It must count as one of Britain’s trickier public relations jobs. Europe’s biggest Muslim cultural event opens in London this week and it will coincide with the anniversary of the July 7 attacks on the British capital.
The festival, Islam Expo, will feature a recreation of an Arab souk and a timeline tracing 1 400 years of Islamic history. The festival has been planned since 2002, and the venue booked early last year, but by chance it will coincide with the anniversary of the attacks on London. Organisers plan to make a virtue out of the coincidence and host a commemoration service to which people injured in the bombings and victims’ relatives have been invited.
Ihtisham Hibatullah, a spokesperson for Islam Expo, said: ”We thought about changing the date but then we said, ‘It’s not as if Muslims should be held responsible for extremists’ actions’. Around July 7 there will be a lot of interest around Muslims in this country, so why not have the mainstream Muslims’ voice rather than the fringe?” — Â