Canberra Islamic Centre hosts mosque open day to build community understanding of Islam
Hundreds of people have turned out to tour the Canberra Islamic Centre at Monash as part a national day of unity.
Mosques around the country opened their doors to help Australians learn more about Islam.
Canberra Islamic Centre president Azra Khan said the organisation was proud to be part of the first National Mosque Day.
"It is about creating mutual understanding, to break down the stereotypes and to engender better understanding and social harmony starting at the local area.
"We are very pleased to be part of this initiative for the Canberra region."
"It is also to say thank you to Canberrans who made such an effort to support the centre through the recent horrific vandalism attacks."
In April, the Islamic centre was trashed by vandals who caused tens of thousands of dollars damage to the library and kitchen.
US ambassador to Australia John Berry presented the centre with a tree with an important history.
The tree was grown from an acorn that comes from an oak planted by Eleanor Roosevelt at the US embassy during World War II.
"We have made great progress since the time of her trip in 1943 but there is still much to do," he said.
"During that visit the first lady opened the new American Embassy in Canberra, and planted what she described in her diary as a small tree, an American oak.
"She did so as a symbol that not only together would we win the war, but that our alliance would endure for many years to come and 71 years later it is the tallest tree on our campus."
Ambassador Berry was one of the first people to arrive at the centre in April to offer their help after vandals attacked the site.
More than 100 people responded with brooms and mops to clean up after reports of the vandalism spread.
During today's event Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse praised the Muslim community in the ACT for its resilience after the recent attacks.
"There was needless and cowardly acts of vandalism shown here to people of goodwill and it offended our humanity, let alone our religious spirit," he said.
"The fact that I am here today particularly on behalf of the Catholic community of Canberra and beyond is to show that we are in solidarity with all of you."
New facilities at the Islamic centre were also unveiled during the open day.
Large crowds also turned out to see mosques at Lakemba and Cabramatta in Sydney and in Melbourne.
