Cllr Clark and Rafiq Hayat

Transcript

00:00Today has been so special. It's amazing how welcome the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is when you come to here.

00:08I came last year as a guest and I always feel welcome at any event that I attend with them.

00:15They've gone so above and beyond to make this service so special for me.

00:22I did say this morning it's like I was getting ready to go to a wedding just without getting married.

00:28It has felt that special.

00:33Well, can I say Catherine, I think what you've done here today is wonderful.

00:38Because what you've done is brought all the communities together.

00:42I'm sure that there were people here who didn't belong either to the Muslim faith or the Christian faith.

00:47They belong to other faiths.

00:49But they've come here on a very auspicious occasion.

00:54One, to initiate your civic ceremony.

00:59But also it combines with the Jalsa Salam that's taking place.

01:03And the combination of the two makes it very special.

01:06Because you could have had this in the mosque as well later on.

01:09But it wouldn't have had the same significance.

01:12And I think what you've done is very special.

01:15And I think for many years to come, people who came here will remember this event.

01:20And we'll do even better in bigger events.

01:22But this is where it started.

01:24And I think this is very special.

01:26And me, as the National President of the Young Muslim Association, I'm very grateful to you.

01:31And I'd like to especially say a special thank you to Dil.

01:34Because I think Dil, as I mentioned, I know you praised him a lot.

01:40But I have even greater praise for him.

01:43Because what he's done in a very short period.

01:45And every day he sends me a report of what he's doing, what he's doing.

01:49And every day he's reaching out to more new people.

01:53And I think he's built up such respect in the community.

01:59That I think through him, people are getting to know the larger community.

02:04And so I'm grateful to both of you for what you've done.

02:09One thing I would like to say is, with the event today, we have guests here from outside of our borough.

02:17They are from Portsmouth, Harting.

02:22It wasn't just local, which has been nice for them to come and experience.

02:28So hopefully in their communities they can maybe go back and say to people they've been to this event.

02:34And welcome them to come over too.