The Tate is hosting a major party and is inviting YOU to join together for the celebration of the recent Eid that just passed, Eid ul-Adha. A day of sharing, sacrifice, and joy. One of the holiest days of our Islamic calendar,  the day of Arafat, the beginning of Hajj to Mecca deserves a BIG celebration and we have just found the PERFECT venue. The party will be hosted under ‘equal parts’ banner, in order to facilitate more conversations in our communities surrounding this momentous occasion. Join in on the feast, break bread, eat, and learn. you are only required to bring your fav dish, and bring your A-game when it comes to storytelling to A Common Ground, the pop-up garden at Tate Britain.

Who is hosting?

The day will be hosted by ‘Something & Son, the artists, designers of ‘A Common Ground’ in partnership with the Ramadan Tent (RTP) and Tate, there will be stands from local community groups such as Victoria Islamic Cultural and Education Centre, Al Negashi Centre and more information provided. A day filled with Islamic history tours of Islamic Tate displays, food, fun, and activities and learning opportunities for children. Best part, it is FREE ENTRY!

Date & Time

 Where?

Tate Britain, Millbank
London SW1P 4RG

Programme:

1. Prayer

There is a designated prayer space near the Djanogly Lawn.

2. Welcome and Introductions

On the Djanogly Lawn, 13.30–14.00

“Join us in the garden to meet some of the people who have contributed to the event, hear about their work and current projects and find out more about the activities happening on the day. There will be a welcome and introductions from Abdullah Elias from Something & Son and Omar Salha, Founder and CEO of Ramadan Tent Project. There will also be a short talk on the importance of sacrifice and sharing at Eid al-Adha and a recitation by Imam Almogir from the local Victoria Islamic Cultural and Education Centre.

3. Islamic Tours of the Collection

Meet at the bottom of the Millbank Steps, 14.30 and 16.30

Join Abdul Maalik Tailor, Britain’s first professionally qualified Muslim Tour Guide and founder of Muslim History Tours, for a 30-minute Islamic highlights tour of works in Tate Britain’s displays, exploring how all histories, including Islamic heritage, are part of British history. For more free tours of the art on display at Tate Britain, meet us at the top of the Manton Stairs at 14.00 and 15.00. Every tour is different, pulling together connections and meaning from across Tate’s collection.

4. Ask an Imam

Kitchen Prep Area on the Rex Whistler Lawn, 14:00–16:00

This session offers a safe and nurturing space to accommodate open & honest dialogue and to direct your questions to Shiekh Sulayman Van Ael. Ask about anything, from theological clarifications to popular culture reference points. You can delve into discussion about matters that are connected to society, as well as spiritual issues, with a learned scholar who will provide an Islamic interpretation.

5. Food

Near the Djanogly Lawn, 13.00–17.00

As part of the celebration, there will be affordable bites available from local food vendors. Please also bring a plate of food, along with a label to tell us what you have made and what ingredients you used, to add to our sharing table.

6. Design a London Prayer Mat

Near the Djanogly Lawn, 14.00–17.30

Get creative and imagine your own design for a London prayer mat. This workshop examines the sacred in the every day and the patterns that emerge all around us, inviting you to design a prayer mat that represents where and how you live.Your design will be entered into a competition and the winning design will be made and used as the Imam’s prayer mat at the Al Negashi Centre, a vibrant and active mosque and community hub for all in Vauxhall.

7. Ramadan Tent Project – Turning Strangers into Friends

Rex Whistler Lawn, 14:00–17:00

RTP Volunteer Coordinator, Safiyah Hijej, will host a space in the garden, inviting you to come together to meet new people and take part in conversations and exchanges. Safiyah will talk through her experiences of working on RTP and share approaches for how to start and hold conversations amongst strangers, identifying the things that connect us to engage in positive conversations about our differences and similarities.

8. Archive and Library Display

Reading Rooms (Inside Tate Britain, Ground floor) 14:00–17:00

Meet the Library and Archive team who will show you around some of the fascinating material in Tate’s archive linked to Islamic history and heritage. Browse through books and catalogues and discover photographs, postcards, and books from the archives from, on or about Islamic societies and identities. See how current Islamic art practices are being explored now but also how Islamic heritage, history, and art were viewed upon through colonial lenses.

9. Closing

On the Djang Oly Lawn, 17:30–18:00

Closing remarks by all involved finished with a dua/recitation by the Imam from the Al Negashi Centre and an Asr prayer.”

YOU COMING? See you there!