Paris’ Grand Mosque celebrates its 100th anniversary and interfaith dialogue

PARIS (AP) — A hundred years ago, Paris erected a monumental mosque to honor Muslim soldiers from French colonies who fought in World War I. It’s now an integral part of the capital’s bustling Latin Quarter, and as it celebrates its centenary, worshippers are reflecting on being Muslim in today’s France.

The rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris sees it as a symbol of interfaith dialogue and France’s diversity, but worries about religious tensions in the country linked to conflicts in the Middle East and the polarizing campaign for next year’s presidential election.

“It’s the responsibility of everyone to see Muslims as a part of the national community,” Chems-eddine Hafiz told The Associated Press.

Visitors arriving for 100th anniversary prayers Friday included people from different regions around Paris, those born in France or those who came over the decades from Algeria, Senegal and beyond. Many trace their origins to France’s colonial empire.

The Paris city tourism office’s website lists the mosque as a top attraction, calling its ornate, carpeted prayer room a “must-see.” Inspired by the Alhambra in Spain’s Granada , the mosque has a 33-meter (108-foot)-high minaret…