LOC17:45
14:45 GMT
AMSTERDAM, March 31 (KUNA) -- National Converts Day of Dutch Muslimn began
in Amsterdam Sunday afternoon with the particpation of a large number of Dutch
and internationally known speakers and converts to Islam.
The one-day event is being held at the blue mosque, also known as the
Dutch-Kuwait Centre, in Amsterdam.
The mosque which was opened two years ago was financed by Kuwait donors,
the caretakers of the mosque told the Kuwait news agency, KUNA.
The sixth National Converts Day is being organised by the Discover Islam
Foundation in cooperation with the National Platform for New Muslims in the
Netherlands.
Just before the start of the conference, one Dutch father announced his
conversion to Islam at the hands of his own son who had become a Muslim a few
years ago.
Speakers inlcude the famous American Muslim preacher Yusuf Estes,
Greek-convert Muslim preacher Hamza Tzortzis and Farouk al Zouman the first
Saudi man who climbed to the summit of Mount Everest mountain in 2008.
It is estimated that over 800,000 Muslims mainly from Morocco and Turkey
live in the Netherlands that has a population of around 17 million. The figure
includes an estimated 12,000 native Dutch Muslims. (end)
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