PARIS, FRANCE, July 25, 2024 (Le Matin, Google translated from French): At the northern end of the Olympic Village, a unique center has been created. The multi-faith center houses five prayer rooms: Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist and Hindu. In the latter, Lipee Patel, Vaibhavi Kishorkumar Parekh and Pavitra Patel have taken time off from their jobs or studies in the Paris region. They welcome athletes and Olympic staff in a reconstructed Hindu temple, where statuettes represent the different divinities of their religion. “Here we allow them to pray before what is the greatest moment of their lives,” emphasizes Pavitra Patel, who is part of a religious association in the Paris region. “It’s great to interact with the other faiths present here.”
Rituals and prayers will punctuate these Olympic days. “But we still have to do a tour so that all the athletes know that we are here,” smiles Vaibhavi Kishorkumar Parekh. In London, in 2012, no fewer than 8,000 athletes came to such a center. But during the last two editions, due to Covid-19, everything was done online. We are happy to be able to offer such a service again!” “Here, we don’t do geopolitics, but geo fraternity,” says Moshe Lewin, rabbi at the Olympic Village.
On the BAPS site, https://www.instagram.com/bapsparis/, they report on their participation in the multi-faith center.
https://www.lematin.ch/story/jo-2024-aux-jo-la-geofraternite-du-centre-multiconfessionnel-427556798297