Chichester Eid-Al-Adha celebratory event unites residents of all cultures

An Eid-Al-Adha celebration brought together residents of different nationalities and cultures on Sunday (July 17).
By Megan Baker
Published 19th Jul 2022, 15:44 BST
Updated 19th Jul 2022, 18:00 BST
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The event, held at the Swanfield Community Centre, was an opportunity for residents from all backgrounds to come together over food, conversation and games.

There were a variety of stalls to see, showcasing products created by local businesses, including henna, jewellery and Asian fashion.

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It was put together by organisations Connecting Cultures, Jamia Centre Mosque and was supported by Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester (VAAC).

The Mayor of Chichester, Councillor Julian Joy, with the people behind the Eid event, including Shalufa Begum from Connecting Cultures, Shobuz Ahmad from the Jamia Centre and the team at Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester.The Mayor of Chichester, Councillor Julian Joy, with the people behind the Eid event, including Shalufa Begum from Connecting Cultures, Shobuz Ahmad from the Jamia Centre and the team at Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester.
The Mayor of Chichester, Councillor Julian Joy, with the people behind the Eid event, including Shalufa Begum from Connecting Cultures, Shobuz Ahmad from the Jamia Centre and the team at Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester.

While the celebration was held in honour of Eid-Al-Adha, anyone was welcome to take part. 160 guests attended and enjoyed the chance to get to know people they otherwise would not have met.

Connecting Cultures founder, Shalufa Begum, said: “We are connecting everyone together.

“This is an Eid celebration for everyone, it’s not just for Asian people.”

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Mariani Coombes, founder of organisation Women's Hub, added: “Just looking at the nationalities here, we’ve got Syrians, Lithuanians, Morroccans, Pakistanis, Egyptian.

Clothing on sale at the event.Clothing on sale at the event.
Clothing on sale at the event.

“It’s just amazing, seeing them all come together. It just makes the world a better place. We understand each other better, we're not so ignorant of each other’s cultures.

"I think that’s the best thing we can do, especially in this day and age.”

The idea for Connecting Cultures originally came about to prevent isolation in the local Muslim community and hopes to host larger events in the future to continue its goal of uniting communities.

Stephanie Mooney, partnership officer at VAAC, said: “This event was a lot of fun.

I felt really welcome and it was a chance to meet new people and learn about cultures different to my own.”