Luton International Carnival

Since 2017, the UNA-Luton has joined Luton International Carnival, the largest one-day street festival in the UK, with a Muslim women's parade for peace.
In 2017, the Carnival took place less than a week after the atrocity at the Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017, and a week before the atrocity at London Bridge on 3 June. The women's parade was greeted with applause throughout the procession, as participants and spectators affirmed their determination that Britain will go about its normal business. The UNA-Luton parade was awarded the trophy for third best newcomer.

The Carnival is a flamboyant affirmation of life and Muslim women are part of mainstream British society. They continue to make a positive impact in the community, and UNA-Luton will continue to be a part of this vibrant event.

Luton International Carnival, 28 May 2023 - UNA Luton Women's Peace Parade

The Carnival was especially joyous as it took place the day after Luton Town Football Club's promotion to the

Premier League!

The Women's Peace Parade was as colourful as ever, accompanied by its own drummers - click on the three images below for video clips

Luton Shopmobility supported by UNA Luton

This year, the Women's Peace Procession was pleased to support Luton Shopmobility with a display of 7 impressively decorated scooters. Luton Shopmobility is an independent voluntary organisation that provides a daily loan service of manual or powered wheelchairs and electric scooters. It is an inclusive service that helps people to shop in comfort. It needs support. If you can help, please contact them on 01582 738936.

Queen's Platinum Jubilee Carnival, 4 June 2022 - UNA Luton Women's Peace Parade

Luton International Carnival took to the streets after two years of lockdown to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Helen Nellis, HM Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, joined the UNA Luton Women's Peace Parade at the start, and waved the flag  at 1.00 pm to open the Carnival

The Lord Lieutenant with the Women's Peace Parade and the UNA-Luton Stewards

Lord Lieutenant opening the Carnival

The first UNA-Luton women's peace parade, 28 May 2017

UNA Luton Eid Carnival 10 July 2021:  Muslim Women for Peace 

Although the UK was still in lockdown when the carnival would have taken place in May 2021, Sarah Salim designed some Muslim carnival costumes, based on Moroccan themes, and we held a gathering of Muslim Women at the UK Centre for Carnival Arts in Luton, to deliver a message of peace for the world. The video was issued on 20 July, to mark the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha.
Covid-19 and the 75th Anniversary of VE Day, 8 May 2020

UNA Luton was going to commemorate VE Day with its annual women's peace march as part of Luton International Carnival. With the arrival of Covid-19, the Carnival was cancelled, and so  instead we sent a message of peace both for VE Day and the Holy Month of Ramadan.
World War II did not end on VE Day. It went on for three more months, to VJ Day on 15 August 1945, and this still did not mean the end of conflict. After the Nazi genocide, Europe again witnessed genocice in Srebrenica in 1995, and fighting has continued in different parts of the world ever since 1945. Even in peacetime there is violence in the lives of many people, especially those families suffering domestic abuse. But VE Day marks a special moment of hope and optimism for the future. In Britain it signalled the start of post-War reconstruction, with such great achievements as the creation of the NHS, the extension of the welfare state and the dismantling of colonialism.
We will need the same spirit to build a better, more humane and greener society when we emerge from the shadow of Covid-19 and the economy springs back into action. We should be inspired by the lessons of VE Day and carry forward into our individual and corporate lives the determination to maintain and extend liberty, equality, freedom, justice and peace.

UNA-Luton women's parade, 26 May 2019

UNA-Luton women's parade 27 May 2018