Panel on Islamic Architecture in Britain and Europe

Join us for a discussion on the influence of Islamic architecture on Europe and Britain, with Diana Darke, Tharik Hussain, and Cleo Cantone. Diana Darke will share insights from her extensive research on the influence of Islamic architecture on Europe. She will converse with Tharik Hussain who brings stories beyond materiality delving into a deep historical resonance of Muslim heritage in European culture. The session will be mediated by Cleo Cantone. About the Speakers Diana Darke Diana Darke is a Middle East cultural historian with special focus on Syria. She is a graduate of Oxford University (Arabic) and London University SOAS (Islamic Art and Architecture). Her recent acclaimed books include 'Stealing from the Saracens' and 'Islamesque', which both explore the Islamic backstory to Gothic and Romanesque architecture. Tharik Hussain Tharik is an award-winning author, travel writer and historian specialising in global Muslim heritage and culture. He has been published by the The Times, Guardian, National Geographic Traveler and the BBC. Tharik has written or contributed to travel books on areas including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Britain and Europe, and his book on Islam in the Western Balkans, Minarets in the Mountains, was a finalist for both the Baillie Gifford Prizeand the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year, and won the Adele Evans Award. His latest book, Muslim Europe has been highly commended by the Times, Telegraph and the TES, and his forthcoming guidebook, Muslim Britain & Ireland will be the first ever dedicated to the Muslim heritage of the British Isles. About The Cambridge Festival of Islamic Arts The Cambridge Festival of Islamic Arts runs from 19 to 29 November 2026, bringing performances, exhibitions, lectures, and workshops to Cambridge's historic colleges, museums, and cultural spaces. Open to everyone, the festival celebrates the beauty and diversity of Islamic arts, and, fifty years on from the landmark 1976 World of Islam Festival, carries that spirit into our own time. Find out more at cfia.co.uk.