Via La Repubblica, il Resto del Carlino (Italian):
The Young Muslims of Italy organization announced its Islam Expo will be held in December in Bologna. The Northern League says this is a provocation.
Manes Bernardini of the Northern League asked the Bologne municipality not to approve the expo, and in any case, not to partner with it. Bernardini added that he wouldn't do such a thing in a Muslim country, and that that having the expo might lead to requests to remove the Christmas tree in the nearby square.
Yassine Lafram of the Young Muslims of Italy says that the expo is not a provocation against the Catholic Church, and that Christmas time was chosen because people are on holiday, and it would allow more people to come. He said that the event is not only for Muslims and that everybody is invited to come.
Lafram compared the expo to the Festa de l'Unità and said it will be a gathering of young people from all over Italy who will come to discuss and affect integration. The expo will offer discussions on the situation of Muslims, how they should behave and integrate and what added value they bring.
