Islam – Stories of harmonious living among people of different religions in Italy, by Luigi Accattoli

From the introduction:

“(According to a survey), the fear of Islam is growing and the author counteracts the tension by sharing stories of harmonious living together among people of different religions. The work includes over 150 stories set in Italy or lived out by Italians around the world.

The author was inspired by his belief that harmonious living among people of different religions is quite common but rarely spoken of. The narration unfolds with the sharing of small details such as gestures or occasional words of acknowledgement to a better way of living by immigrants who have been helped and want in turn reciprocate.

It is not difficult to find unusual stories: a Tunisian who is a sacristan in a church in Milan, an engineer of Syrian origin who is the Mayor of a small town in Abruzzo, an entrepreneur from the Piedmont Region who, out of the 30 people that make up his staff, treats as his sons the 6 who are muslims; young Turks or young people of other nationalities who study at the Gregorian University; about 10 Islamic immigrants in touch with the Focolare Movement, families of practicing muslims who send their children to Catholic schools and want them to study the Catholic faith. There are several interviews with muslims employed by the Christian Association of Italian Workers (ACLI) , by CARITAS, by the Astalli Center and even by the Vatican.”

“Islam – Storie italiane di buona convivenza” by Luigi Accattoli.
Publisher: Bologna, Edizioni Dehoniane, 2004, 222 pp.