France Ratifies Accord on Creation of Muslim religion Council
Regional-France, Religion, 7/6/2001

France has ratified a framework agreement for the creation of the French Muslim religion Council, at the end of a plenary session with associations representing Muslims in France.

The council will be set as an association and will be the official interlocutor of French authorities. It will also be in charge of following the cultural programs aired by the French public TV, supervise religious days, the training of imams and the election of a delegate who will present the Muslim community's congratulations to the president on national days. According to the French interior ministry, elections for the future council members will be held before end of this year with each of the 1,500 registered mosques appointing one or several candidates to a regional body that will elect the national representatives.

The Muslims representative body will also serve as an advisory body in all issues associated with Muslim religious practices, organization and better conditions of Islam practicing in France, says Ahmed Boukhima Mossaoui, secretary general of the Muslims in France national federation.

He added the projected council will also be endeavoring to propagate a better image of Islam and fight Islamophobia.

According to recent statistics made public in Paris, France hosts the largest Muslim community in Europe, with 4 million people, 3 million of them are north Africans, 350,000 of Turkish descent and 300,000 Africans.

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