Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday welcomed King Charles III’s discuss with to the Cambridge Central Mosque, hailing it as extremely significant at a time of emerging Islamophobia and cultural racism.
In a written message marking the discuss with, Erdoğan stated the mosque-built with contributions from Türkiye-had fulfilled its project as an emblem of unity in opposition to discrimination and appreciate within the face of hatred.
“Since its first brick was laid, we have seen that our mosque, which has become a symbol of solidarity against discrimination and respect against hatred, has successfully carried out this mission,” he stated.
Erdoğan praised the British monarch’s efforts to advertise non violent coexistence amongst other people of various cultures, backgrounds, and faiths.
He stated he hooked up nice price to the discuss with and can be happy to host King Charles in Türkiye.
Erdoğan additionally conveyed his greetings to the British other people and individuals of the Muslim neighborhood residing in the United Kingdom, specifically Turkish voters.
KING CHARLES TOURS MOSQUE, MEETS MUSLIM COMMUNITY
Throughout the discuss with, Charles met the mosque’s imams, trustees, and individuals of Cambridge’s Muslim neighborhood.
The British monarch toured other sections of the mosque, which was once constructed with contributions from the Türkiye Diyanet Basis-a crew hooked up to the state Spiritual Affairs Directorate-and was once informed about its structure and sustainability practices.
He additionally visited the mosque’s neighborhood lawn and was once briefed on its social-service techniques and the position performed by means of younger other people in neighborhood projects.
The discussions addressed the position spiritual communities can play in tackling international warming, in addition to Islamic teachings on protective introduction.
King Charles was once additionally offered with main points of the construction’s architectural options by means of Julia Barfield, director of the London-based Marks Barfield Architects, which designed the mosque.
Officers stated the king, who is understood for his pastime in structure, confirmed pastime within the challenge’s efforts to ascertain a mosque design reflecting British architectural traditions.
3 presents had been offered to Charles to mark the discuss with: a tumbler paperweight impressed by means of the dome of Türkiye’s Selimiye Mosque, a limited-edition reproduction of Turkish student Fuat Sezgin’s The Clinical Legacy of Islamic Civilization, and a e-book documenting the mosque’s building, architectural means, and the various honors it has gained.
CAMBRIDGE CENTRAL MOSQUE
The Cambridge Central Mosque, opened in 2019 at a rite attended by means of Erdoğan, is described as Europe’s first eco-friendly mosque.
The construction makes use of photovoltaic panels, air-source warmth pumps, herbal air flow, and sustainably sourced trees. Rainwater is accrued for cleansing and irrigation, whilst solar power supplies about 40% of the mosque’s electrical energy.
The mosque additionally helps households going through monetary hardship, organizes health-awareness occasions, and hosts neighborhood projects. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it served as an area vaccination middle.
The discuss with was once some of the distinguished made by means of a British monarch to a Muslim position of worship. The long-serving Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’ overdue mom, visited Lincolnshire’s Scunthorpe Mosque in 2002.
