Italian president extends ‘warmest wishes’ for Eid Al-Fitr
Sergio Mattarella : ‘Mutual respect’ a ‘moral obligation especially toward youngest generations’
President Sergio Mattarella expressed his “warmest wishes to all the people who profess the Islamic faith in Italy for a happy and peaceful Eid Al-Fitr.”
He urged all political and religious institutions in the country, including schools and families, to “commit to educate people on mutual respect and against incitement to hatred and violence, as the principles of the Italian constitution prescribe.”
This, he said, “is a moral obligation that we all have especially toward the youngest generations. With them and for them, we must build together a strong and resilient society that is able to reject and condemn any form of intolerance and discrimination.”
Mattarella added that the celebrations marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan “invite us to reflect on the decisive role that religions can play as vehicles of peace, of encounter and sharing between individuals and peoples.”
This is important for the international community, “especially as we witness everyday scenes of inhumanity and desolation coming to us from war fronts and humanitarian crises.”
On Monday, mayors and bishops joined thousands of Muslims across Italy on Monday to celebrate Eid.
One of the largest gatherings was in the Sicilian capital
Palermo, where huge crowds from across the island gathered to pray on Foro Italico, a long promenade nestled between the sea and Mount Pellegrino.
“We really hope that this Eid Al-Fitr will definitely mark a real rebirth for all of us after the years of pandemic,” Youssef El-Hayek, who comes from Lebanon, told Arab News at the end of the prayer.
The city’s mayor, Leoluca Orlando, took part in the prayer and thanked the Islamic community “for the support it offers every day to Palermo and to the well-being of all those who live here, no matter what culture or religion they belong to. Diversity and hospitality are the signature dishes of our city and we are proud of it.”
Speaking after the prayer, which was led by the imam of the Piazza Gran Cancelliere Mosque, Mustafa Boulaalam, Orlando added: “You are from Palermo just like me. And you make this city better with your contribution.”
Another large event took place in Rome, where huge crowds of Muslims were joined in the grounds of the Great Mosque by a delegate of the city’s mayor.
We must build together a strong and resilient society that is able to reject and condemn any form of intolerance and discrimination.
Sergio Mattarella
President of Italy