London's Piccadilly Circus is once again lit up for Ramadan. This is the third year in a row. This year, a spectacular installation of 30,000 LED lights adorns the famous street in west London, featuring Islamic geometric designs and symbols.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan inaugurated the lighting ceremony on Wednesday. He was joined by actor and “Good Morning Britain” presenter Adil Roy, presenter Yasir Ranjha and Rahima Aziz, trustee of the Aziz Foundation, one of the main sponsors of the lighting ceremony.
Piccadilly Circus was lit up for the first time in 2023 to mark Ramadan, a unique initiative for a city in Western Europe. The month of Ramadan is a significant month for Muslims, during which they abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset for 30 days and deepen their faith through self-purification. The fast is broken by breaking the fast with an iftar meal after sunset.
This year, there are some new additions, including an interactive installation in Leicester Square and a halal-friendly Iftar Trail, where various London restaurants are offering special Ramadan menus. Notable among these are Hotel Indigo's LSQ Rooftop and Farzi London.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sadiq Khan said, "When I was a child, my parents used to take me to see the Christmas lights in the West End. If someone had told me then that in my lifetime, London would have such lights to celebrate Ramadan, I would not have believed it."
