British boy brings 'Cake Not Hate' campaign to Istanbul
Twelve-year-old Joshua Harris visits mosques across the city to promote solidarity against anti-Muslim hatred and is received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
British schoolboy Joshua Harris, a 12-year-old autistic campaigner known for his "Cake Not Hate" initiative, has brought his anti-Islamophobia campaign to Istanbul, where he is spending 10 days visiting mosques and distributing homemade cakes to worshippers and visitors.
Accompanied by his father, Dan Harris, Joshua visited Süleymaniye Mosque after the noon prayer, handing out cakes from a bag bearing the slogan "Cake Not Hate." The pair later continued the campaign at Şehzade Mosque, where many visitors stopped to meet Joshua and take photographs with him.
During his stay in Istanbul, Joshua has also visited Fatih Mosque, Büyük Çamlıca Mosque, Mihrimah Sultan Mosque and Taksim Mosque. He is scheduled to visit Ortaköy Mosque and Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Mosque as part of the programme.
Campaign inspired by anti-Muslim attack
The initiative began after a far-right anti-Muslim attack at a mosque in Peterborough, England, in October 2025, when extremist Alexander Hooper assaulted worshippers and police officers.
In response, Joshua and his father baked cakes and distributed them at the local mosque as a gesture of solidarity with the Muslim community.
Despite receiving threatening messages after launching the campaign, the family chose to expand the initiative rather than abandon it.
Since then, Joshua and his father have visited more than 100 mosques across the United Kingdom, with the campaign also reaching several other countries.
Erdogan receives Joshua Harris
During his visit to Türkiye, Joshua was received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Dolmabahce Working Office in Istanbul.
The meeting recognised Joshua's efforts to promote tolerance, solidarity and understanding through his "Cake Not Hate" campaign.
Source:AA
