Alhamdulillah, Baitun Nur Mosque took part in Doors Open YYC on 26 and 27 September 2026, welcoming ninety-five guests to explore one of the most iconic places of worship in Calgary and to learn about the values and teachings of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Baitun Nur was one of eleven sites across the city to open its doors this year.
Doors Open YYC is a free, city-wide event that invites Calgarians and visitors to discover some of the most fascinating buildings, organisations and public spaces in the city. Organised by the Doors Open Calgary Association, it offers rare behind-the-scenes access to cultural, historical, architectural and community landmarks that are not usually open to the public.
Following a lengthy pause after the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event returned this year, once again connecting residents and visitors with the stories, people and institutions that shape Calgary. Through guided tours, interactive exhibits, educational demonstrations and family-friendly activities, Doors Open YYC invites participants to explore the heritage of the city, celebrate its diversity and come to know its communities more closely.
Over the weekend, Baitun Nur welcomed groups, families and individual visitors, many of whom were entering a mosque for the very first time.
Across both days, guests took guided tours of the mosque, visited a Holy Qur’an exhibition and an information bookstall, and stopped at a hospitality area where they enjoyed refreshments and conversation with members of the community.
Guests were introduced to the striking architecture of the mosque, its history and the peaceful teachings of Islam as practised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
A special highlight came on the second day, when Baitun Nur had the honour of welcoming three distinguished Indigenous and community leaders.
- Elder Margaret Kappo, a respected Indigenous community leader from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation[3], is widely recognised for her contributions to social work, healing initiatives and community development. A longstanding friend of the Jama’at, she has taken part in Voice for Peace events in both Grande Prairie and Peace River.
- Diana Lowe, KC, is a prominent Alberta lawyer and justice-system leader who serves as Senior Director of the Centre for Transformation (Family Justice System) at the University of Calgary[4].
- Dr Yoshi Takano is a University of Calgary scholar and counsellor whose work focuses on family relationships, intimate-partner violence, personal responsibility and transformative approaches to counselling.
Grant, one of the Doors Open YYC organisers, also visited during the weekend. He praised the care the Jama’at had taken to make guests comfortable and the generosity of the refreshments. He thanked the Jama’at for taking part and for showcasing the architecture and history of Baitun Nur, which he said had become part of the architecture, culture and history of Calgary, and expressed the hope that the mosque would continue to take part in future events.
Guests shared their own impressions with volunteers as they left. One spoke of the beauty of the mosque and the warmth of its people, and said they were glad to have come. Another, visiting a mosque for the first time, said they were happy to have done so. Others thanked the community for its hospitality.
As the event drew to a close, the local Jama’at expressed its gratitude to Allah and to the volunteers who made it a success. Baitun Nur Mosque looks forward to taking part in future Doors Open YYC events and to continuing to welcome its neighbours through its doors.
