ASHURA were shared at Enfield Alevi Cultural Centre. The ceremony, which started afternoon on Sunday, 29 August, was attended by the leading names of the Alevi community, including the Chair of the British Alevi Federation Israfil Erbil, Enfield North MP Feryal Clark.
British Alevi Federation Chair Israfil Erbil
Before the ceremony, Zeynep Demir, Chair of Enfield Alevi Cultural Centre, made a speech saying: “This is a very meaningful month for all of us and a month that has not been forgotten for centuries. After a Muharram pain, it ends with an Ashura, love, peace and happiness. It was very important for you to witness here. Ashura is a tradition that is performed in many societies and takes place in the festivals, holidays and beliefs of many societies. For us Alevis, it is a belief that reminds us of joy, peace, brotherhood, friendship and living together with differences.
“We fasted on behalf of the killed and oppressed souls from all over the world. In every process, we have confronted what happened in that process with the massacres, horror and savagery experienced in today’s process, without being tied to that day. We don’t just cry in our grief, we don’t just grieve. We organize, we resist. We want to be together and use all the opportunities to walk. We have been living in this country for more than 30 years, and we have performed a very valuable service on behalf of Alevism. We have suffered a lot and lost, but we have achieved great successes shoulder to shoulder.
“There have been many persecutions and massacres, this way of teaching has always stood by the righteous. Therefore, we would like to thank all our guests who did not leave us alone today, and we would like to thank our men and women who have been serving for two days. Bless the hearts of our working souls who bring these beautiful different flavours together. May health and services be accepted to those who contributed, made, brought, and delivered.”
In the ceremony attended by hundreds of people, kilos of Ashura soup were distributed.
