30-year old Abdullah Kabakebji, a young Syrian-Italian Muslim who is the former founder and leader of Italy’s Association of Young Muslims, has been appointed the head of Milan’s mosque. Kabakebji was elected as the director of Milan’s House of Islamic Culture, also known by local Muslims as the via Padova mosque.
The House of Islamic Culture, founded in 1993, is part of Italy’s largest Muslim umbrella group, the UCOII; the mosque is also completely self-funded. Since its creation, the mosque “has always tried to solve problems, not create them, from Muslims not having to pray on the pavement to fighting terrorism, openness to interfaith dialogue,” said Kabakebji. Kabakebji added that in his new position, he hopes to build closer ties with Milan’s city council and engage in dialogue more closely with right-wing politicians, saying that in this way, local Muslims can present themselves “as problem-solvers, not external elements that make problems.”
