The Virgin Mary Mosque in Hoppers Crossing will open its doors to the community on Sunday.
The mosque will be participating in the Victorian Mosque Open Day project, an initiative of the Islamic Council of Victoria.
The Werribee Islamic Centre, which runs the Virgin Mary Mosque, has organised a sausage sizzle and children’s entertainment for the open day.
The centre’s secretary, Rifai Abdul Raheem, said everyone was welcome to attend the event and that visitors would be able to see behind the scenes at the mosque.
He said the open day initiative was aimed at connecting Muslims and non-Muslims and showcasing the rich diversity of the Muslim community.
“We wish to create awareness among the Australian public on what Islam is and who Muslims are, and to negate and overcome negative and invective rhetoric,” Mr Raheem said.
Islamic Council of Victoria president Mohamed Mohideen said that although mosques were mostly places of worship for Muslims, they were centres for community harmony.
“We want the Victorian community to look beyond what is portrayed of Muslims and build dialogue and friendships while sharing mutual respect and understanding,” he said.
The open day will be held between 10am and 4pm at Virgin Mary Mosque, 143 Hogans Road, Hoppers Crossing.
See wicentre.org.au or icv.org.au for details.
