German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer plans to support mosques over the next three years with a total allocation of about 7 million euros.
Support will go to about 50 mosques and upper “gathering houses”, which will not be chosen by large Islamic associations, but by four organizations: the German Foundation for Children and Adolescents, the Goethe-Institut, the Otto-Benecke Foundation and the German Society for Equal Welfare. .
According to Interior Ministry sources, the pilot project, "Mosques for Integration", will be organized by the Federal Commission for Migration and Refugees with the help of an advisory board comprising experts from Islamic organizations, scientific and civil society departments.
The project aims to support extension programs, social work and measures to strengthen communication between mosques and the surrounding area.
According to the ministry´s statements, it seeks to support community solidarity as part of the "homeland policy."
The ministry also sponsors the Islam Conference in Germany.
