Moslems in Britain - Manchester

An appeal to Muslims to come and work in Manchester.

Calling all Muslims! This was one of four recruitment films commissioned by the British government in the early 1960s (see also Moslems in Britain - Cardiff) to encourage people from Arabic-speaking countries to come and work in Britain's industries. Aimed squarely at prospective migrants, the film presents an appealing portrait of Manchester as a warm and tolerant place offering a happy, prosperous life to the city's existing Muslim community. *To enable subtitles for this film, once playing select CC in the video playback bar (at the bottom of the screen) and select 'English'.*

Presenter Gamal Kinnay visits Manchester's cultural centres and commercial districts, interviewing, among others, an Islamic scholar, a former Mayor, a Halal butcher, and a wealthy businessmen, all of whom express deep contentment with their lot. Modern viewers can enjoy glimpses of such landmarks as Manchester Central Library and the John Rylands Library which, Kinnay boasts, holds the "the biggest written version of the Holy Quran in the world". Also depicted is the original building of the Central Mosque in Victoria Park.