The Importance of Religious Training and Support for Imams and Religious Guides in Preventing Violent Radicalization

The training of imams and Muslim religious leaders is a crucial issue for the current and future Islamic presence in Europe as well as a key aspect for the prevention of violent radicalisation and the dissemination of narratives other than those promised by jihadist movements in a multidimensional perspective. The article traces the historical evolution of the figure of the imam up to the new roles and functions acquired in the public sphere and in relations with state institutions, together with his female counterpart, the Murshidat. The article also describes the Italian experience of the PriMed project (Prevention and Interaction in the Trans-Mediterranean Space), winner of a Miur announcement, which involves twenty-two universities, twelve in Italy and ten in the countries belonging to the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation. Among the activities, the Master's degree and the higher education programme for Muslim religious leaders, managed by the University of Padua, represent an example of a network between universities and institutions for the primary prevention of violent extremist radicalisation.