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Representatives of the ODIHR (OSCE) Mission having started visiting different social and religious organisations last year in order to have relevant information about the situation in the society, and then this spring (Odessa, Vinnytsya), renewed their visits as the summer moved on. This time, they came to Zaporizhzhya ICC. A commission of OSCE observers from US and Hungary met Imam Muhammad Mamutov and local muslims on thursday in order to learn the level of religious freedom in the city and ask them on the community’s activities.

The guests also wanted to learn about the ICC’s principles, goals, and current volunteering projects. They also asked if Zaporizhzhya Muslims were subject to discrimination of any sort, namely religious, ethnic or racial, and whether the hijabi women have any problems with the way they look. Besides, they wanted to know whether the Muslims helped the internally displaced persons, and were pleased to learn that such help is provided to IDPs regardless of their faith, and whoever applied for help, got it.

The Muslims assured their guests that Zaporizhzhya was a very diverse and tolerant city where people respect differences, so they never faced problems of that kind.

Besides, OSCE officers voiced their vish to visit some Muslim religious celebration, so they were immediately invited for Eid-al-Adha festive prayer which is to be held in late September. Representatives of Muslim community, on their part, voiced their interest in participating in the educational events the Organisation scheduled for the end of 2015.