AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Representatives of Venice's Muslim communities, emphasizing the role of Muslims in the city's economy and social life, called on officials to find a solution based on dialogue to provide suitable places of worship, rather than limiting the issue to fines and administrative measures.
The author of a report in the Italian newspaper "Nuova Venezia" announced that the Muslim communities of Venice, with various nationalities, following the municipality's intensified crackdown on premises that have been converted into places of worship, including warehouses, car showrooms, and former shops, are consulting and coordinating to find a common solution.
According to this author, imams and spokespersons of Muslim communities in the Mestre and Marghera areas of Venice are discussing how to respond to this situation; because a number of places of worship have received warnings about the demolition of unauthorized constructions and reports of building violations. These warnings have cited, among other things, the inadequacy of the structure of some buildings for holding Friday prayers.
"If Places of Worship Are Closed, Where Will Muslims Pray?"
Kamrual Said, president of the Bengali School of Venice, in talks with various Muslim communities, from Mestre to Marghera, has emphasized that the issue is not limited to the Bangladeshi community. He stated that Muslims work in various economic sectors of Venice, from hotels and restaurant kitchens to markets, Marghera factories, and shipbuilding industries, and are part of the economic and social fabric of this city.
Said, raising the question of where Muslims should pray if places of worship are closed, stated that immigrants play an important role in the economic and social activities of Venice, the Veneto region, and even throughout Italy. He also emphasized that the solution to this issue cannot be allocating a place for Muslim worship at a distance far from their places of residence, and called on officials and representatives of Muslim communities to sit down at the dialogue table.
The president of the Bengali School of Venice, noting that he is an Italian citizen and has lived in this country for over three decades, stated that dealing with this issue should not be limited solely to fines and punitive measures. He also referred to the presence of Italians who have converted to Islam and emphasized that they, like other citizens, need a suitable place to perform their religious rituals.
Muslims' Request for Serious Dialogue with Responsible Institutions
The report's author also referred to the remarks of Sadmir Aliovski, president of the Islamic Community of Venice, who said that Muslims in this city work, pay taxes, send their children to school, and participate in social life. He called on Venice's responsible institutions to seriously examine the issue of places of worship and emphasized that Muslims do not seek special treatment, but want their voices to be heard.
According to this report, the group "Article 19 of the Religious Realities Present in Venice" and the group "Call for Religious Freedom" are also preparing a formal letter to send to Venice's responsible authorities. These groups have called for the formation of a broad dialogue table with the participation of various active groups in this field and representatives of all religious communities, and emphasize that this issue should not be limited solely to the Muslim community.
In conclusion, the report's author, referring to the position of these groups, wrote that in the current situation and with increasing social polarization, managing societal developments through dialogue and mutual understanding is of particular importance. Activists are calling on Venetian institutions to find a sustainable solution to the issue of places of worship for the city's religious communities through an inclusive approach and dialogue.
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