Festival of Muslim Cultures
festival muslim culture national celebration muslim culture held united kingdom began january ended july imitated earlier event official site festival created need encourage better understanding muslim nonmuslims twoway process promote respect muslim culture demonstrate culture creates pathway connect u together organizer say festival event chosen represent best muslim art world portray diversity plurality prince charles patron festival director isabel carlisle shiban akbar mcb advisory board raficq abdulla mbe lawyer interpreter rumi attar broadcaster writer mahmood ahmed corporate lawyer former president ismaili council uk majid dawood ceo yasaar shariah compliance service company sayyed nadeem kazmi head international development alkhoei foundation london shahwar sadeque former bbc governor former commissioner commission racial equality founder trustee late dr zaki badawi played key role beginning shaping festival festival registered charity receives government funding art council england city london foreign commonwealth office fco home office british council provisional budget £ around usd august observer reported muslim council britain mcb used influence whitehall gain place festival board trustee festival organiser instructed comply islamic sharia law gain mcbs full support organiser concerned festival lose political backing invite performer seen unislamic festival organiser already hope invite uzbek singer sevara nezarkhan wear headscarf hijab worked jewish klezmer musician also intends exhibit thcentury world history rashid aldin represents human form prophet mohammed thought strict muslim forbidden performer could include senegalese musician youssou ndour bangladeshibritish dancer akram khan observer understands foreign office insisted festival organiser involved mcb would give full backing result mcb nominee taken festival board trustee one source close festival organiser said constantly found effort blocked kept coming back mcb sympathiser within whitehall mcb responded mcb belief festival need broadbased inclusive mindful teaching islam support british muslim day controversy surrounding mcb secretary general iqbal sacranies comment homosexuality conservative british muslim establishment became embroiled another homophobia scandal january sandra laville reported guardian promotional publicity state festival feature diversity plurality muslim culture gay muslim say refused permission present event’ aaron saeed muslim affair spokesman gay right group outrage wrote festival director isabel carlisle offering stage event celebrating life experience gay muslim britain abroad offer refused isabel carlisles reply justifies exclusion gay muslim ground prepared present work give offence significant number however interviewed guardian claimed gay muslim participation rejected festival want feature political theme “this rejection letter state said aaron saeed say turned gay muslim would give offence proposal political series cultural event life experience lesbian gay muslim planned organise event conjunction gay muslim individual organisation beyond outrage never envisaged outrage event made clear ban straightforward homophobia deeply offensive suggest gay muslim people valid part muslim community saeed concludes appalling registered charity allowed discriminate gay people time conservative leadership muslim community got used fact gay muslim stay fight muhammad yusuf member interfaith alliance said matter regret festival aiming reflect diversity muslim culture prepared take board facet different reason sexual orientation initial event included historical exhibition palace mosque islamic treasure middle east va sheffield millennium gallery drawn one renowned islamic art collection world egyptian landscape year tapestry weaving ramses wissa wassef art centre cairo exhibition woven tapestry created last year village near pyramid giza brunei gallery london contemporary pakistani printmaker oriel ceri richards swansea charity orphan foundling premodern islamic world lecture dr gerald hawting soas held foundling museum event planned festival programme partner ranged drama middle east colourful contribution edinburgh festival conference faith identity contemporary culture manchester gathering poet bradford leeds contemporary british muslim artist birmingham pakistani film festival glasgow well sufi festival muslim writer hay literary festival quranic recitation leicester art programme cardiff early music york islam united kingdom homophobia homosexuality islam festival muslim culture time – transcript radio interview – gay harmful bbc news – investigated police saying homosexuality harmful