- The memorial, designed by Benny O’Looney, aims to depict the service of Muslim soldiers.
- The design, inspired by Islamic calligraphy, draws inspiration from journeys to the Indian subcontinent.
- The memorial will be erected on a site already housing memorials to Sikhs, Gurkhas, and others.
The monument, standing at 13.2 meters tall, has been in the planning stages for several years and will be situated at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. Constructed from brick and terracotta, it will feature inscriptions detailing the personal stories of the soldiers.
About 2.5 million Muslim soldiers and laborers served in the militaries of the Allied powers during the First World War, and approximately 5.5 million served in the Second World War.
Benny O’Looney, the architect of the memorial, stated, "The idea is that as you approach the memorial, it draws you in. And you can see there’s more detail, more information, more craftsmanship."
“The idea is to show a panorama of the Muslim soldiers’ service in the world war from gritty 1914 — this incredible narrative of plugging the gap and saving the expeditionary forces on the Western Front.”
O’Looney stated that the inspiration for the design, which includes Islamic calligraphy, came from journeys to the Indian subcontinent.
The monument will be erected on a site already housing memorials to Sikhs, Gurkhas, and others.
Irfan Malik, a doctor from Nottingham whose ancestors served in both world wars, expressed, "I’m so glad we are near to fruition now, so that we can remember this forgotten history of the Muslim soldiers in both of the great wars and looking at Muslim contributions globally as well."
“Both of my great-grandfathers — Capt. Ghulam Mohammad and Subedar (roughly equivalent to warrant officer) Mohammad Khan — were part of the Great War and my two grandfathers were part of the Second World War, serving in Burma.”
“They all descended from Dulmial village, which is based in the salt range in Punjab in present-day Pakistan, a very famous military village.”
The memorial would serve as a “symbol of remembrance of those campaigns, the sacrifices made, and also an opportunity to educate our younger generation to improve community cohesion in this country,” Malik said.
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