Representative of Grand Mufti’s Office participated in a Muslim Leaders Forum in Palermo

The first edition of the Forum on European Islamic Thought took place in Palermo, the capital of Sicilia region in Italy, within the period of November 22 – 24, 2019. In this first edition the Muslim leaders, theologians, scholars and intellectuals held various discussion about Islam in Europe, the multicultural and the inter-faith platform.

In the three-day forum participated Muslim leaders, theologians, scholars and intellectuals from more than 20 countries from entire Europe. The Muslim Denomination of Bulgaria was presented at the international event from Hayri Emin, secretary at the department on international relations of Grand Mufti’s Office. The event was held under the auspices of the Municipality of Palermo and under the excellent organization of COREIS (Italian Islamic Religious community).

In the basis of democracy lays the equality of all citizens and the principle of “unity in diversity” where the different religious denominations and cultures exist together, enjoying protection and mutual respect. In order to defend these rights and to exercise these responsibilities, the minorities like this of the Muslims in Europe, that are very diverse and decentralized in an organizational aspect, are disadvantaged. This is so especially if they cannot unite, in order to express their concerns, to stand for just policies and to express consistently their faith at an international level.

“This was also the main motive in the forum – to discuss also the opportunity for laying the foundations for a unified platform which will represent the Muslims in Europe as well as to communicate and cooperate at a better level with the other religious communities. During the forum in Palermo were also discussed and refined the objectives, the approaches and the structures for consolidation of the Assembly of the European Muslim Leaders, abbreviated EULEMA, in order function efficiently.” – said for Grandmufti.bg Hayri Emin from Grand Mufti’s Office.