Italy lacks a legislative framework that would provide a voice for the increasing numbers of religious faiths in our country, to the detriment of social cohesion. This was one of the points to emerge from a meeting with students at the Foreign Ministry on the subject of religious freedom, organised by the Inter-Departmental Committee for Human Rights<\/P>
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After years of \u201csecularisation\u201d, Italy has become \u201cinfinitely more pluralist\u201d, explained Professor Paolo Naso of Rome\u2019s \u201cLa Sapienza\u201d University, referring to the different religious communities that have arrived through immigration. However, although the law recognises freedom of religion, \u201cthe gap between the \u2018real\u2019 country and legal representation has become unsustainable. The political sphere must take this on board\u201d, he added. <\/P>
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Integration and cultural particularity<\/STRONG><\/P> \u201cEuropean unity itself is perceived in plurality\u201d, explained the Secretary General of the Islamic Cultural Centre in Rome, Abdellah Redouane. He pointed out that there are now 20 million Muslims in Europe, who must become \u201cintegrated while retaining their cultural particularity\u201d. As regards Italy, the Muslim communities seek an agreement with the institutions to establish good relations in a spirit of mutual awareness.<\/P>
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