Lord Mayor Hosts Civic Hall Iftar Meal

March 5, 2026 Off By

Leeds Civic Hall hosts community iftar gathering

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Dan Cohen, hosted an iftar meal at the Civic Hall’s Banqueting Suite on Wednesday, 4 March 2026. The event brought together local dignitaries, community leaders, and guests to mark the breaking of the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

Guests and attendees

Among those attending were the Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis; the HM Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Professor Adeeba Malik CBE; and the Children’s Mayor of Leeds, Sienna Silva-Farber. The meal also included faith leaders from various religions, such as the Bishop of Kirkstall, Reverend Arun Arora, and the Lord Mayor’s chaplain, Rabbi Anthony Gilbert.

A group of Foster4Leeds foster carers, who are either Muslim or care for Muslim children, were invited to participate in recognition of their work.

Significance of the iftar meal

Iftar is the meal Muslims eat at sunset to break the day’s fast during Ramadan, a month of fasting observed by Muslims worldwide. The fast, known as sawm, involves abstaining from all food and drink during daylight hours. The fast begins after the pre-dawn meal called suhur and ends at sunset, signalled by the call to evening prayer.

At the event, Qari Asim MBE from Makkah Mosque led the call to prayer, marking the start of iftar. Traditionally, the fast was broken with dates and water before guests enjoyed a buffet-style meal.

Speeches and messages

The event was hosted with Councillor Asghar Khan, executive member for communities, customer service, and community safety, acting as master of ceremonies. Support was provided by Councillor Abdul Hannan. Speakers included the Children’s Mayor, Sienna Silva-Farber; HM Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Professor Adeeba Malik CBE; and the Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis.

Councillor Dan Cohen said the civic iftar meal was an opportunity to bring together diverse communities in Leeds and foster harmony, trust, and understanding. He described Ramadan as a time of reflection, unity, and charity.

Councillor James Lewis emphasised the council’s commitment to tackling discrimination, including anti-Muslim prejudice. He referenced the council’s 2022 adoption of an Anti-Muslim Prejudice definition and highlighted ongoing community engagement and awareness campaigns addressing Islamophobic hate and supporting victims.