As the sun sets and the call to break the fast draws near, long tables fill with strangers who, within moments, become something closer to friends.
This is the quiet magic of Open Iftar, a grassroots initiative by the Ramadan Tent Project (RTP) that has, for more than a decade, used the simple act of sharing food to build bridges between communities.
Founded in 2013 by Omar Salha, Open Iftar was born out of a desire to open up Ramadan beyond Muslim communities and create spaces rooted in generosity, curiosity and belonging. Thirteen years on, Open Iftar has brought together more than one million people across the UK, transforming public spaces into places of warmth, dialogue and connection during the holy month.
As Open Iftar marks its 13th year in 2026, its long-standing partnership with Islamic Relief UK continues, helping to extend the spirit of Ramadan not only through shared meals in Britain, but by supporting communities in need around the world.
Food as a universal language
At the heart of Open Iftar is a belief that food can do what words sometimes cannot.
“Food is one of humanity’s oldest tools of cultural diplomacy,” Salha explains. “It embodies heritage, tradition, history, identity and soul. It equalises us. When you sit down to eat with someone, you’re not debating identity or ideology, you’re sharing something deeply human.”
Open Iftar events are held at some of the UK’s most iconic locations, from Windsor Castle and the Royal Albert Hall to Trafalgar Square, as well as parks, libraries and community centres across London and beyond. Each setting becomes a meeting point for people of all faiths and none, united not by belief but by experience.
“In soft power terms,” Salha says, “food is a non-verbal communicator. It carries stories, memories, laughter, joy and values without needing translation. The meal is the entry point, but what matters most are the conversations that follow.”
Challenging assumptions, one plate at a time
For many first-time attendees, Open Iftar is their first encounter with Ramadan and often with Muslim communities more broadly. Some arrive curious, others cautious, and a few with assumptions shaped by distance or misconception.
“That’s precisely why Open Iftar exists,” Salha says. “People often come not knowing what to expect, but they quickly discover a space that feels calm, warm and genuinely welcoming.”
Non-Muslim guests frequently leave surprised, not by the food, but by the atmosphere. “They realise Ramadan isn’t about restriction,” he says, “it’s about reflection, compassion and community.” And, he adds how many also leave remembering the famously incredulous reaction: “Not even water?!”
“We take pride in our hospitality and service with all guests and attendees. Particularly those experience Open Iftar for the very first time. It is lovely to hear feedback on how warm, calm, and communal the atmosphere feels,” he further added.
The work no one sees
While the images that circulate online capture glowing lanterns and smiling faces, each Open Iftar evening is the result of hundreds of unseen hours.
“Months of logistics, partnerships, permissions, safeguarding, volunteer coordination, and community outreach all converge into those few minutes before sunset. Now multiply that by 20!”, Salha explained.
The initiative is almost entirely volunteer-run, powered by people who arrive early, leave late, and rarely appear in photographs: those carrying crates, preparing food, setting up prayer spaces, managing accessibility, programming speakers and artists, handling sound systems, security and crowd flow, and ensuring every space is left better than it was found.
“These are the people whose names may never appear in a caption, but without them, Open Iftar events simply wouldn’t exist”, Salha said.
A new generation, a shared tradition
Open Iftar also reflects how young Muslims are reshaping Ramadan: confidently, creatively and outwardly.
“They’re embracing tradition while expanding its expression through art, digital storytelling, community organising and civic engagement”, expressed Salha.
Ramadan Tent Project itself, he adds, is a product of that energy: grounded in timeless values, but expressed in a contemporary, public and socially conscious way. “Faith and modernity aren’t in tension,” he says. “They reinforce one another.”
Hope at the Centre
This year’s theme, Hope, captures both the mood and mission of Open Iftar in 2026. In a world often marked by division and uncertainty, the initiative offers something quietly radical: the belief that connection can still flourish.
At Open Iftar, Salha said, the meal is simply the entry point and hopes that attendees feel like they have stepped into a space of generosity, curiosity, warm hospitality and shared belonging. “The food nourishes the body, but the conversations nourish the social fabric. If someone leaves feeling more connected to their neighbours, more informed about Ramadan, or simply more hopeful about our ability to coexist, then the meal has not only fuelled the body, but the mind and soul too.”
If there is one thing he hopes people carry with them after attending, it is not a statistic or a slogan, but a feeling. “I hope they remember the feeling of being welcomed,” he says. “Not just as a guest, but as part of a shared human moment. If someone walks away thinking, ‘I belonged here,’ then we’ve succeeded.”
Because, in the end, that sense of belonging, nourished by food, conversation and care, may be Open Iftar’s most lasting gift.
