Former Soccer Star Kanouté Raises $1M for First Mosque in Seville Since 14th Century
Former football star Frédéric Oumar Kanouté raised $1 million in an online crowdfunding campaign that will be used to build the mosque and cultural center in Seville, Spain. A first in more than 700 years.
"Thank you and may Allah reward all those who participated in the campaign," Kanouté tweeted on Tuesday. The former player had launched this campaign a year ago on LaunchGood, a crowdfunding platform focused on the global Muslim community.
Although the initial goal of one million dollars has been reached, the #Kanoute4Seville campaign continues, especially since the project is estimated to cost nearly 12 million euros.
At the origin of this online campaign, a fact that had somewhat marked the winner of the Spanish Cup and the UEFA Cup. "When I arrived there [Seville], it was very difficult to find a mosque. I had to ask people," Kanouté told Al Jazeera. This is how he had decided to lend a hand to the Seville Mosque Foundation (SMF).
