Recent controversies surrounding building mosques in several European and American cities have raised larger questions about the integration of Muslim immigrants in the post-9/11 world. A panel of religious representatives, city officials, social activists and scholars gathered to reflect on recent controversy surrounding building a mosque in the city of Florence, touching on the integration of the Muslim community in the city, the relationship between faith communities and general public attitudes to their presence, complex issues surrounding plans to build a mosque, and the position of the city government with respect to the plans and the public furor they have provoked.
The Dialogue addressed some of the underlying difficulties Italy faces in integrating culturally different immigration, the impact new immigration has had on the understanding of contemporary Italian identity, and some of the historical factors that challenge/make Italy´s adjustment difficult. The concluding round table reflected on how recent mosque controversies have crystallized tensions related to larger social, economic and political transformations provoked by immigration.
Program
9:30-10:00am Welcome Ellyn Toscano, Executive Director New York University Florence
Introduction Claudius Wagemann, Professor New York University Florence, Lecturer Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane
10:00-11:30 Immigration and Religion: The Florence Mosque Controversy Imam Izzedin Elzir, Imam of Florence, President of the Union of Islamic Communities in Italy Monsignor Timothy Verdon, President of the Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-Faith Dialogue of the Archdiocese of Florence
11:30-11:45 Coffee Break
11:45-1:00pm Islam and Integration in the City Lorenzo Bosi, Marie Curie Fellow European University Institute, specialist Muslim integration in Italy Cristina Giachi, Deputy Mayor for University, Research and Youth Policies, the City of Florence Laura Grazzini, Responsible for Immigration, ARCI Firenze
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-4:00pm The Global Dimension Rainer Bauböck, Professor of Social and Political Theory, European University Institute Franco Cardini, Professor of Medieval History, Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane Claudius Wagemann, Professor New York University Florence, Lecturer Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane
