LONDON – Today, more than 250 British mosques are welcoming people from different faiths and backgrounds as part of ‘Visit My Mosque’ initiative

This program is taking place for the fifth consecutive year to make people of all faiths feel welcome while visiting mosques and learning about Islam, The Independent reported.

“We are pleased to be supporting Keep Britain Tidy in their Great British Spring Clean campaign this spring,” said Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain.

“We hope Visit My Mosque going green will spark conversations across the country on what more faith-based and other community groups can be doing to support local environmental causes.”

A YouGov poll carried out last year found that 70% of Britons have never visited a place of worship other than their own.

The MCB, which was initiated this day in 2015, is the largest Muslim umbrella organization in the UK with over 500 affiliated British organizations, mosques, charities, and schools.

London mayor Sadiq Khan embraces a Muslim cultural leader during a visit to Al Manaar mosque on Visit My Mosque Day on 18 February 2018 in London, England (Gety Images)

Now in its fifth consecutive year, ‘Visit My Mosque’ day aims to promote better community relations and reduce misconceptions about Muslims in Britain by educating the public about the mosque’s activities.

Starting with about 20 mosques on its first event four years ago, the ‘Visit My Mosque’ day grew to over 80 mosques in 2016 and has been reported widely in the British and international press. Last year, this number exceeded 200 mosques.

In 2018, prime minister Theresa May, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and London mayor Sadiq Khan all took part in the day by visiting their local mosques.

On Tuesday 26 February, Muslim faith leaders from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland visited churches, synagogues, mandirs, and gurdwaras across the country in the lead up to Visit My Mosque Day.

“It was a privilege to visit the West London Synagogue today,” Harun Khan said following his visit.

As part of this year’s  Visit My Mosque Day, under the auspices of Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), volunteers from over 250 mosques in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland supported street clean-up initiatives on Sunday, February 24.