Converting communists? Cuban capital gets an Istanbul mosque

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s Directorate General for Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has sent a delegation to Cuba for a project involving the construction of an Istanbul mosque, adapted for Havana’s historic center.

Mustafa Tutkun, who is chairing the Diyanet delegation, said the mosque in the Cuban capital would resemble the historic Ortaköy Mosque in Istanbul. The Ortaköy Mosque bears aesthetic features that Tutkun hopes will suit the local Cuban architectural style.

The Diyanet Foundation is funding the construction of the mosque, which will serve the 3,500 Muslims who live in Cuba. 

The project is part of a wider campaign in the Caribbean, with the Diyanet also planning to fund the construction of a mosque in Haiti.