A £1 million competition has been announced to design and build a permanent memorial in England honoring Muslim soldiers who fought for Britain in the First and Second World Wars. The initiative, originally proposed in the 2024 Budget, invites organizations to submit design proposals, including suggested locations and plans for community engagement and planning permission. The memorial aims to recognize the contributions of at least 400,000 Muslim servicemen from the world wars, such as Victoria Cross recipient Khudadad Khan, and will serve as a space for reflection and education. The project follows a series of recent memorials celebrating the diverse communities that supported Britain's wartime efforts.
The UK government, under Labour, has launched a £1 million competition to create a permanent memorial honoring Muslim soldiers who fought for Britain in the First and Second World Wars .
The initiative was originally announced in the 2024 Budget by the then Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. The competition, opening on June 10, invites charities, companies, and local authorities in England to submit designs and proposals. Organizers emphasize that the memorial should provide a space for learning and reflection, and designs will be evaluated on criteria including credible construction timelines, community engagement, and plans for securing planning permission.
The final location of the memorial has not been determined; applicants must propose a site as part of their submission. Historical records indicate that at least 400,000 Muslim soldiers served in the First World War, with many more joining the effort in the Second World War. Among them was Khudadad Khan, a sepoy in the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, who became the first Muslim recipient of the Victoria Cross.
During the First Battle of Ypres in 1914 at Hollebeke, Belgium, Khan held his ground alone after his unit was overwhelmed, operating a machine gun to delay a German advance long enough for Allied reinforcements to arrive. Despite being wounded, he crawled back to his lines under cover of night. His valor exemplifies the broader, often underrecognized, contribution of Muslim servicemen from the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond.
The announcement has been welcomed by figures across the political spectrum. Nesil Caliskan, Minister for Faith and Communities, stated, "Our country is made up of a strong, diverse tapestry of different faith communities and we owe that freedom to the bravery and sacrifice made by those who fought alongside us for a better future all those years ago. Muslim soldiers were a fundamental part of securing victory, but their story has been in the shadows for too long.
This memorial will make sure their contribution stays in our memory now, and for generations to come.
" Former Chancellor Sir Sajid Javid had previously advocated for such a memorial, suggesting the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire as a potential site and noting the importance of honoring an estimated 750,000 Muslims who have served in British armed forces across history. This memorial would join a growing list of monuments in the UK dedicated to recognizing the diverse communities that contributed to the nation's wartime efforts.
These include the Memorial Gates near Buckingham Palace (2002), honoring soldiers from the Indian subcontinent, Africa, and the Caribbean; the Monument to the Women of World War II in Whitehall (2005); the African and Caribbean War Memorial in Brixton (2017); and the Animals in War Memorial near Hyde Park (2004). The World Wars Muslim Memorial Trust, established in 2016, has been working toward this goal, aiming to commemorate not only historical figures but also more recent Muslim personnel from the UK who died in combat.
The new competition seeks to transform this long‑standing aspiration into a tangible, centrally recognized place of remembrance, ensuring that the sacrifices of Muslim service members are permanently inscribed in the national narrative
Memorial Competition Muslim Soldiers World Wars Khudadad Khan Victoria Cross UK Heritage War Commemoration Community Engagement National Memorial Arboretum
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UK Launches £1 Million Competition for National Memorial to Muslim World War SoldiersA £1 million government-funded competition has been launched to design and build a permanent national memorial in England dedicated to Muslim soldiers who fought for Britain in the First and Second World Wars. The initiative, first announced in the 2024 Budget, invites organisations to propose designs and locations for the monument, which aims to permanently recognise the service of an estimated 400,000 Muslim personnel in WWI and many more in WWII, including Victoria Cross recipient Khudadad Khan. The memorial is intended to foster learning and reflection, correcting a historical oversight and joining other monuments that celebrate diverse contributions to Britain's wartime efforts.
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