Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Tag: Bilal Farooq

  • South Asian Heritage Month Celebrations

    South Asian Heritage Month Celebrations

    South Asian Heritage Month Celebrations

    KECC in partnership with Cohesion Plus once again delivered South Asian Heritage Month Celebrations taking place across Dartford and Gravesend.

    Dartford South Asian Heritage Month on Tuesday 22nd July in the Orchard West Theatre and saw the showcasing of South Asian art forms and the recognition of celebrated local community champions. Around 150 local residents attended the celebrations including civic guests Cllr Jeremy Kite, Leader of Dartford Borough Council and Mayor of Dartford Cllr Peter Whapshot as well as Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL who also represented the Lord Lieutenant of Kent.

    The evening saw the inaugural presentation of the Dev Sharma Community Award. The award was presented to Cllr Jeremy Kite, Leader of Dartford Borough Council, Bina Pandaya Ghimire, President of the Nepalese Community Group and Gurdial Singh Rai, President of Dartford Guru Hargobind Singh Gurdwara. All recipients of the award have worked long and hard in their respective communities and displayed exceptional leadership. There was also a programme of artistic performances by local artists showcasing their respective art forms which originated from the South and North of India as well as Bangladesh.

    In addition, the Gravesend South Asian Heritage Month celebrations were marked at the Studio, Woodville on Wednesday 23rd July. As part of the evening, attendees were able to watch the premiere of three new films which once again celebrated the positive contribution made by local residents of South Asian descent.

    Dignitaries in attendance included the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Jenny Wallace, Joanne Holmes DL and Anne Millington DL.

    The first film covered the journey of the local Eid Community Mela which begun in 2023 and was organised working in partnership with local community figures. The celebrations are some of the largest in Kent and one that brings Muslims and non-Muslims alike together to enjoy a full programme of on stage, culturally diverse performances from artists of Indian, Pakistani, Syrian and Bangladeshi descent. Co organisers Bilal Farooq CEO of Kent Muslim Hands and Khawar Khurshit of Gravesham Skills Centre were awarded a special community award to mark their hard work and efforts for the event, working in partnership with Cohesion Plus.

    The second film told the story of the largest Kabbadi Tournament held in the South East and organised by local Kabbadi Club, a club run by volunteers for well over 20 years. The film showcased the immense impact the sport has on both British born players as well as those from India and Pakistan who are invited to play internationally on large scale platforms annually. The Kabbadi Club were also recipients of the special community award, marking their vast contribution towards sports and culture.

    The third and final film showcased the practice of ‘Seva’ (selfless service) and the long held tradition across three generations of the Birring family. The film captured the individual stories of the elder and younger members of the family, highlighting the differences in lifestyles and also the connecting practice of seva with the Gravesend Guru Nanak Dabar Gurdwara serving at the backdrop. The family also received a special community award for their prolific efforts and service to the local community.

    In addition there was a special World War 2 exhibition commemorating the contributions made by the Commonwealth and specifically soldiers of South Asian descent. The families of those soldiers were also in attendance and they had the opportunity to tell their stories.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL, CEO of KECC commented,

    “I am so incredibly proud of what we were able to produce and deliver as part of this year’s South Asian Heritage Month celebrating local heroes, stories and art forms. I feel it is vital to celebrate this month as it is South Asian history is British history. Our histories are so intrinsically intertwined that it would be remiss of us not to highlight and showcase the myriad of ways that the Asian subcontinent has contributed to the fabric of British society. We are currently living in very divisive times so I believe now more so than ever, we have a responsibility to celebrate Britain in its modern, diverse context. I feel we achieved this with these wonderful events and the success is clearly evident in the sheer number of people who came out to support them.”

  • Eid Flag Raising

    Eid Flag Raising

    Eid al Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims around the world which marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

    A special flag raising ceremony took place on Thursday April 13 on Community Square in Gravesend to mark the ongoing Ramadan period and the forthcoming Eid al-Fitr which will be later this week.

    Around 100 people from the local community attended the ceremony which was arranged by Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association, Shah Jalal Mosque, Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Gravesham Borough Council.

    Guests who attended and spoke at the event included Deputy Lieutenant Gurvinder Sandher MBE, Deputy Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Jon Caller and Chair of the Gravesend Dartford Muslim Association Bilal Farooq.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “We have a long and proud history of working in partnership with the Gravesham and Dartford Muslim Association, and we are honored to be involved in another Eid celebration. Events like this provide opportunities for everyone to be educated on the Muslim faith, come together and celebrate all that connects us together as members of the local community. It was extra special for me to be here in my new role as a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent”

    Bilal Farooq the Chair of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association commented “Eid al Fitr is a special time for the Muslim community as it marks the end of the month of dawn to sunset fasting of Ramadan. We were grateful to raise the Eid flag to celebrate this and celebrate the positive contribution made by the Muslim community locally in Gravesham”

  • Inter Faith Celebrations Remember Community Champion

    Inter Faith Celebrations Remember Community Champion

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council organised an Inter Faith community event on Thursday 17th November 2022 which saw local partners, faith leaders and community members attend. The event took place at the Kent Adult Education Centre in Gravesham and marked National Inter Faith Week.

    The event was also an opportunity to commemorate the life of Mr Mohammed Aslam, one of the founders of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association, a local community champion and avid interfaith supporter who passed away in June this year.

    Mr Aslam was a key figure in fostering long standing and fruitful partnerships with Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara and multiple local Churches, working to promote interfaith connections. As such, KECC, supported by Mr Aslam’s family felt that Interfaith Week served as the ideal time to reflect and commemorate the life of an individual of saw faith as a means of connecting people rather than separating them.

    Dignitaries and faith leaders alike spoke at the event around themes of unity and solidarity, celebrating Mr Aslam and Inter Faith Work in Gravesham. These included Deputy Lieutenant of Kent Dr Bagawara Vasudaven, Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Peter Scollard, Adam Holloway MP, Bishop Greg Kitsell Chair of the North Kent Interfaith Network, Reverend Michael Payne from St Aidan’s Church, Bilal Farooq Chair of the Gravesham and Dartford Muslim Association, Bal Cheema and Jagdev Virdee MBE from the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara.

    Community partners who also spoke at the event included former Headteacher Rosemary Dymond DL, Michelle Bramble Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network, Farook Girach long-time friend of Mr Aslam as well as Carol Gosal of Rethink Mental Health. They were joined by former Kent Police District Commander for Gravesend and Dartford Phillip Painter and Akeel Kedoo former treasurer of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association.

    At the end of the proceedings, Mr Aslam’s son Cllr Ejaz Aslam spoke to everyone gathered and expressed his deep thanks for commemorating his father in such a way, a way that reflects the diverse communities of the area and the message of interfaith that his father always promoted.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council who hosted the event commented, “I believe that National Interfaith Week was the perfect setting to not only remember a local pillar of the community but also talk about religious tolerance and everything that brings us together through faith. Mr Aslam for one, was an individual who stood for everyone, he championed their right practice their faith freely and see the tenants in each religion that brought us together. He supported the local Gurdwara and Churches and fundraised for various relief campaigns and causes regardless of faith. He was truly selfless and generous and I am proud that we were able to honour him in such a manner.”

  • The Sun shines on the Gravesend Eid Community Mela

    The Sun shines on the Gravesend Eid Community Mela

    Over 1000 people attended the Gravesend Eid Community Mela which took place at the Fort Gardens on Sunday June 12th.

    The community celebrations which were produced by Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association, Shah Jalal Mosque and Cohesion Plus working with Kent Equality Cohesion Council featured an array of activity.

    Highlights included a range of food stalls with food from the Indian Sub-continent, charity cakes stalls, henna, face painting, a fun fair and information stands from partners including Rethink Sahayak, Kent Police, Citizens Advice and Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

    There was a programme of stage entertainment which featured Raag Qawwali Group, the Kings of Dhol, Lethal Soundz and a Kurdish Cultural Dance performance.

    Guests who attended and spoke at the event included Dr Vasudaven the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Scollard and Civic Mayor of Lewisham Cllr Anwar. They were joined by District Commander for Gravesham and Dartford Chief Inspector Lay from Kent Police and Cllr Mochrie-Cox the Cabinet Member for Communities at Gravesham Borough Council.

    Bilal Farooq, the Chairman of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association commented, “We are really proud of what we were able to achieve. The sun really did shine on us and I have been over whelmed with the positive feedback I have received. The whole purpose of the celebrations were to bring the communities together regardless of faith and background and celebrate the auspicious occasion of Eid which is very important to the Muslim community. This is the largest Eid celebrations we have planned to date and we are grateful to all of our partners and volunteers who made this possible.”

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “We have a long and proud history of working in partnership with the Gravesham and Dartford Muslim Association going back over 2 decades. This was our most ambitious event to date and I am so pleased that all the hard work everyone put in has paid off. Celebrations like this provide opportunities for everyone to come together and have positive shared experiences and celebrate all that binds us together as members of the local community.”

    The event was part funded by EK360 Listening Project, Kent Equality Cohesion Council, Cohesion Plus, Gravesham Borough Council Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association and Shah Jalal Mosque.