A coronation street party will bring Wapping residents together on Sunday.
The event will take place from 12pm to 4pm and will be held with the support of groups like the Wapping Families Association and the British Bangladeshi Power and Inspiration (BBPI) organisation.
Abdal Ullah, co-founder of the BBPI and Tower Hamlets councillor, explained the event will feature music, singers and raffles, and a selection of cultural foods, with the chance to have a picnic while enjoying the festivities.
He said: “This is an excuse to bring people together, creating understanding and tolerance and celebrating differences.
“We want people to feel a sense of community and Britishness, celebrating and having good food and getting to know people. The coronation is getting people together.”
A similar street party was held in Wapping for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and the community is excited to celebrate again for King Charles’ coronation, Ullah added.
In an April YouGov poll, 64% of respondents said they didn’t care about the coronation itself very much or at all.
Ullah expressed hope that the celebrations will ignite a sense of appreciation in people as they welcome a king that is proactive about current issues and in touch with their communities.
After the King’s visit to the BBPI’s Brick Lane Festival in February, Ullah described him as an approachable person who interacted with the locals, displaying a more informal style for a monarch that felt refreshing and new.
Ullah added: “Having had the pleasure of meeting him, I think Charles is a fitting king with modern values, perspective and culture. He respects and celebrates different cultures and traditions.
“That simple gesture, recognising the pain, the suffering of the community, but also the positive contribution of the local communities. Business, politics and social integration all go hand in hand.”
The spirit of this party is to unite people no matter their opinion about the monarchy, and to build up a community of acceptance and solidarity.
Ullah stated: “We will gather to celebrate the coronation, but also to celebrate our own strength as a diverse community in the heart of east London, a vibrant community that we are very proud of.”
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