Sometimes, in a world so focused on what divides us, it feels necessary to stop and notice what we share. The Forum for Islamic Art, Architecture & Cultural Heritage, founded by Baroness Nosheena Mobarik, is one of those rare spaces that makes this possible. The Forum is not about politics or religion, it does not seek to convert or revise – but rather it’s about beauty, knowledge, and the joy of discovering how we as humans and our stories and civilisations connect.
The Forum seeks to remind us how much of our world carries the mark of Islamic civilisation. From the blue tiles of Andalusia to the stone towers of the Palace of Westminster, from Persian poetry to the arches of European cathedrals – these influences are everywhere. They shape what we see, even if we don’t always notice.
A living legacy all around us
Islamic art isn’t something that belongs behind glass. It’s alive. It has travelled across centuries, carried by trade, curiosity, and creativity. It shaped the domes of Istanbul and the courtyards of the Alhambra. It inspired studies in light and perspective that later influenced Renaissance art. Art we still treasure today.
You can even see it here in Britain. Simply admire Westminster Hall – its arches and windows reflect ideas that came from the Islamic world long ago. This isn’t a coincidence. It’s proof of how deeply our cultures have always spoken to one another.
The Forum helps us notice these links. It reminds us that Islamic art and thought are part of our shared human story – part of how science, philosophy, and design grew into what we now call “modern.”
A place for learning and exchange
Today, understanding culture matters more than ever. The Forum aims to bring these groups together – parliamentarians, artists, historians, and others in the act of learning, listening, and sharing.
For parliamentarians, engaging with the Forum is a way to see the history behind the buildings where they work. For artists, curators, and historians, it’s a chance to share their knowledge beyond the museum and institutional walls. Ultimately, it is there to build real cultural understanding – the kind that opens doors and dismantles barriers.
The Forum speaks in the subtle voices of art and craft – in calligraphy, in music, in stone, in words. Every exhibition, every talk, every visit the Forum initiates will create the space for wonder and connection.
Its message is simple: Learning about each other makes us stronger. It helps us see the threads that connect cities like Casablanca, Cairo, Sarajevo, and Samarkand – threads that hold our world together.
When we notice this beauty that links us, we realise something simple but powerful: We’re all closer than we thought.