Raqia Ismail .. refugee who became the first mayor veiled in Britain

Tariq al-Laban - London

From a refugee child in the 1980s to the mayor of 2019, two stations summarizing the trip of Raquia Ismail, the first veiled mayor of Britain and the first Somali-born woman to hold the post in the country.

A journey started by Ismail Hap in the mid-1980s when he arrived in Britain as a refugee, where she lived in the East London area of ​​Eslington after her family moved in 1993. Several years later her family acquired British citizenship.

The beginning of charitable work
For more than 20 years, she has been involved in various charitable activities in Islington. Volunteering with the Somali community in Britain has been a major concern. She has been involved in the establishment of a number of charities and foundations that help Somali refugees integrate into British society and provide educational services for women and children.

She also founded the Back to Basque Crete Foundation for the Help of Mothers and Women, one of London's leading charities, making it one of the most prominent philanthropists.

Issues of Muslims
She also participated in supporting the Palestinian people, anti-war demonstrations in the Middle East as well as support campaigns for Muslims in Myanmar, as well as their active role in the activities of Muslim communities in Britain, especially educational activities.

"My work in community activities, especially in education, for many years has been wonderful, but I really want to be able to reach more people across a wide range of sectors and organizations through my new post," she said.

The political start
Charitable work was the gateway to the political sphere from which she became an active member of the Labor Party, before she was elected to the Islington Council in 2012, after gaining the confidence of the city's voters.

Her role in the council was successful, enabling her to succeed again to become deputy mayor six years later, but the defining point in the history of high-ranking politician was after her election as mayor of Islington at the Council's annual meeting on 16 May 2019, becoming the first woman Somali-born mayor of the United Kingdom.

"It is a great honor for me to become the mayor of Islington, that area is my home. I consider this new position an opportunity to meet and to share with people who are inspiring in order to make our society unique." These were the first words of honor during the ceremony, which was attended by a number of political and party figures Headed by Labor Party chairman Jeremy Corbin.

Education first
The first of its kind is the Four Four Foundation, which provides support and services to children and adults with learning disabilities. The second is the Nefeshat Center, which provides treatment and psychological support services. And counseling for people coming from different religious, cultural and ethnic communities.

"The charities I chose to support are close to my heart, and I see the tremendous benefit it brings to the people who depend on them day after day. I want to use this platform to raise awareness about the role of these institutions and to highlight their constructive contribution to our society."

The Muslim community
"Islington has become a more diverse society and solidarity," said Secretary-General of the Islamic Council of Britain Harun Khan, feeling after attending the Fensbury Park Fiesta banquet, which was held to celebrate the diversity of the Islington community.

A high-level inauguration was also welcomed by the Muslim communities in the country, which took advantage of this opportunity to invite them to attend the Ramadan events in order to support and encourage members of the community to integrate and succeed in British society.