Visiting the Largest Mosque in Africa!

This week, with Eid al-Adha quickly approaching, the students had some cultural activities that introduced them to Islam's influence and relevance to Moroccan culture, traditions and everyday life. On Monday, the students had a brief introduction to the basics of Islam and a Q&A session with center staff where they were able to ask any and all questions they might have about the religion and how it is practiced and viewed in Morocco. Tuesday, students borrowed Jalabiyas (traditional Moroccan clothing) from their homestay families, and we traveled as a group to Casablanca to visit the Hassan II Mosque. The Hassan II Mosque, whose construction began in 1993, is one of the largest mosques in the world and the largest mosque in all of Africa, fitting 105,000 worshipers at one time. The students had a tour of the mosque with a guide explaining the different rooms and the history of the mosque. After the tour, we met as a group to debrief and students reflected on how the mosque visit made them feel and what they learned from the experience. 

Check back in to the blog next week to learn more about Eid al-Adha and the student's experiences celebrating with their host families!