Mosques in Cologne have received permission from their city to organize calls to prayer every Friday, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., with a volume adapted to the environment and the location of each of these places of worship. This experiment will last two years before an assessment, provided the Adhan does not exceed 5 minutes, the municipality said.
Mayor of the city, Henriette Reker said that fellow Muslims “are an integral part” of the local social fabric. “The sound of the call to prayer in addition to the church bells in our city shows that diversity is valued in Cologne and that diversity is lived here,” she said, calling the decision a “sign of ‘mutual acceptance of religion’ and ‘commitment to constitutionally protected freedom of religion.
In Cologne, the Muslim community is numerous to frequent the 35 mosques of the city.
