King’s holds ‘Open Iftar’ event

The event was free and open to anyone

The event has been organised by the charity Ramadan Tent ProjectBrian Chau for Varsity

by Sian Llewellyn-John

Saturday March 8 2025, 7:55pm

Hundreds of students gathered to break their Ramadan fast at King’s College’s ‘Open Iftar’ event yesterday, according to the BBC.

Starting last week (28/02), the month of Ramadan instructs Muslims to refrain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset for a month. The Iftar, the meal Muslims break their daily fast with at sunset, is free and open to anyone.

The Dean of King’s College Chapel, Rev Sr Stephen Cherry, said: “We’re delighted that Open Iftar is returning to King’s College this year. For us, it is an important act of hospitality that allows members of the Cambridge community to come together during Ramadan in the spirit of shared learning, respect, harmony and celebration.”

The event was organised by the charity Ramadan Tent Project (RTP), which is hosting 20 open Iftars across the country to “foster unity, awareness, and a deeper understanding”. Omar Salha, the charity’s founder, said there had been an “overwhelming” interest in the project.

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“It is a great moment of cultural diplomacy […] to raise the profile of inter-faith dialogue – now more than ever.” The iftar is “welcoming to all, irrespective of their faith or background,” Salha added.

The meal took place at around 17:40, following a call to prayer in the College’s dining hall. It is expected that over 300 people of multiple faiths will attend.

RTP was founded in 2013 by a group of students at SOAS University of London who invited international students living alone in the UK to break their fasts together.

Other Open Iftar locations hosted by RTP include Windsor Castle, Cardiff City Stadium, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

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