The Muslim Council of Great Britain is inviting the Muslim community to identify its own cultural icons.

It is all part of a new online project being launched in January 2006.

ICONS A Portrait of England at www.ICONS.org.uk will paint a virtual portrait of the country through an exploration of our favourite icons, from Stonehenge to the humble cup of tea and from Arabic words in English to the Woking Mosque, the oldest mosque in England opened in 1889. It will identify what makes England what it is in the 21st century and will also be a real exploration of culture and identity and all that it means for people living in this country.

People are being invited all over England, from every community, to nominate their favourite icons. They can also vote on other peoples nominations and share anecdotes, photographs and memories online. ICONS has been commissioned by Culture Online, part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Culture Minister, David Lammy is also attending the launch on January 9 at the Globe Theatre, London.

The first 12 official Icons of England being announced at Januarys launch by Icons Online, will start off the collection. They are: Stonehenge, Punch and Judy, the S.S. Empire Windrush, Holbeins portrait of Henry VIII, a cup of tea, the FA Cup, Alice in Wonderland, the Routemaster double-decker bus, the King James Bible, the Angel of the North, the Spitfire and Jerusalem. Further Icons of England will be announced each quarter as the online collection grows.

ICONS is a breath of fresh air in a museum setting - it is refreshing that the ICONS team has sought to be inclusive in their approach right from the beginning, said Sher Khan, on behalf of the Muslim Council for Great Britain. I invite everyone in our Muslim Community to make sure they nominate their own favourite icons at www.ICONS.org.uk or text ICONS and your suggestion to 07797 880472.

ICONS - A Portrait of England project is interesting because it is exploring how we all connect with our culture and our identity. It really could help build bridges between our different communities - and this is badly needed. ICONS offers a unique way of conducting this culture and identity debate, through the things that people identify with most closely about life in England. We are pleased to be associated with the ICONS project and we look forward to working together.

Culture Minister, David Lammy, who is helping to launch the project, said: No-one can fail to respond to some of the icons that feature in this project. Who hasnt ached for a proper cup of tea when theyve been on an overseas holiday or yearned for their team to pick up the FA Cup at the end of the season? Icons are important to us because they evoke thoughts and emotions about how we feel about our place in society. The ICONS website helps us to explore how our response to icons has shaped our understanding of personal and national identity.

Hundreds more nominations from the public are now expected and waves of new Icons of England will be announced each quarter, as the online collection grows bigger and richer in content.