Last year, two Girl Scout troops in California worked with their local mosque to host an open house. They encouraged their neighbors to visit, ask questions, and learn more about a community of faith they might not interact with on a regular basis. With more than 240 visitors, the open house was a huge success and garnered praise from around the country.
These Muslim girls stepped up to counter negative stories and attitudes spreading within their community and search for a constructive way to educate the public. In the words of troop leader Heba Morsi, “The girls just put their foot down and said, ‘What’s happening on TV, what’s being said about us isn’t true.’ And the best way to counter that is to invite people into our home.”
Based on the popularity of their
Open Mosque Day, the girls decided to host the event again this year. Visitors will learn about prominent Muslim women, participate in traditional crafts, tour the mosque, enjoy different foods, and have the chance to ask questions and talk with Muslim neighbors.
Although the primary focus of the event is to inform the community, participating Girl Scouts benefit, too. Not only will they have the chance to practice public speaking, but they’ll also start learning how to be the community leaders of tomorrow. What a powerful example of how Girl Scouts around the country are taking action to combat intolerance and promote inclusion, unity, and respect—just as Girl Scouts have done since 1912.
The second annual Open Mosque Day will be held from noon to 3:00 p.m. on April 30, 2017, at the Islamic Institute of Orange County: 1220 N. State College Blvd., Anaheim, CA.
Photos courtesy of Zeyad Maasarani, Z Squared Creative Studio
