Yorkshire Cricket hosted its first Eid Milan event at Headingley Stadium bringing people from different cultures and backgrounds together to celebrate community.
The event, attended by over 250 guests, included a number of community groups, dignitaries, religious leaders from a number of faith groups and members of staff from across the Yorkshire Cricket organisation.
The special evening began with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Imam Qari Asim MBE from Makkah Mosque, who then spoke with guests about the significance of Eid Milan in the Muslim faith.
He said: “This time Eid was even more special because after covid, after two years of separation, isolation one way or another, we could actually come together and hold each other in our arms.”
Councillor Gohar Almass from Beeston, who was master of the ceremony said "Leeds is a diverse multicultural and multi faith city and a city of sanctuary for All, I’m really pleased to see the positive changes brought about by the leadership by engaging with communities in this way , now that YCCC has opened its doors to everyone, the communities in turn will also embrace its Club with open arms. Where their is a sincere will to bring about positive change the actions speak for themselves and tonight’s very successful event is a testament to that , where we can see people of All faiths and none and various backgrounds celebrating our unity, a unity in diversity.
He added, “I look forward to helping the club in my capacity from the grassroots level. Let’s learn from the past and build the confidence of all the sports and cricket loving communities gradually. I thank everyone who helped us making the first of many events a success.”
Lord John Mann, first Female Muslim Lord Mayor Naveeda Ikram, Qaisar Mehmood of Sangam Group and Maroof Khan, Director of Business at Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) also spoke.
Mr Khan said: “What does Eid Milan mean to me. Growing up in the beautiful and wonderful country of India it meant celebration, it meant happiness, it meant sharing, it meant caring."
Lord Mann added: “This cricket club is for everyone. We are not going to have any barriers to any community of any kind here.”
As part of the celebrations, food was served alongside live entertainment and there was also a celebratory cutting of the cake.
