UK Muslim Lifestyle Expo 2017 attracts thousands

MANCHESTER – Anadolu Agency

The latest lifestyle trends for the U.K.’s Muslims was at center stage in Manchester over the weekend, with an annual event that aims to attract around 15,000 visitors.

Rauf Mirza, one of the organizers of Muslim Lifestyle Expo (MLE), said the event aims to “project the British Muslim community a positive light.”

Speaking with Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, Mirza said they “have tried for three years to project a more positive image about British Muslims by all moderate lifestyle aspects people enjoy.”

“We have businesses participating from all across the U.K.,” he added.

Mirza said they also invited people from non-Muslim backgrounds to enjoy the richness of Islamic culture.

At the event, the Greater Manchester Police, the Royal Air Force and the Home Office opened recruitment stands and explained their project to community members.

One police officer told Anadolu Agency that there is “massive emphasis on police forces to become more diverse.”

“We have 120 Muslim officers within the Greater Manchester Police force,” he said, adding that they want to see the numbers rise further.

The event also brought together many Muslim entrepreneurs, communities and artists from across the country.

In front of her artwork exhibited at the expo on white panels, artist Ranaaz Shahid spoke about how she was inspired by Islam itself while creating beautiful calligraphy portraits.

“I used Islamic geometry patterns. I meet a lot of non-Muslims in my trips who want to learn about our culture, our religion and where Islamic geometry started,” Shadid said.

A charity stand by Human Appeal gave people the opportunity to see the full-scale destruction and poor living conditions in the Palestinian city of Gaza through 3D virtual goggles.

Sara, one of the visitors at the expo, described the scene brought to her via the latest technology, saying she can see destroyed buildings and children with worn-out clothes in Gaza.

A group of physicians and health professionals from Muslim Doctors Association also provided free health checks for visitors, while books by Muslim and non-Muslim authors on Islam were also on display.

“War and Peace in Islam,” a book co-written by three authors, including Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalın, was among the titles distributed at one of the book stalls at the event.