The fourth annual Alevi Cultural Festival in the UK began with a series of musical performances at the Cemevi.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Cemevi director Yaşar Demiralay said this year’s event would feature many artistic and cultural activities.
He said the principal aim of the festival, which will run until 15 June, was to bring together the Alevi community and its friends.
Alevi Festival UK will stage is finale with a huge concert in Hackney Downs Park on Sunday, to which Mr Demiralay invited everyone.
The festival will also see a panel today, Thursday, attended by Turkish MP Müslüm Sarı, author Turan Eser and Abbas Tan.
On Friday, Alevi seniors Mehmet Turan and Cafer Kaplan will lead a “Cem”, or sermon, espousing unity, while on Saturday they will speak at the cemevi building in Dalston on the topic of faith.
Local MPs Andy Love, Meg Hillier and Diane Abbott are expected to be joined by Enfield North candidate Joan Ryan at this Sunday’s finale.
Speaking at a parliamentary launch of the festival on Monday evening, Ms Hillier said was the best possible answer to far right parties like UKIP, which were trying to emphasise only the negative sides of immigration.
Traditional dancing featured at the parliamentary opening
Meanwhile İsrafil Erbil, the president of the British Alevi Federation, said they had been working for the past four years for greater recognition among British authorities
He said they were combatting a perception fostered by the Turkish government that Alevism was merely another branch of Islam.
He said: “We are speaking about an approach that thinks nothing of other faiths. The more we make ourselves recognisable, the more those who follow this view will be quietened. Our struggle will continue.”
