ABOUT US
You may come for a meal, a conversation, an event or simply to experience something new. What matters is who you meet when you get there.
Ramadan Tent Project brings people of different faiths, beliefs and backgrounds together through shared experiences inspired by the spirit and values of Ramadan.
You can share a city, a workplace or a neighbourhood with people from different backgrounds and rarely have a reason to meet.
We create that reason.
Through food, arts, culture, conversation, movement and shared public experiences, we create spaces where people can meet naturally, learn from one another and build understanding.
A world where everyone belongs and communities flourish in social harmony and peaceful coexistence.
To bring people together by cultivating spaces of compassion, hospitality, and service, and by fostering dialogue, understanding, and connection.
Shared experiences bring people into direct contact with one another.
Conversation and experience help people learn about lives, beliefs and perspectives beyond their own.
Greater understanding builds trust, stronger relationships and more connected communities.
Accomplished
Together
Our work turns the values of Ramadan into shared experiences that anyone can take part in.
At the heart of this is Ramadan Festival, our annual programme of experiences for mind, body and soul, bringing communities together across the UK.
It all started with a tent.
In 2013, a group of students at SOAS University of London created a simple space where international students could come together to break their fast rather than experience Ramadan alone.
The invitation was simple: come and take a seat.
What started with one tent grew beyond the university, into cities across the country and some of the UK’s most recognised cultural, civic and sporting spaces.
More than a decade later, the idea at the heart of RTP remains the same: create a space, extend an invitation and give people a reason to meet
From one tent to a nationwide movement.
We also have our very first Open Iftar outside of London in Manchester, as well as our first international Open Iftars in Turkey and Zambia.
We host Open Iftars in 5 cities across the UK and abroad: London, Manchester, Istanbul (Turkey), Ndola (Zambia) and now Plymouth.
We’re honoured to receive the ‘50 Most innovative Global Muslim Start-Ups’ Award, and add a sixth city (and a new continent!) to our reach: Portland in the United States.
We become part of the Grenfell Muslim Response Unit (GMRU) and provide iftar meals to bereaved family members, survivors and residents in the North Kensington community during Ramadan.
We’re now growing rapidly! We go on to:
- Host Open Iftar in Makkah and Madina of Saudi Arabia
- Host our first Open Iftar in Bradford and Birmingham
- Host our first Open Iftar Arafah at Tate Britain
- Organise the ‘Open Iftar x Grenfell – 1-Year Memorial’ with over 5,000 people in attendance at Kensington Memorial Gardens.
- Receive the Pride of Britain Award as part of the Grenfell Community
- Host Open Iftar at Malet Street Gardens one final time
We set up in Tavistock Square, and host Open Iftar there for 23 nights before moving on to create history at:
- Wembley Stadium
- Westminster Abbey
- Regent’s Place
- Kensington Memorial Gardens
- Trafalgar Square
- Southwark Viewpoint
- British Library
Our art installation goes up with AWMA, titled ‘Revelation’. 6,236 ribbons hang from the roof of the marquee representing every verse of the Holy Qur’an.
We win the Mayor of London’s ‘Bringing Londoners Together’ Award and ‘Faith and Belief Forum’ Award, and host Open Iftar Arafah in Mardin, Turkey. We also host Open Iftar for the very first time in Newcastle Gateshead, Sheffield, and Leicester.
We introduce our #MyOpenIftar Packs, Global Iftar, and first Virtual Welcome Ramadan Conference to make sure we’re continuing to connect people and communities throughout the pandemic.
Thousands tune in digitally during Ramadan – for the first time ever, we have a live call to prayer at:
- QPR FC
- Wembley Stadium
- Trafalgar Square
We light up Trafalgar Square and Wembley Stadium in our signature teal to commemorate Open Iftar and Ramadan during lockdown, and later in the year we host Open Iftar Arafah at Tavistock Square – our first physical event since 2019.
We return to SOAS University of London to kick off our Ramadan Festival. Our Open Iftars reach Coventry and Cambridge for the first time, and we host wonderful iftars at iconic locations like the Royal Albert Hall, the V&A Museum, Portobello Road, Bernie Spain Gardens, and Hay’s Galleria.
We make history by hosting the largest Open Iftar event in Western Europe at Trafalgar Square – a beautiful way to mark the final iftar of Ramadan.
We return later in the year to Bernie Spain Gardens, to host Open Iftar Arafah.
We return to celebrate our 10th-year anniversary, marking a historic milestone with Open Iftar events live in 10 different cities such as Brighton, Cambridge and Birmingham. For the first time ever, we host incredible iftars at iconic venues like Stamford Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, King’s College Cambridge, Aston Villa and Manchester Cathedral.
In June 2023, we came back to host the first Open Iftar Arafah at Hay’s Galleria.
Ramadan Festival made a remarkable return in 2024, hosting 29 unforgettable Open Iftars across 12+ cities at iconic venues like Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Aston Villa FC, the V&A, the British Library, Guildhall, and more. We proudly introduced the Fast A Day initiative, fostering awareness of Ramadan in the workplace through engaging workshops at leading organisations such as Foxtons, Ogilvy, and 22 Bishopsgate. 2024 also marked the revival of our Ramadan Run Club and the inspiring Welcome Ramadan conference, which set the stage for a season of connection, reflection, and cultural celebration.
This year, we travelled across the UK, bringing thousands together through powerful moments of connection, reflection, and community.
From our flagship Open Iftar at iconic landmarks to new and returning initiatives, Ramadan Festival 2025 reached incredible heights.
Highlights included the first-ever Welcome Ramadan Conference in Bradford, the biennial Ramadan Pavilion for the first time in history hosted in Bradford, Centenary Square. Hundreds joined us for Ramadan Run Club across London and we kicked off Open Iftar with a standout moment at Windsor Castle’s largest State Apartment – St George’s Hall.
We also returned with Fast A Day, welcoming companies like Arriva Rail, Springer Nature, Ogilvy and 70 St.Mary Axe to host iftars in the workplace.
For the first time, we embraced nature with WWF in a special Nature Walk at Kensington Gardens.
Wrapping Up Ramadan Festival 2026
This year, RTP reached new heights, bringing together tens of thousands across the UK through powerful moments of connection, reflection, and community.
Under the theme of Hope, Ramadan Festival 2026 created spaces where people of all faiths and none came together to share experiences rooted in compassion, belonging, and shared humanity.
Building on the landmark moment at Windsor Castle in 2025, this year saw Open Iftar continue its journey through historic and iconic spaces, including a special gathering at Banqueting House in London. For the first time ever, we also brought Open Iftar to Silverstone, expanding our reach and welcoming new communities into the experience.
From Trafalgar Square – where over 3,000 people gathered for our final Open Iftar – to cities across the country, each moment reflected the spirit of Ramadan at its best.
We continued to grow our four flagship activations – Welcome Ramadan Conference, Open Iftar, Fast A Day, and Ramadan Run Club – each designed to bring people together through mind, body, and soul.
As we close this chapter, we reflect with gratitude on a festival shaped by connection, generosity, and hope.
Thank you to everyone who joined us, supported us, and made Ramadan Festival 2026 unforgettable.
Looking Ahead to Ramadan Festival 2027
As we look ahead, RTP continues its journey of bringing people together – building on a legacy of connection, belonging, and shared humanity.
In 2027, we invite you to be part of the next chapter. A moment to make history once again, uniting hearts, minds, and communities in a celebration of faith, heritage, and hope.
From iconic spaces to new cities, Ramadan Festival will continue to grow – creating meaningful experiences that bring people of all faiths and none together through reflection, learning, and connection.
Stay connected, stay inspired, and be part of what’s to come
See it in action. Last Ramadan, thousands of people came together across the UK, sharing meals, conversations and new experiences in cultural landmarks, sporting venues and civic spaces.
MEET THE
FOUNDER
Omar Salha
Founder & Chief Executive
Omar founded Ramadan Tent Project in 2013 and has led its growth from a single tent into a nationwide platform bringing communities together. He lectures and consults on international diplomacy and soft power and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
MEET THE TRUSTEES
Amad Afzal Chair
Amad joined RTP as a volunteer in 2018 before becoming Head of Operations and later a trustee in 2021. He currently works as a Project Manager in the construction industry.
Railla Razaq
Railla spent more than 10 years as RTP’s Head of Volunteers before joining the Board. She is a cyber security business analyst, a trustee at ICSS and a former King’s Trust mentor.
Toib Olomowewe
Railla spent more than 10 years as RTP’s Head of Volunteers before joining the Board. She is a cyber security business analyst, a trustee at ICSS and a former King’s Trust mentor.
RTP has grown because people choose to take part. Come to an event, volunteer your time, bring your organisation into the experience or help make the next gathering possible.
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© Ramadan Tent Project Limited, 2026. All Rights Reserved.