Overview
- Organizers reported that around 1,300 mosques nationwide opened their doors on October 3, 2026 to welcome visitors for tours, exhibitions and talks.
- The initiative began in 1997 by the Zentralrat der Muslime and was deliberately scheduled on the national holiday to signal belonging to German society.
- At the Cologne Central Mosque, DITIB federal chairman Ramazan Ilıkkan and Cologne mayor Torsten Burmester were scheduled to deliver greeting remarks, according to event organizers.
- Local programs in North Rhine-Westphalia include seven participating mosques in Düsseldorf, multiple events in Essen that emphasize trust and responsibility, and three open mosques in Gütersloh.
- Organizers and municipal officials say face-to-face visits help reduce prejudice and build social cohesion, a point underscored by Gütersloh’s integration officer noting mosques have been part of German public life for more than six decades.