I love my city.
Our port city is open to all. Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Jews and Muslims live here and consider the city their own. Traditions of Odessa Muslims have deep roots. After all, on the site of the southern Palmyra was Tatar settlement Hadzhibey and Turkish fortress. In the city then there was a mosque and a Muslim cemetery.
But with the advent of Soviet power, the mosque was closed. In the years of perestroika has opened the first Muslim community and the Muslims ceased secretly to gather for Friday prayers.
The Arab cultural centre was opened in June 2001. Meetings between representatives of different religions and nationalities are held there. There is a library and a school for teaching the Arabic language.
The slogan of the center was the phrase:
No matter what religion you profess, as long as you professed spirituality.
Arab cultural center is the most successful architectural creation of recent years.