This year, London wanted to innovate for Ramadan, which started on March 22. Indeed, the famous Coventry Street which connects two of the city’s busiest squares, Piccadilly and Leicester Square, was lit up with the message “Happy Ramadan”. 30,000 lights were notably represented by crescent moons, stars and traditional lanterns called “fanous”. The latter are commonly used to decorate the streets of the Middle East during the month of fasting.
This idea obviously pleased Pascal Smet. On Twitter, the Minister in charge of Town Planning and Heritage gave his opinion on these illuminations: “A great inspiration comes to us from London. Mood lighting brings people together”, he commented. Before suggesting this same idea to Philippe Close, the mayor of the capital. “Why not also during Ramadan and Chinese New Year in the cosmopolitan city of Brussels?”he wrote.
Philippe Close explained to our colleagues from SudInfo that he was not against the idea. “We have the nativity scene for Christmas on the Grand’Place. There is the festival of lights at Schuman for Hannouka. So why not something for Ramadan”, he explained.