Julie Siddiqui will join an Iftar reception at the Ministry of Defence this evening to talk about #WalkTogether – an initiative supported by AFMF. The #WalkTogether initiative asks people all over Britain to alight from their mode of transport one stop early and walk in a quiet moment of unity and remembrance of those who lost their lives ten years ago today in the 7/7 London bombings.
Siddiqui, the National Co-Ordinator of the Big Iftar campaign and member of the Armed Forces Muslim Forum (AFMF), will speak to serving personnel, various Muslim and non-Muslim faith networks, charities and communities at the event. She will use this platform to talk about the importance of unity amongst all communities and the opportunity to remember and reflect on what happened that day - where terrorists tried to divide the nation and how mutual respect united London at that time, and how such mutual respect is crucial to how we need to live our lives today.
AFMF was brought into being last year and seeks to build a positive and better relationship between the British Armed Forces and the British Muslim communities through dialogue, conversation and collaboration. The existence of the Forum underlines the strong relationship between the Armed Forces and the Muslim community and shows the Ministry of Defence’s commitment to strengthening it.
Inspired by the Big Iftar campaign, of which Siddiqui is National Co-Ordinator, AFMF wanted to remember the tenth anniversary of 7/7 by hosting an Iftar reception at the Ministry of Defence; an event that will bring Muslims and non-Muslims together as a symbol of shared experience and social cohesion. In light of the Tunisian terror attack, events like this demonstrate how important the Ministry of Defence feels it is to be championing involvement with and support of Islamic events – to leave no doubt that the Ministry of Defence knows that the threat of terrorism does not represent Islam in Britain.
Speaking as Patron of the Armed Forces Muslim Forum, the Rt Hon Earl Howe said:
Events like the Iftar reception this evening and the #WalkTogether initiative that we see today are hugely significant, and the Armed Forces Muslim Forum is proud to champion them. The appalling acts of terror such as those in Tunisia recently and those that London witnessed a decade ago can sometimes make it easy to lose hope as we see the consequences of hate. However, the extremist minority in no way represent us or our society, and events like those we are celebrating tonight remind us that we are far better defined by unity; different communities throwing open their doors and inviting everyone in to understand, share and respect. By uniting around the values we share such as respect for the law, freedom and tolerance we convert hate to hope.
Follow us on Twitter and don’t forget to sign up for email alerts.