@Press release
Grand Iftar at Bristol Cathedral – Communities Share a Meal Together to Build Unity.

As the month of Ramadan enters its final weeks, Bristol will again see two Grand Iftar events taking place; one just has been organised successfully on St Mark’s Road in Easton with a warm welcome from Bengedadhi centre (at the heart of St Marks Road ) and attendance of 300 people . This is a gradual build up to the magnificent 2019 prior Covid event and since the start of the Grand Iftar in 2017.
The second upcoming event { inside Bristol Cathedral} on Thursday 4 April. The event at Bristol Cathedral follows on from the success of last year’s inaugural event on College
Green, and builds on the partnership started then between Muslims4Bristol, Bristol Cathedral and Bridges for Communities. With Ramadan moving into the winter months and making outdoor events more difficult, the Cathedral has opened its doors and offered to host this year’s event.
The Grand Iftar is an opportunity to celebrate Bristol’s diversity, with non-Muslims joining the breaking of the fast meal (iftar) and learning about the meaning and significance of Ramadan. This year, the unifying theme of the iftar events is ‘Peace and Hope’, giving people the opportunity to reflect on recent
tragic events in the city and come together in solidarity and unity.
The Grand Iftar started in Bristol shortly after the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, and has become
a tradition in the city ever since. The themes of previous Grand Iftars have included community
cohesion, sustainability, women in Islam and sanctuary.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. For 30 days, Muslims fast from
sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food, drink and intimacy, devoting their time to prayer and reading
the Quran.
Mohammed El Sharif, speaking on behalf of the organising committee said: “Muslims4Bristol and the diverse
organising committee of Somali , Pakistani, Bengladishi, Sudanese, Kurdish, Arab, Turkish , Afghan, Reverts communities is pleased to partner with Bristol Cathedral and Bridges for Communities to organise this year’s event. The annual iconic Grand Iftar event is one of Bristol’s festivals of togetherness that brings our diverse communities together, and we are this year excited to be hosted by Bristol Cathedral.”

The Very Rev’d Dr Mandy Ford, 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.”
Dan Green from Bridges for Communities commented: “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 just 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 at Bristol Cathedral takes place on Thursday 4 April from 6.45pm to 9.00pm. The event
is free, fully accessible and open to everyone. There will be an array of speakers, prayer which will take place on College Green, and a shared meal together. A variety of food will be served, including
vegetarian options, desserts and tea and coffee.
Due to restrictions in numbers, people must register for the event using Eventbrite, to reserve a place.
Tickets must be shown at the entrance to the event upon arrival. People can arrive from 6.30pm.
The event is sponsored by Black2Nature, Feeding Bristol, St Peter’s Hospice, and other community
organisations.
For further info, please email grandiftarbristol@gmail.com

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