ITALY

Ilhamallah Chiara Ferrero was born in 1974 in Turin, where she studied, in particular, scientific subjects. She is happily married to Yahya Pallavicini, the imam of the Al-Wahid Mosque in Milan, and is the mother of Muhammad Umberto. She became a Muslim in 1996 as the result of a spiritual quest that led her, without breaking with the past, to investigate the Islamic religion and its contemplative aspects. In the following years she engaged in teaching activity relating to Islam on behalf of the CO.RE.IS. (Comunità Religiosa Islamica) Italiana, which she mainly carried out in the Italian schools. In 1997, as a representative of European Muslim women, she presented one of the final papers at the international conference organized by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco. In 2000 an article of hers entitled 'Muslim Women and Faith' appeared in the Journal of Dharma, an international quarterly of inter-religious studies published in India. She has visited various Islamic countries, including Egypt, Malaysia and Jordan, where she was able to see for herself that Muslim women have a very responsible role in society, which they undertake with equanimity and for which they are well prepared. In November 2003 she became secretary-general of the CO.RE.IS. Italiana; the only Islamic association in Italy to have a woman on its governing board. In May 2004 she published an essay entitled 'Conoscere le donne musulmane' (Knowing Muslim women), with the following subheadings: 'Al di là del velo (Beyond the veil), 'L'immagine della donna musulmana in Occidente' (The image of the Muslim woman in the West), 'Il matrimonio e la famiglia' (Marriage and the family), 'L'attualità del passato' (The actuality of the past: the women of Islam'), in a book by Yahya Pallavicini, L'Islam in Europa. Riflessioni di un imam italiano (Islam in Europe. The reflections of an Italian imam, Il Saggiatore, Milan, 2004, prefaces by Rocco Buttiglione and Amos Luzzatto). In October 2005, at the World Competition for Islamic Studies, Yahya Pallavicini was awarded a prize for this book by the President of the Republic of Tunisia, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali: it was described as an 'example of open-mindedness, moderation and the renewal of Islamic thought'.

City: Milan

Imam Yahya Sergio Yahe Pallavicini is an Italian citizen who was born a Muslim, to a Japanese mother and an Italian father. He is member of the Italian Minister of the Interior's Council on Islam in Italy. In 1997 he was made a member of the Italian National Committee for Intercultural Education of the Ministry for Education, Universities and Research and, in the same year he also became a member of the Committee for the Heritage and Memory of Mediterranean Culture, created by the Ministry for Cultural and Environmental Assets. ISESCO, the Islamic Organization for Education, Science and Culture, appointed him to the board of governors of the Supreme Council for Education in the West and the EIC (European Islamic Conference), the first Islamic NGO recognized by the European Union, and conferred on him the function of ambassador for relations with the Vatican and then made him responsible for international relations. In 1998 he was invited by the Muslim World League to form part of the delegation of Italian Muslims participating in the pilgrimage to Mecca. At present he is vice-president of the CO.RE.IS. (Comunità Religiosa Islamica) Italiana. Imam Pallavicini is the imam of the al-Wahid Mosque of Milan in Via Meda, where he coordinates the training of imams in Italian. In 2000 he became a member of the board of the governors of the Islamic Cultural Centre of the Rome Mosque and inn 2003 he participated in the first Congress of the Imams of Europe. In 2004 Il Saggiatore published his book UL'Islam in Europa, Riflessioni di un imam italianoU (Islam in Europe. The reflections of an Italian imam), with forewords by the Italian Minister for European Community Policy, Rocco Buttiglione, and the president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, Amos Luzzatto. In September of the same year he was received at the Quirinale, Italy's Presidential Palace, by the president of the Italian Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, and subsequently by the President of the Italian Senate, Senator Marcello Pera, as a member of the delegation of Italian Muslims who were signatories of the Manifesto contro il terrorismo e per la vita (Manifesto against terrorism and for life). In January 2005 he participated in the First World Congress of Rabbis and Imams for Peace, which took place in Brussels under the royal patronage of the King of Belgium, H.M. Albert II, and the King of Morocco, H.M. Mohammed VI. In 2005, Imam Pallavicini received the prize for Islamic Studies from the President of Tunisia, Zine el Abidine ben Ali.

City: Milan

Jenin Assaf currently works as an independent consultant in Rome, Italy. Prior to moving to Italy, she worked at Vital Voices Global Partnership in Washington DC as the Program Director for the Middle East and Afghanistan. In this capacity, she directed programs for empowering women in the business, political and social sectors including a poverty alleviation program for women in Afghanistan. Ms. Assaf has extensive experience in the Middle East, peace building and development. Her professional experiences include serving as the Program Director for the Partners in Humanity at Search for Common Ground in Washington DC which focused on improving relations and initiating cooperative projects between countries with predominately Muslim populations and the USA. In this capacity she also initiated and served as the Editor of a global news service targeting major publications in the USA and Middle East. With more than 8 years non-profit experience, both in the USA and abroad, Ms. Assaf is an experienced program and project manager. Her professional experience includes, gender mainstreaming. conflict transformation, media and conflict, education and Middle East issues. Born in Houston, Texas, Ms. Assaf has lived in Palestine, Jordan, the USA and currently Italy. She speaks fluent English and Arabic as well as Italian language skills, and holds a Masters in International Relations, Middle East Studies (University of Washington).

City: Rome