Good Faith Partnership supports exhibition of 80 Muslim portraits to mark VE80

On Tuesday 6 May, the Good Faith Partnership - as part of our support for the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace - backed the exhibit Great Faith: Stories of Sacrifice and Contribution, which launched on Wednesday by Colourful Heritage in the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government. Portrait artist Arabella Dorman painted 80 portraits of 80 Muslims who over the past 80 years since VE Day have served or are currently serving for Britain in the armed forces.

Speaking in a House of Lords debate to mark VE80 on Friday 9 May, Good Faith Partnership co-founder Lord Rook said: "Lest we forget, more than 5.5 million Muslims fought as part of the Allied Forces in World War Two, with a staggering 1.5 million killed during the conflict. And yet, research from British future indicates that only 34% of the British public are aware that Muslim men and women served in the Second World War.

"At the Great Faith exhibition, my noble friend, the Minister for Faith and Communities and Resettlement, Lord Khan, announced progress in the creation of a national Muslim war memorial. I am grateful to His Majesty's government for the progress made and, with other noble lords, look forward to paying my respects at that memorial in due time. I would also humbly ask His Majesty's government to seize the gift offered to our country through the creativity of Colourful Heritage and the artistry of Arabella Dorman, to see that these beautiful paintings are seen and these powerful stories are told up and down our land."