Visit My Mosque, a flagship campaign of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and the biggest mosque open day event in the UK, has once again demonstrated the power of unity, connection, and community spirit.
Over the weekend of September 23rd and 24th, more than 200 mosques across the UK opened their doors to welcome visitors from all backgrounds, showcasing the vibrant tapestry of Britain’s multi-faith and diverse cultural landscape.
This year’s theme, ‘Faith, Food, and Friends,‘ emphasised the values of hospitality, inclusivity, and mutual understanding. Mosques welcomed guests to enjoy tea, insightful talks, and immersive tours that allowed people of all faiths and none to explore the rich history and impact of local mosques and Muslim communities.
Visit My Mosque 2023 weekend witnessed a diverse turnout, with thousands of visitors congregating at mosques throughout the UK. This remarkable achievement underscores the growing enthusiasm for interfaith dialogue and the desire to strengthen the bonds of friendship between communities. The event also highlighted the significant contributions of mosques to the British landscape.
Mosques from across the UK hosted engaging and interactive open day events for the local communities of which they are a part; Al Furqan Mosque in Glasgow delivered a fantastic event including a special exhibition on the ‘Celtic Crescent;’ Leeds Grand Mosque welcomed hundreds of guests including the Lord Mayor of Leeds; the award winning Cheadle Masjid in Greater Manchester delivered a fun day out for entire families and Finsbury Park Mosque in London continued the weekend’s festivities by welcoming in hundreds of local schoolchildren for tours, talks and snacks on Monday, 25th September.
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- VMM2023 – Leeds Grand Mosque, Lord Mayor of Leeds
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- VMM2023 – Cheadle Masjid, Greater Manchester
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- VMM2023 – School visit, Finsbury Park Mosque, North London
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- VMM2023 – Celtic Crescent exhibition, Al Furqan Mosque, Glasgow
Reflecting on the significance of Visit My Mosque 2023, MCB Secretary General, Zara Mohammed, said:
“In its 8th year, the Visit My Mosque campaign has continued in its mission to unite communities. This year, participating mosques graciously opened their doors, extending warm hospitality that showcased faith and offered valuable insights into Islam and local Muslim communities—an especially vital endeavor during a time of increased division.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to all who actively participated, including: mosques and their teams, civic leaders, mayors, representatives from local police forces, schools and, of course the thousands of guests that joined in the festivities.”
“The essence of this campaign lies in the pursuit of building bridges, bringing people together, and contributing to the creation of a harmonious Britain where diverse communities can come together in pursuit of the common good. Here’s to fostering this connection and unity, year round.”
A special thank you to our Headline sponsor, Oasis Crescent and all our Community sponsors whose invaluable support significantly contributed to the success of this national event.
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Notes to Editors:
- For any media enquiries, please contact: media@mcb.org.uk
- Also see: ‘MCB Visit My Mosque 2023 Launch Event‘
- Visit the official VMM website: visitmymosque.org
- The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is the UK’s largest and most diverse Muslim umbrella organisation with membership spanning national, regional local organisations, mosques, charities and professional networks. It is independent, cross-sectarian and democratic with the leadership team accountable to the membership.