A study by the Swiss Centre for Islam and Society at the University of Fribourg gave the project a very positive assessment.
Last year, the SEM employed a total of five Muslim chaplains – including one woman – in the asylum regions of Zurich, Western Switzerland and Eastern Switzerland. They shared the equivalent of 2.3 full-time positions. From February 2022, there will also be a chaplain in the Ticino.
According to the study, there was a great demand for this service in all the FACs surveyed. The service is appreciated by asylum seekers. Furthermore, Muslim chaplains are valuable contact persons for the care, security and medical staff working in the FACs. Their religious, cultural and linguistic skills are particularly appreciated. Finally, the service helps to prevent potential conflict situations in the FACs.