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The Federico Peirone Center is a body of the Archdiocese of Turin. It has its legal and operational headquarters in Turin, via Mercanti n. 10. It was founded in 1995 and is dedicated to the figure of Catholic Father Federico Peirone, professor of Arabic and Islamic thought, a forerunner of the Islamic-Christian dialogue. Its purpose is "the promotion and care of correct relations" between the Catholic Church and the multi-faceted Islamic world in the Turin diocese. This aim has been pursued since the foundation of the Center in 1995, with the comparative and critical study of the doctrinal, juridical and cultural contents of Islam, with training and information, dialogue with Muslims and Islamic institutions in Turin and Piedmont, in order to make believers and all citizens understand the religious and cultural universe which arrived in Italy together with the Muslim immigrants.

The history of Islam in Italy began in the ninth century. In fact, Sicily remained under the Muslim rule between 827 (the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Sicily) and 1091 (fall of the last stronghold of Noto), while continental Italy underwent numerous incursions in those same years. If compared to the Iberian peninsula, the Muslim presence on the Italian peninsula was ephemeral and the control over Sicily was stable only from 965 until 1061. However, even after the Norman conquest, a small minority of Muslims remained in Sicily until 1239, when, following some of their rebellions, they were deported by Frederick II to Lucera in Puglia, where they remained until 1300, when their presence was demolished by Charles II of Anjou (to whom they had refused to lend obedience). Even with the end of Islamic domination, for some centuries the Italian coasts continued to be raided and looted by barbarian pirates. The recent history of Islam in Italy, from the sixties onwards, is linked to the religious affiliation of students from the Middle East, North Africa, and more recently to economic migrations.

Today Islam in Italy is the second most widespread religion after Catholicism, mainly as a result of immigration from countries with a Muslim majority. According to the most recent estimates by the Ismu Foundation (Initiatives and studies on multi-ethnicity), foreigners residing in Italy on 1st January 2016 professing the Muslim religion are about 1.4 million.

The official mosques in Italy are 10 in the sense of made ad hoc buildings. 5 of them are complete with a minaret (Ravenna, Rome, Colle Val D'Elsa, Segrate Milan, Forlí) -in order of inauguration. While the places of Islamic cult are more than 1,000. Islam in Italy does not have a unitary institution of representation towards the state. Many associations claim representation of the interests of Muslims residing in Italy.

DIRECT VISIT:
To contact the center:
[email protected]; Tel. 011/5612261 Fax: 011/5635015

IN THE CLASSROOM:
An interesting activity might start from searching information - from the website and other online material - about how the center works and what its activities are. A sort of "round table" might be created in the classroom, with representatives of each religion (creed or culture), who face some affinity or diversity issues, as if they were at small conferences and round tables, obviously under the guidance of the teacher.