(Daily Mail) — The first part of Park51, the controversial Lower Manhattan Islamic community centre, is opening on Wednesday with an art exhibition featuring photographs of children.

Just a few blocks away from the site where the Twin Towers once stood, the exhibition marks Park51’s first big public event.

It comprises portraits of children from 169 countries who now live in New York and its opening coincides with the United Nations’ International Day of Peace.

Katerina Lucas, Park51’s chief of staff, said: ‘It is a huge step forward. I hope it shows we are about inclusion, not exclusion.’

When plans to build a high-rise Islamic institution were announced last year, critics angrily pointed out that it was insensitive to have the mosque so close to the site attacked by Islamic extremists.

There had been rumours that the project had been put on hold, but Park51’s photography exhibit shows it is quietly moving forward.

The project has rasied $70,000 raised in under two months via KickStarter.com, a funding platform for creative projects.

The developers, led by Park51 Chairman Sharif El-Gamal, have hired a staff of six and continue to hold Muslim prayers at the space just north of ground zero.