Ramadan lights switched on in central London

London Mayor Sadiq Khan switched on the British capital’s lights to mark Ramadan on Thursday evening.
British actor Adil Ray and Rahima Aziz from the Aziz Foundation also attended the switching-on ceremony for the dazzling array of lights that adorn Coventry Street near Piccadilly Circus.
They will be switched on on every evening for about 30 nights until Eid Al Fitr in April.
This year’s new light display features Islamic designs and illuminated signs wishing “Happy Ramadan” to bypassers.
Thursday’s event marked the second year that central London has been lit by ornate lights for the Muslim holy month.
The lights are organised by Ramadan Lights UK and completely funded by the Aziz Foundation.
The founder of Ramadan Lights, Aisha Desai, feels the project has given British Muslims a sense of belonging.
“It is really powerful,” she said.
“There are now a lot of non-Muslims stopping physically looking Muslims and asking them what is Ramadan? What does this mean?
“It’s spreading awareness in such a nice way through art and light installation.
“It was the idea that came from me, but I encourage Muslims and people from other faiths to continue on and do it.”
Ramadan lights are lit to celebrate the coming start of the holy month at Piccadilly Circus, London, on March 7. AP
Ms Desai grew the central London celebration from humble beginnings of crowd-funding a “Happy Ramadan” light installation in north London four year ago.
Her concept has spread throughout Europe with “an incredible group of women putting up lights up for the first time in Cologne.
“There are also lights in Frankfurt and in Oslo outside the city hall,” she added.
“This is what it is all about, getting other communities in other places involved so they can do it for themselves.
“The sky’s the limit, and you can do whatever you want to do as long as you put your mind to it – and you just go for it,” she says.
Ms Desai said that the success of the event was “very unexpected, in a really beautiful way”.