In the UK, a local organization called British Future is making sure the young generation knows about the Muslim community’s immense contributions during World War I. During the war, approximately 1.5 million soldiers from India fought with the British, and it is estimated that 400,000 of these soldiers were Muslim.
“They fought on the Western Front, in the trenches, when the Germans were making great advances and they were instrumental in solidifying the British force,” says British Future project co-ordinator Avaes Mohammed. “We should not forget their contribution, because remembering it is so important to our contemporaries. Commemoration is a force of good in the community because it brings people together. It gives a sense of belonging in this country. It gives young people a stake in this country.”
