News Agencies – November 10, 2010
The most northerly mosque in North America officially opened on November 10th, marking an end to an arduous journey that saw the building shipped 4,500 kilometres over narrow, bumpy roads and atop a river barge. Inuvik, a town of 3,300 people north of the Arctic Circle, has some 80 Muslim residents who until recently have met for prayers and religious education inside a small trailer. The mosque is believed to be the second most-northerly one in the world, next to one in Siberia.
It is a welcome addition to Inuvik. Mayor Denny Rodgers said there is no sign of the type of animosity encountered by new mosques in some parts of the United States. There were only a handful of Muslims in the town 20 years ago. Like many northern communities, Inuvik has a near-constant supply of job opportunities that has attracted people from all backgrounds.
