French mosques open doors for dialogue weekend on attacks anniversary

The initiative was organized to highlight the differences between extremism and moderate, peace-loving Islam.

Published in Daily Sabah January 9, 2016

Mosques all over France were taking part in a dialogue weekend, opening up to the public as a shaken country marked one year since terrorists attacked a satirical newspaper and a Jewish supermarket, killing 17 people.

The open-door initiative that included tea and pastries was organized by France's main Muslim body, CFCM, to counter islamophobia and highlight the differences between extremism and moderate, peace-loving Islam.

Nurturing inter-religious cohesion has become a top priority among leaders in France, officially a secular nation, allowing fresh attacks in November. Those attacks led police to conduct over a dozen raids on Muslim places of worship and close several over fears they were radicalizing members. France has the highest Muslim population of Western Europe.

Muslim leaders hope the move will channel the spirit of the demonstration of January 11., during which millions marched for unity on the streets of Paris... Read more.

Source : http://www.dailysabah.com/europe/2016/01/09/french-mosques-open-doors-for-dialogue-weekend-on-attacks-anniversary