Suche
Mein Konto
New bicycle garden instead of a mosque: Dresden is causing a stir!
In Dresden, the construction of a new mosque was stopped; instead, a traffic garden and bicycle practice area for children are being built.
New bicycle garden instead of a mosque: Dresden is causing a stir!
In Dresden, a planned new mosque building remains on hold for the time being. The building committee recently decided by a majority that a traffic garden and a bicycle practice area for children should be built on the designated area near Straßburger Platz. This plan was approved on Wednesday, and now all that is needed is the approval of the city council and the resolution of a change block to seal it MDR reported.
The current circumstances are anything but rosy for the association behind the planned new construction of the mosque. The Marwa Elsherbiny Center, which now serves as a makeshift mosque, is to be replaced by a new building that could accommodate up to 400 people. But the building permit is still a long time coming, as only a draft from the municipal design commission has been submitted so far - there is no formal building application yet. The legal hurdles also seem to be significant: the city has to prove a public interest in the area in order to draw up the development plan.
Broad resistance to the construction
However, the plans for the mosque in Johannstadt are not new and have been met with resistance for years. There were repeated petitions and complaints against the construction. Particularly noteworthy: The community is under surveillance by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which is further fueling the debate surrounding the construction project Radio Dresden reported.
The CDU had already called for a bicycle garden at this location a year ago. There are two schools in the immediate vicinity, which is why the city plans to involve the population in the construction decision. An additional location for a bicycle practice area is to be created on the site of the 113th elementary school next to the existing cultural center. However, this could jeopardize the building permit for the neighboring mosque, because the property on which the new church was to be built will no longer be available for its purpose.
Cultural and social significance
Cultural Mayor Annekatrin Klepsch (Left) emphasized last year that the right to build a place of worship for religious communities on their own property must be recognized. Despite this clear announcement, those responsible for the association, founded after the tragic death of Marwa Elsherbiny, must continue to fight for the fulfillment of this right. The Stuttgart architectural firm that was commissioned with the planning has already presented visualizations of the future building that are encouraging.
Overall, it will be exciting to see how the situation surrounding the construction of the mosque in Dresden will continue to develop. In view of the social discussion about religion and integration, it is clear that there are also challenges and opportunities for respectful coexistence here in Saxony. Similar to other construction projects, for example in Cologne, where the construction of a representative mosque has also triggered an intensive debate, the question remains here: How much space do we give to the challenges mentioned in order to grow together as a community? The city council will vote on plans for the new traffic garden in June - a decision that could have far-reaching consequences.