The beautiful spirit of Ramadan filled Chelsea's air on Sunday when the London club made history by hosting their inaugural "Open Iftar" event at their Stamford Bridge stadium, breaking bread with the Muslim community.
Hundreds of people descended upon the West London ground to partake in a special iftar, or fast-breaking meal, held in collaboration between the Chelsea Foundation, the club's charitable arm, and the award-winning Ramadan Tent Project, which was founded in 2013.
The night was an unprecedented occasion for the club and a Premier League stadium, starting off with speeches, followed by the devotional prayers of Imam Safwaan Hussein from the Battersea Mosque.
Chelsea Foundation head Simon Taylor, board director of the foundation Lord Daniel Finkelstein, Islamic Relief’s U.K. director Tufail Hussain, and Dowshan Humzah, advisory board members of the Ramadan Tent Project, were among the attendees.
Paul Canoville, who was the first black player to play for Chelsea, also attended the event.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Omar Salha, the founder of the Ramadan Tent Project, said they are aiming to bring people together and make them understand more about the holy month.
"Football unites people, but also Ramadan unites people and 'Open Iftar' turns strangers into friends," he said, adding that at such events people of different ages and faiths meet.
The project also organized another fast-breaking meal gathering at the famous Victoria and Albert Museum in London on Friday, which was attended by more than 400 people.
The organizers thanked all those who attended the dinner, saying: "10 years of 'Open Iftar' and we were so pleased to make history by having it take place pitch-side at Chelsea. Thank you to all those who attended, our speakers, sponsors and hardworking volunteers who made this iftar historic."
