Mosques in North Rhine-Westphalia open to visitors on German Unity Day

Many mosques in North Rhine-Westphalia are opening their doors to visitors again on this holiday. In many places, guided tours, exhibitions and discussions are on the program. According to the organizers, the Ditib federal chairman Ramazan Ilıkkan and Cologne's mayor Torsten Burmester (SPD) want to give greetings in the Cologne Central Mosque.

Actions also in Essen, Düsseldorf and Gütersloh

There are other offers in Essen, among others. “Where people meet, listen to each other and take responsibility for each other, trust and cohesion arise,” said Sanel Hajdarovac, chairman of the Islam and Mosques Commission in Essen.

According to information, seven mosques in Düsseldorf are taking part. Agata Skalska from the Düsseldorf Muslim Circle said: “Where people come into direct conversation, prejudices give way to personal experience.”

According to the city, three mosques are opening their doors in Gütersloh. “Mosques have been an integral part of social life in Germany for more than six decades,” said the city’s integration officer Frank Mertens in advance.

Nationwide campaign since 1997

Around 1,300 mosques in Germany nationwide open their doors to visitors on this day. The dialogue program was launched in 1997 on the initiative of the Central Council of Muslims - deliberately on October 3rd, the day of German unity, as a sign of belonging and solidarity.