Erdoğan meets UK boy behind ‘Cake Not Hate’ campaign

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Joshua Harris, a 12-year-old autistic boy recognized for his “Cake Not Hate” anti-Islamophobia campaign, praising efforts to promote kindness and inclusion.

Erdoğan met with Harris and his family at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul on Wednesday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan meets with Joshua Harris and his family at the Dolmabahçe Presidential Office in Istanbul, July 22, 2026. (DHA Photo)

Earlier on Wednesday, Harris visited the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party)’s Istanbul provincial headquarters.

Harris, accompanied by his father, Dan Harris, was welcomed by AK Party Istanbul Chair Abdullah Özdemir, who praised the young campaigner’s efforts to foster friendship and mutual respect among people of different faiths through the initiative he launched in the United Kingdom.

During the meeting, the sides discussed Harris’ campaign, which promotes solidarity and counters prejudice by encouraging dialogue and acts of kindness across religious communities.

Özdemir congratulated Joshua and his father for their stand against hate speech and anti-Muslim sentiment, or Islamophobia, saying the message delivered by the young campaigner carries universal significance despite his age.

He also underscored the importance of people from different faiths and cultures living together on the basis of mutual respect, adding that the values of love, solidarity and brotherhood should always prevail over hatred and discrimination.

Joshua and Dan Harris expressed their appreciation for the hospitality they have received in Istanbul and thanked their hosts for the warm welcome and support throughout their visit.

The meeting concluded with a commemorative group photograph.

Joshua has already visited Fatih Mosque on Sunday, Büyük Çamlıca Mosque and Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Üsküdar on Monday, and Taksim Mosque on Tuesday. He is next scheduled to visit Ortaköy Mosque and Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Mosque on July 24 as part of his 10-day program in Istanbul.

The campaign began after a far-right anti-Muslim hate incident at a mosque in Peterborough, England, last year.

In October 2025, far-right extremist Alexander Hooper entered a mosque in Peterborough and attacked members of the congregation and police officers.

Following the incident, Dan Harris and his then-12-year-old autistic son Joshua, who lived near the mosque, baked cakes and distributed them to worshippers as a gesture of solidarity.

After launching the initiative, the father and son received numerous threatening messages. In response, they decided to visit even more mosques and continue their campaign.

Their anti-Islamophobia “Cake Not Hate” campaign has since expanded to several countries, while the pair have visited more than 100 mosques across the U.K. to promote solidarity and stand against anti-Muslim hatred.

DAILYSABAH