Please find herewith attached the speech delivered by the British Ambassador Dr. Rosalind Marsden on 14 September at the annual British Embassy Iftar, which was attended by a number of Sudanese from all political, tribal, tareeqa and religious affiliations.

SALAAM ALEIKUM. RAMADAN KAREEM

I will be very brief. But I just wanted to say a personal thank you for coming to join us at our iftar this evening.

May I convey, on behalf of everyone in the British Embassy, our sincerest best wishes for the holy month of Ramadan. The relationship between Britain and Sudan is a deep and rich one. Our parents and grandparents shared the blessings of Ramadan together. And I am proud that this evening we can maintain this tradition.

Ramadan teaches patience and humility, and reminds us of our shared moral universe; our obligation to others. Ramadan's message of compassion and social justice spreads beyond Muslim communities; it speaks of shared values that unite us all.

The message of empathy for the less fortunate is reflected in Ramadan by the daily fast. May it be an opportunity for us to feel the pain of those in parts of Sudan who are still suffering from conflict and to redouble our collective efforts to work for peace.

Ramadan is a month of contemplation, prayer and spirituality. A chance for Muslims to look at their own lives and judge them against the high standards that they set for themselves. But Ramadan is also an important opportunity for those of us who are not Muslim to learn, to understand and to engage with Muslims around the world and ensure that we are working together to bridge the divisions of race, religion and culture that too often pull people apart.

These days, modern Britain is a multi-cultural society, where two million British Muslims - including of course many Sudanese - are celebrating Ramadan. In this context, Ramadan is an opportunity for us to celebrate the diversity that contributes to Britain's strength.

Sudan is also a richly diverse country. As Sir Douglas Newbold, Civil Secretary in the early 1950s, once said of the Sudanese: "Where is the soul, the spirit of the Sudan? It is not to be found in any one place, or institution or Province. It is not caged in any one mudiria, or in the Gordon College, or Arab encampments or the Nuba hills ,or the Omdurman suk. It is in all these places. It is scattered like dust, and of many colours. No individual, no party, no tribe can claim it as their monopoly. All who love the Sudan can share it."

Finally, Ramadan is a time to recall the Prophet’s message that "the best richness is the richness of the soul." This speaks to me, as it speaks to so many others. For all these reasons I am honoured today to be able to say Ramadan Mubarak. Once again, thank you for coming.

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