There were many folk dances during the event
THE FIFTH annual Alevi Cultural Festival ended on Sunday with a spectacular finale in Hackney Downs Park.
More than 10 thousand people turned up to attend the final day, according to Cemevi figures, with visitors coming not only from across London but Bournemouth, Doncaster and Glasgow as well.
The event, organised by the British Alevi Federation, also saw performances from a large number of artists from Turkey, including the Ezginin Günlüğü group, Oğuz Boran, Seyfi Yerlikaya and Özlem Taner.
Local MPs Joan Ryan and David Lammy were present, as was Enfield Council leader Doug Taylor, councillors Ahmet Karahasan, Ahmet Öykener and Suna Hurman, and mayoral candidate Tessa Jowell.
Tugay Hurman, the president of the Alevi Cultural Centre in Dalston, which organised the event, said: “You came here today to show all of Alevism’s rituals are like blood flowing through the veins and every single breath. Welcome to you all.
Thousands crowded into the sunshine at Hackney Downs Park
“In the world of the 21st century we must construct not just places of worship and faith, but homes of science and knowledge.”
İsrafil Erbil, the president of the British Alevi Federation, said the festival was held in remembrance of the many losses the community has endured in towns across Turkey and Syria in the last few decades.
We saw that our unity and togetherness shone through this organisation and we made ourselves heard, Mr Erbil continued, promising to emerge as an even stronger federation after this.
Thousands of people picnicked on the grass and visited the various stalls set up in the park as musical and dance performances took place on the stage. There was plenty of participation too, particularly from across London, as well as further afield. Nottingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the East Midlands, Hull, Doncaster, Leicester, Croydon, Bournemouth, Harrow and Sheffield were all represented.
Federation president İsrafil Erbil spoke alongside Labour mayoral candidate Tessa Jowell (to his right) at the event
