG2 6XG

Waltham Forest Islamic Association, 439-451 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton E10 7EA

Masjid Abu Bakr, 26a Mansfield Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 6PJ

South London

Balham Mosque & Tooting Islamic Centre, 47a Balham High Road, London, SW12 9AW

Croydon Mosque & Islamic Centre, 525 London Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 6AR

Camberwell Islamic Centre (Jama-at-ul Islamiyyah of Nigeria UK) 188 Camberwell Rd, London SE5 0ED

Greenwich Islamic Centre, 131 Plumstead Road, SE18 7DW

Hyderi Islamic Centre, 26 Estreham Road. Streatham, London, SW16 5PQ

Lewisham Islamic Centre, 363 -365 Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6NZ

MANUK / Old Kent Road, 365 Old Kent Road, London SE1 5JH

Morden Islamic Community Centre, 116 London Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 5AX

Norbury Muslim Centre, 1116 London Road, Norbury, SW16 4DT

NASFAT, 33 pages walk, london, SE1 4SB

West Norwood Mosque, 58-60 Norwood High Street, London, SE27 9NR

Al-Emaan Centre, Croydon Road, Bromley, Keston BR2 8HF

Tooting Islamic Centre, 145 Upper Tooting Road SW17 7TJ

South London Mosque and Islamic Centre, 8 Mitcham Ln, London SW16 6NN

Huda Surrey Islamic Centre, Gloucester Road, Kingston Upon Thames, KT1 3QW

West London

Acton Mosque, 2-5 Oldham Terrace W3 7LW

Almanaar (MCHC), 244 Acklam Road, London, W10 5YG

Ezzeitouna Masjid, 6 Western Avenue W3 7UD London

Feltham Hira Association, 102 Hounslow Road, Feltham, TW14 8DY

Hayes Muslim Centre, 3 Pump Lane, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 3NB

Hounslow Jamia Mosque & Islamic Centre, 367 Wellington Rd S, Hounslow, TW4 5HU

Islamic Centre of England, 140 Maida Vale, London, W9 1QB

Islamic Integration Community Centre, 531 Staines Road, Hounslow, TW4 5DP

Muslim World League London Office, 46 Goodge Street, London W1T 4LU

Quba Masjid and Education Centre, Unit C Golden Crescent Hayes Middlesex UB3 1AQ

SICM (Mahfil Ali) – The Salaam Centre, 39 Gloucester Road, Harrow, HA1 4PR

White City Mosque, 95 Bloemfontein Road, Shepherd’s Bush, London, W12 7DA

Kanoon Towhid, 30-32 Southerton Road, Hammersmith, W6 0ph

Sunday 3 December in Kingston: Milad, Advent & Christmas event

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South London Inter Faith Group, Kingston Inter Faith Forum and All Saints Church, Kingston, invite people of all faiths and none to a social gathering of storytelling and celebrations at All Saints Church, Market Place, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1JP, this coming Sunday afternoon from 2.30pm to 4.00pm.

Everyone is welcome to listen to the stories and enjoy the tea!   Further information from SLIFG.

3FF’s Awards for London’s Faith and Belief Communities

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You’ll recognise lots of faces here: wonderful work across the boroughs by groups working at the sharp end in local neighbourhoods.

72 local projects were recognised at the ceremony on 27 November.

Download the brochure here to find all the award winners.  View all the photographs here.

The awards were presented by the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, Mr Kenneth Olisa OBE.  Congratulations to all!

Inter Faith Week 2017

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Inter Faith Week 2017 has started!

Find all the events taking place in your borough on the Inter Faith Week website map.

There are quizes, visits, discussions on hot topics, meals and gatherings across the capital all week, some hosted by borough councils. If you haven’t added your event to the IFW website, there’s still time.

Above: two members of the Christian-Muslim women’s group in Wandsworth.

Proposal for Hippodrome in Golders Green

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Faith representatives in Barnet have united in welcoming a proposal to convert the Hippodrome in Golders Green to an Islamic centre.

An open letter from thirty local leaders commented on the planning application by Markaz El Tathgheef El Eslami.

“We are a group of clergy and faith representatives in Barnet that meet in each other’s centres to foster good inter-religious relations and promote community cohesion. Our interfaith forum is convened under the auspices of Interfaith Matters, a local registered charity, and meetings have been held regularly for almost three years.

All members of the interfaith forum look forward to welcoming the clerics of Markaz El Tathgheef El Eslami, the new Islamic Centre at Golders Green Hippodrome, to our interfaith meetings.

At our last meeting, hosted by the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Golders Green, members expressed every confidence that Barnet Council would address and resolve all legitimate concerns relating to additional traffic, less parking and the Centre’s use.

However, as clergy and faith representatives we unanimously deplored and condemned the hostile and, at times, racist response to the new Islamic Centre’s opening. It is our firm conviction that those that attend the Centre are as entitled to suitable and sufficient facilities as are enjoyed by all other faiths in Barnet, including Golders Green.

Indeed, we are sure the new Islamic community will contribute, with us, to the neighbourhood’s character, harmony and safety. We are also grateful to the Centre’s clerics who have already offered to host our next interfaith forum meeting and we look forward to this in the New Year.”

The full list of signatories can be found here.

Barnet Multi Faith Forum has issued a statement supporting the local leaders.

Upcoming events

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Today: follow #HOBV9 to keep in touch with Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network‘s annual Black Mental Health event, Healing Our Broken Village, at New Testament Assembly Church in Tooting, SW17.

If you’re able to join the conference, which includes the CEO of South West London & St George’s Mental Health Trust and Royal Holloway’s Dr Frank Keating, all the details are here.

Saturday 28 October: Kingston Study Day – Understanding Islam with Dr Chris Hewer, an exploration from predominantly Christian and Muslim perspectives, at the Milaap Centre, Acre Rd, Kingston, KT2 6EE. For beginners and the knowledgeable alike – all welcome.

Download details here and contact Diana if you would like to participate.

Thursday 2 November: opening of a new venue for Greenwich Peninsula’s Multi Faith Prayer Space at the Aperture Building on Greenwich Peninsula, 42 Chandlers Avenue, SE10 0GE. The Prayer Space provides a venue for faith groups to meet for prayer and worship and is available for booking by faith groups for their own prayer or worship activities. The Prayer Space is also open every day for people to drop in for prayer and reflection.

The Community Room provides a facility for activities or events which build up the local community and is available for booking by individuals or groups for such activities or events.  Find the details here.

Saturday 4 November – Sunday 5 November: With God on Our Side… Religion and War, with talks, panels and debates including Holy Wars, Is Religion Inherently Violent (with Karen Armstrong) and War and Peace in the Middle East, at the Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX.

Monday 6 November: St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square – Reforming Attitudes to Islam, with Prof Mona Siddiqui and Joshua Ralston of Edinburgh University.

Monday 6 November: second in LBFN’s safety, security and resilience four-part course for places of worship, hosted by New Scotland Yard and supported by the Corporation of London.  Contact LBFN for further details.

Sunday 12 November: Harrow Interfaith‘s Remembrance Service at Harrow Civic Centre War Memorial at 10.30am.

Monday 13 November: Barnet Multi Faith Forum launch an exhibition “Love Your Neighbour – Muslims who rescued Jews during the Holocaust” at Middlesex University Quadrangle, the Borroughs, Hendon NW4 4BT.  Details here. 
Monday 13 November:  Quiz night – A Question of Unity with Faiths Together in Lambeth at the Karibu Education Centre, 7 Gresham Road, SW9 7PH.  Details here. 
Tuesday 14 November:  Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum, “Faith & Communities” at The Royal Foundation of St Katharine, 2 Butcher Row, E14 8DS.  Details and booking here.
Tuesday 14 November: Redbridge Faith Forum ‘s Come to Dinner with RFF!  Interfaith Buffet at Ilford Islamic Centre. Details and booking details are here.

Tuesday 14 November: Youth debate with Islington Faiths Forum, “How can we have harmony in a multifaith community environment?” at Platform, Hornsey Road Baths, 2 Tiltman Place, N7 7EE.

Saturday 18 November: Hounslow Friends of Faith presents, “The Bundle – an asylum seeker’s story” at Brentford and Isleworth Quaker Meeting House, Quakers Lane, London Road, Isleworth, TW7 5AZ.  Details and booking (performance is free but must be booked in advance) here.

12 – 19 November is Inter Faith Week 2017: plenty of events taking place in London this year – find them on the map and add your own.
Monday 20 November: third in LBFN’s safety, security and resilience four-part course for places of worship, hosted by New Scotland Yard and supported by the Corporation of London.  Contact LBFN for further details.
Looking ahead, #VisitMyMosque Day is on Sunday 18 February 2018 – more details on how to plan for the day can be found here.