Hundreds of mosques in Germany open their doors to visitors

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Monday 05 Oct 2015 - 11:21 Makkah mean time-22-12-1436 Berlin, (IINA) - Hundreds of mosques joined in organizing open house events across Germany, coinciding with the Day of German Unity - a public holiday, Deutsche Welle (DW) reported. Germany's largest religious minority welcomed visitors on Saturday to engage in open dialogue about their faith and to learn more about Islam. With cultural events and art exhibits, which are also part of the event, Muslims shared information about their beliefs and introduced Islam to a wide audience. The "Day of the Open Mosque" focused on the integration of Muslim youths across Germany. Organizers said the greatest challenge for the country's 4-million-strong Muslim minority lay in addressing the needs of refugees. The Muslim Coordination Council in Cologne said the open house events focused on young Muslims in Germany and highlighted their stories. The Council had recently launched its own youth league. Germany's Federal Minister for Family Affairs Manuela Schwesig who had accepted patronage for this year's Day of the Open Mosque, stressed ahead of the events that Muslim youths were an "integral part of our society." The Muslim Coordination Council is made up of a number of Islamic organizations across Germany, including the Turkish-Islamic Union of Religious Affairs (DITIB), the Union of Islamic Cultural Centers, the Islamic Council, and the Central Council of Muslims. It organizes the annual open house events on Saturday to dispel common myths held against Islam. Nurhan Soykan, secretary general of Germany's Central Council of Muslims (GCCM), underlined the fact that with growing migrant numbers and a rising Muslim population, young Muslims would soon become vanguards in establishing the image of Islam in Germany. She added that in addition to their work with young people, mosques across Germany were also addressing the needs of refugees, which she said was their highest priority. The annual event began in 1997, deliberately choosing to take place on the day Germany celebrates its reunification. The GCCM said it used this date to express how Muslims felt connected to Germany's narrative and evolution. SM/IINA