Faith leaders, heads of state, and dignitaries from across the world were present to witness the ceremony, full of colour and symbolism. Among the esteemed guests was Prince Rahim, who attended at the request of Mawlana Hazar Imam, in continuation of a historic tradition — in 1937, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah attended the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
For Ismailis in the UK, the Coronation weekend offers an opportunity to join the festivities, and extend their active involvement in charitable and social initiatives in the country. For many decades, members of the Jamat have worked closely with Royal organisations to promote peace, pluralism, and social progress in the UK and the Commonwealth.
Khatoon Noonan took part in the “Cook for the King” competition to celebrate the coronation, and was named the winner. Members of u3a, a collection of more than 1,000 charities, entered their original recipes that celebrate and reflect Britain in 2023, and Khatoon’s dish of Pickling Masala Mutton Curry was selected as the winning dish.
A piece of artwork designed by Shafina Jaffer, an MA candidate at the Royal College of Art, was selected by Buckingham Palace and the BBC to feature at tomorrow’s Coronation concert at Windsor Castle. Her painted artwork, featuring the Union Jack’s colours and floral motifs, was chosen ahead of hundreds of other submissions and will be projected onto Windsor Castle and the performer’s stage during the concert.
Finally, Alnaz Gulamhussein was honoured at the Coronation Champions Awards, launched to recognise exceptional volunteers who go the extra mile to serve their community. Alnaz impressed the judges with her unwavering commitment, and was among those chosen from over 5000 entries to receive an award. In recognition of her work, Alnaz was invited to attend the official Coronation Garden Party, which took place at Buckingham Palace earlier this week.
