STORY
The Government has opened a competition for an organisation, or group of organisations, to design and deliver a national Muslim War Memorial. The project will receive up to £970,000 and is intended to create a permanent tribute to the contribution made by hundreds of thousands of Muslim soldiers who served alongside Britain and its allies in the First and Second World Wars.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the memorial would recognise those who travelled from across the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent to support the war effort. Although there are an estimated 70,000 war memorials across the UK, the Government said this would be the first prominent national tribute specifically dedicated to Muslim soldiers who fought and died for Britain.
Nesil Caliskan, the Minister for Faith and Communities, said the contribution of Muslim soldiers had been “in the shadows for too long” and that the memorial would help preserve their role in national memory. The successful applicant will also be expected to use the project to support education, public awareness and interfaith dialogue, with applications opening on 10 June and closing on 21 July 2026.