Gravesend Eid Community Mela Brings Communities Together

Cohesion Plus once again co-produced the Eid Community Mela celebrations in Gravesend, working in partnership with Gravesend Skills Centre, Kent Muslim Hands, Kent Equality Cohesion Council, and local community partners on Sunday June 7th at the Fort Gardens.

The Mela was organised to mark Eid-ul-Adha and promote unity across Gravesham’s diverse communities, bringing people together to celebrate regardless of faith or background. The event featured a vibrant programme of performances both local and national including Qawwali and Bollywood, and community stalls that showcased the rich cultural diversity of the local Muslim community and the wider area.

A range of organisations, including Kent Police, Involve Kent, Rethink Mental Illness, Gravesend Cricket Club and many others, also attended the event, providing information and engaging with visitors throughout the day.

Among the civic guests were Deputy Lieutenant of Kent and Cohesion Plus supremo Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL, Gravesham’s Deputy Mayor Councillor Baljit Hayre, Dr Lauren Sullivan MP for Gravesham and Chair of the North Kent Interfaith Forum Greg Kitsell, highlighting the event’s strong commitment to community cohesion and interfaith engagement.

Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL, CEO of Cohesion Plus, said:

“Our mission, regardless of the occasion, is to bring people together to celebrate diversity, unity, and community. The Eid Community Mela achieved exactly that, welcoming people from all backgrounds and faiths to share in the celebrations. Eid is a particularly significant time for the Muslim community, and it was wonderful to see so many people come together to mark the occasion. We are proud of what was achieved and look forward to continuing our work with local communities in the future.”

Eid-ul-Adha, known as the “Festival of Sacrifice,” is one of the most important celebrations in the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God and is traditionally marked through prayer, charitable giving, and community gatherings around the world.