JUMP TO FORUM DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SUGGESTED THEME

Hi Everyone,

to start (finally...:) with the E-Communication I would like to present you one of our film ideas for the Divided God session in Berlin, Ljubljana and maybe in other places, too.

Situation and Idea:

In the north of Berlin they are trying to build a big mosque with an islamic cultural center, also open for the non-islamic people to create a space to meet and communicate. But since the idea is born (almost two years ago) the local community is very activly protesting against this mosque-building. Many initiatives from the people who live there have been growing out of the dust and a heavy and very controversial discussion started about this issue. The constuction has now started (1.January2007) - under police protection!!

On the other hand in (my nice little neighbourhood..) Kreuzberg (where you all are going to bee in autumn) there is also a mosque being consturcted and no one cares. It seem all peaceful and absolutley tolerated. How come?

Making this documentary we want to focus on this issue of protesting.

Why do the people in the north protest so actively against the mosque-construction. What is it that they are afraid of? What to they expect to happen when the mosque is ready built? What are their prejudices or experiences with Islam? Why are the people in Kreuzberg not protesting? (Or maybe there is also protest here, that we don´t know about, then we will try to find them, too, of course..) Is it only because there is a bigger islamic community in Kreuzberg and people are more used to something that they see everyday? Can the answer be really so simple??? 

As we know from Drago in Slovenia is a similar situation. The islamic community wants (since years) to create a mosque in Ljubljana, but the local parlament (right?) is against it and no construction has started. This would be a great way to give the theme a higher dimension in terms of opening the horizon and see whole development of this issue. 

Of course, we want to show also the other perspenctive!

How are the people that are willing to build the mosque reacting on the protest? What happens when the two parties meet in official discussions and reunions? What is their way of interpretating the protest and why do they keep on putting so much energy to fight for the mosque? How is the perspective of a religios moslem person in Berlin, in Ljubljana and elsewhere?

This documentary theme leads us to general questions thjat we would like to start the discussion here and right now! What do you think about the role of religious buildings and the need to pratice a religion in it´s traditional way? Do you have similar experiences with your own religion or do you face similar situation as I described it above? What do you think of the film idea, what are your concrete proposals for preparing and starting the shooting and do you think this theme could be also interesting for your city?

Greetings from Berlin!