Eid Community Mela brings North Kent together

Kent Equality Cohesion Council once again supported the Eid Community Mela celebrations in Gravesend, working with Cohesion Plus in partnership with Gravesend Skills Centre, Kent Muslim Hands and local community figures.

The Mela was created to mark Eid Ul Adhar and promote unity among diverse communities in Gravesham, celebrating together regardless of faith. The on and off-stage programme featured a rich mix of artists, performances, and community stalls that reflected the cultural diversity of the local Muslim community and beyond. In addition, agencies such as Kent Police, Rethink Sahayak, Home Office Immigration Project, Windrush Scheme and many more attended, engaging with audience members.

Civic guests in attendance included the High Sheriff of Kent, Jonathan Neame DL, and the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Gurvinder Sandher as well as faith leaders such as Senior Vice President of the Gravesend Guru Nanak Gurdwara Indi Sall and Chair of the North Kent Interfaith Forum Bishop Greg Kitsell.

Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL, CEO of KECC, said:

“Regardless of the event and time of year, our express mission is to bring people together to celebrate diversity, unity and community. Our Eid Community Mela did just that, welcoming not just those from the Muslim faith, but countless other attendees from non-Muslim backgrounds. Eid is a particularly special time of the year for those who celebrate it and I know it meant a lot to the local community to be able to mark it together. I am proud of what we were able to achieve and I look forward to working with the local community again in the future”

Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the “Festival of Sacrifice,” is one of the most important holidays in the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. The holiday is marked by prayers, charitable giving, and community celebrations around the world.