Bedford Iftar event: 'Our town is so multicultural yet so united'

An Iftar event attended by about 1,500 people showed a town was "so multicultural yet so united".

Iftar is when people who are taking part in Ramadan come together to break their fast.

The event, at the Corn Exchange in Bedford on Thursday, was organised by the Muslim community in the town but was open to people of all or no faith.

Yasmin Mahmood, who attended the event, said it was "a great example of community cohesion".

"I've lived here since 2005 and I'm constantly impressed at how communities come together across faiths and cultural divides to support each other," the 52-year-old said.

"Bedford is a great example of a town which is so multicultural yet so united."

During Ramadan, which ends on 21 April, Muslims do not eat or drink during the hours of daylight as they devote themselves to their faith.

Iftar is the meal enjoyed immediately after sunset to break the fast.

Organiser Malik Khan said the group wanted to put on the Iftar event as it was "important to share our culture with the rest of the community".

"Bedford is very diverse so it's important to celebrate within our community and share with other communities."

Fatema Islam, who attended the event, said: "In Islam, having Iftar is when we break our fast and it's rewarding to do it with other people.

"A non-Muslim woman asked me if she could come in and I said of course.

"Sometimes we face Islamophobia and people look down on you for what you're wearing, but you can come here and you see people wearing head scarves and burkas and you can see we are peaceful and we are having a nice time together."

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