'Global village' set up for gathering of 40,000 Muslims on picturesque farm
The Jalsa Salana UK 2024, organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, is the UK's largest gathering of Muslims.
About forty thousand people from across the globe are set to descend on a Hampshire Farm for the UK’s largest annual Muslim convention.
The Jalsa Salana UK, organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, is the UK’s largest Muslim convention and has been running for the past 58 years with 19 of them at the current site at the 210-acre Oakland Farm, East Worldham, Alton.
Participants are coming from more than 100 countries to focus on the promotion of peace, religious knowledge, and international brotherhood.
A spokesperson for the organisers said: "The site is a Hampshire farm, which is turned into a global village in the two weeks prior to the event and taken down within a week.
"The convention will feature addresses by His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Caliph of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, along with various esteemed guest speakers.
"(We have) messages of support from His Majesty the King, faith leaders, and NGOs."
Around 7,000 volunteers have prepared the event which is from this Friday to Sunday, but the site is up two weeks in advance and takes a week to remove.
His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will raise the British flag in front of 35,000 UK delegates and an international satellite audience of millions.
About 35,000 people are also expected to form a human chain in the hope of world peace on Sunday.
The spokesperson added: "The Jalsa Salana, which expects over 35,000 participants, will serve as a platform for spiritual renewal and the promotion of global peace.
Don't miss...
Sleepy UK village to see thousands descend for four-day swinger sex festival [LATEST]
'I joined 15,000 at Stonehenge for summer solstice - four things surprised me' [LATEST]
Thousands flock to Stonehenge for solstice days after eco mob attack [LATEST]
Dua Lipa slams miming claim as Glastonbury fans wrongly accuse her of lipsyncing [LATEST]
"The convention will include a powerful ceremony where attendees will link hands in a gesture of unity signifying their desire to elevate their spiritual standards and to fulfil the rights of all humanity."
There have been some concerns raised about the event in the past.
In October 2018 the Farnham Herald reported fears over a planning application to allow the organisers to extend use of the site for events from four weeks to nine weeks a year to allow for separate sporting events.
Residents feared the event as it was already clogged local roads and more events would lead to further congestion.
