Organisers of London's Notting Hill Carnival vow that recent bombings will not put a damper on this year's festivities. The event is one of Europe's largest street festivals and will be staged in West London on August 28 and 29. The theme for Notting Hill Carnival 2005 is Unity In Diversity. Chair of the Notting Hill Carnival Company Limited, Chris Mullard said the theme "encapsulates a positive spirit, a realisation that we are living not only in a culturally diverse London, but a culturally diverse society and indeed a culturally diverse world". Mr Mullard also told BBC Caribbean Radio that in spite of the bombings, carnival organisers do not expect numbers to be down this year. "We cannot pretend that London has not faced great challenges in recent weeks, but the way this city has responded shows a shared spirit that will be hard to shake." Safety To tackle concerns over safety, the organisers have reviewed all security arrangements and are in daily talks with the London Metropolitan Police. The police have said they plan on monitoring carnival as normal, but they will be extra vigilant in the way they do it. Another event, Caribbean Showcase has been scheduled by London mayor Ken Livingstone for August 29 - the main day of the Notting Hill Carnival. Mr Mullard said this is a much smaller event and will not require a large number of police. He said police will therefore be able to pour the necessary resources into Notting Hill. Mr Mullard did however raise concerns about the mayor's Caribbean Showcase. "People are already asking questions about the efficacy of holding this event in Hyde Park and also perhaps the commitment even, of the mayor and the mayor's office to the kind of multiculturalism that carnivalists at least want to express." But Mr Livingstone said the fact that the mayor's office will be paying for the carnival's stewarding proved it was still committed to the west London street party. He also confirmed the Hyde Park event was not to draw policing away from the carnival. "It is one of the key events in London's calendar and eagerly anticipated by Londoners, as well as visitors to the capital. The Caribbean Showcase in Hyde Park is designed to complement the spirit of Carnival," Mr Livingstone said. Reprinted from bbccaribbean.com