Kindermoschee (Children's Mosque): The First Implementation of a Child-Centered Religious Education Model in Europe

This study presents the first implementation of the Kindermoschee (Children’s Mosque) concept in Europe, introducing an original model of religious education aimed at familiarizing Muslim children aged 3–6 with the mosque at an early stage in their lives. The project was developed and first implemented by Kenan Tunç, a theologian and author, while serving as a religious official at the DİTİB Peine Eyüp Sultan Mosque under the Turkish Consulate General in Hannover, Office of the Attaché for Religious Services. Launched on September 19, 2010, the project was realized by transforming the upper floor of the mosque into a child-centered educational environment specifically designed for early childhood development. The initiative quickly attracted significant interest, reaching approximately 50 students in a short period, and soon became a model for other DİTİB mosques across Europe. The Kindermoschee project is recognized as a pioneering example that inspired the "4–6 Age Group Qur’an Course" preschool religious education model implemented in Türkiye by the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) starting from 2014. As the first implementation of its kind in Europe, the project received wide coverage in both European and Turkish media at the time. Related news reports, historical archives, and visual documents from 2010 are provided in the appendices to document the project's foundational role and institutional impact.