(New Arab) Municipal authorities in the western German city of Cologne have announced that the Muslim call to prayer will be allowed to be recited on loudspeakers on Fridays, when Muslims hold weekly congregational prayers.
The public call to prayer, known in Arabic as the azan, will happen under a two-year pilot project.
Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker said that the decision came in response to requests, calling it “a sign of mutual acceptance of religion,” according to Anadolu.
“Our Muslim citizens are an integral part of our city. Hearing the call to prayer alongside church bells in our city shows that diversity is valued in Cologne and that diversity is experienced here,” the mayor said.
