BERN, Switzerland – Sending a call for unity among followers of different faiths across Europe, a groundbreaking interfaith centre has been inaugurated in Switzerland, in a bid to bring together followers of eight faiths under one roof.
"We’re trying to explain to everyone that we accept all religions here as long as it’s peaceful,” Guido Albisetti, president of the foundation behind the Haus [House], told The Independent.
“Anyone is welcome in this country as long as they accept everyone else.”
The multi-faith centre, Haus der Religionen or the House of Religions, includes a Christian church, Hindu temple, Buddhist centre, Alevi cemevi besides a mosque that will be opened soon.
The Haus also includes representatives of Baha'i, Jewish and Sikh communities.
Bringing Swiss faiths together, the dialogue room in the centre offers followers of different faiths a space to meet, share food and hold events for the community.
Planned a decade ago, the House of Religion opened last December with the attendance of more than 10,000 people.
According to the Haus president, the project has been endorsed overwhelmingly by the community.
“People were queuing outside in the snow for 45 minutes to get in the freezing weather – we were overflowing,” Albisetti said.
With funding of 15 million Swiss Francs, the Haus has a unique scale and decorations that makes it a revolutionary project.
The Swiss House of Religions is not the first interfaith project in Europe that aims to foster unity among religions.
Last June, Germany revealed plans to open the world's first house of prayer for the three main Abrahamic faiths in Berlin by 2018.
Under the title "House of One", the multi-faith project, that will house a mosque, a church, and a synagogue, is the shared dream of an imam, pastor and rabbi.
The Independent
