Islam Expo
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Islam expo was a large exhibition held at the Alexandra Palace in London from the 6th to the 9th of July, 2006. It was described as the largest Islamic cultural event in Europe. There was stalls by Islamic businesses and charities like Muslim Hands and Islamic Relief. There was also stalls selling Islamic music, clothing, food and books. There was also opportunities to get free henna tattoos and your name written in Arabic. There was also an interactive section on the Five Pillars of Islam, an exhibition of young British Islamic art, and a section on famous Islamic scientists and mathematicians. There was also a fun fair in the grounds and lectures by various people from within and outside the Islamic population like Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, singer Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens and Muslim BBC news reporter Asad Ahmad. There was screenings of Islamic films, and Islamic musicians.
[edit] Aims
The aims of the exposition was to:
- Introduce the British public to Islam as a global culture and faith that spans continents, races and languages.
- Shed light over the Islamic civilisation’s great achievements in the various fields of knowledge; from science to technology and from art to literature.
- Create stronger foundations for Muslims to understand their heritage and develop their identity as major pioneers of human civilisation.
- Combat the myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings of Islam.
- Encourage positive interaction between Muslims and the different races and cultures of British society. Working towards a more open, tolerant and pluralistic Britain.
- Promote multi-culturalism as an enrichment of British identity.
[edit] Guest speakers
A number of guest speakers made lectures at the expo including:
- Asad Ahmad, BBC News presenter
- Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London
- Yusuf Islam, former pop star Cat Stevens
