3^rd March 2025

MEDIA STATEMENT

Muslim Heritage Month to celebrate and recognise Muslim contributions in Britain

Muslim Heritage Month (MHM) will be marked in March 2025. Rooted in the theme ‘The Ties That Unite Us,’ the initiative is dedicated to recognising the cultural richness and the historical and contemporary contributions of Muslims in Britain. March has been selected to celebrate Muslim Heritage Month to align with the United Nations-recognised International Day to Combat Islamophobia on March 15th. This month, therefore offers an opportunity to take a celebratory yet complementary approach.

After a soft introduction last year, Muslim Women's Network UK is now officially launching Muslim Heritage Month in response to rising hate crimes and growing concerns over the normalisation of anti-Muslim attitudes. The aim is for Muslim Heritage Month to become an annual tradition that will challenge negative stereotypes by amplifying positive Muslim stories. The formal launch is taking place on the 11^th March in parliament, which is being sponsored by Tik Tok and attended by Muslim Tik Tokers. The X social media platform is also joining in and will provide an online safety training session for Muslim civil society groups later this month.

We invite individuals and organisations to take part in the month-long festival - whether by hosting events, organising activities, sharing resources, or simply spreading awareness. A dedicated website (www.muslimheritagemonth.org.uk), that offers a toolkit and various resources to support engagement.

Baroness Shaista Gohir, CEO of Muslim Women’s Network UK and the founder of the idea to establish Muslim Heritage Month in the UK, stated: "The success of Muslim Heritage Month relies on widespread participation. We invite individuals and organisations to get involved—whether by engaging in this year’s events or planning for March 2026. To share learnings, we also encourage them to share examples of good practices that promote inclusion, which we can feature on the website. Muslims cannot do this alone—only with the support and involvement of wider communities can we create a lasting impact."

We are pleased that more than 20 organisations from various sectors — including sports, film, social media, law, health and finance - have already agreed to participate in this important initiative through different ways. With Ramadan also falling in March this year, many will also mark the occasion through their communal fast-breaking gatherings, such as the online lifestyle magazine SheerLuxe, English and Wales Cricket Board, British Film Institute, UK Muslim Film, Crystal FC Charity (Palace for Life), Muslims at Amazon, Womble Bond Dickinson, Janus Henderson Investors, RCGP, and the Ikon Gallery, which include an exhibition.

The Premier League will hold an event with Football Club Community Organisations to showcase how they are engaging with their local Muslim communities through the power of football. Attending clubs will include Wolverhampton, Aston Villa, Leicester City, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Burnley and QPR. A number of other organisations and professional / staff networks will hold online events including the British Islamic Medical Association and NHS Muslim Women’s Network.

As more organisations come on board, additional events will be announced, ensuring an impactful and inclusive Muslim Heritage Month 2025 and beyond.

Note: Anyone wanting to join in, please email contact@mwnuk.co.uk / mhm@muslimheritagemonth.org.uk

Additional Information

· Media enquiries can be directed to: contact@mwnuk.co.uk or 0121 2369000

· Muslim Heritage Month toolkit https://www.muslimheritagemonth.org.uk/muslim-heritage-month-toolkit

· Muslim Women’s Network UK is a national charity: https://www.mwnuk.co.uk