A group of Catholic preschoolers kneeling in a mosque during a school trip has sparked a political uproar in Italy, with critics decrying the episode as a case of religious indoctrination and cultural surrender—reigniting fierce debate over the limits of integration in the country’s schools.
The children, aged between three and six, from the Santa Maria delle Vittorie school, were taken to the Emanuet Islamic Cultural Center, where they participated in an activity led by Imam Avnija Nurceski. According to Italian media reports, during the visit, after the imam explained how Muslims pray, and the children reenacted the gesture of kneeling towards Mecca, imitating the Islamic prayer posture. Images of the scene, widely shared on social media, have caused deep unease.
The school’s director, Stefania Bazzo, defended the visit, stating that it was a “spontaneous” gesture by the children to show that they had understood the explanation. “We wanted to show them the place where some of their Muslim classmates pray so that everyone feels at home,” Bazzo explained, emphasizing that almost a quarter of students at the school are of Muslim origin.
However, criticism came swiftly. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini reacted immediately on social media, describing the scene as an example of the “silent Islamization of Italian schools.”
MEP Silvia Sardone went further, saying that the image of Christian children kneeling in a mosque is incompatible with the religious education they should be receiving in a Catholic institution.
I bimbi della #scuola materna parrocchiale di Ponte della Priula, lo scorso 30 aprile, sono stati in visita al centro islamico di Susegana. I piccoli si sono inginocchiati verso La Mecca, con la fronte a terra, come fanno i fedeli di religione islamica. 🔴 Ma vi pare normale… pic.twitter.com/nwhAlp98t0
Alberto Villanova, leader of the League in the Treviso region, described the visit as a “pointless provocation” and questioned the suitability of involving such young children in gestures with strong symbolic and religious significance.
The mayor of Susegana, Gianni Montesel, tried to calm the controversy by highlighting the good integration of the local Muslim community and noted that the imam is a neighbor fully involved in municipal life. However, this episode has once again brought to light a recurring issue in the European public debate: the apparent asymmetry in integration initiatives. While there are plenty of cases where Catholic or public schools promote activities to bring their students closer to Islam, occasions when the opposite happens—Muslim children visiting churches or participating in Christian traditions—are rare, if not non-existent.
Santa Maria delle Vittorie school has reaffirmed that its intention was purely educational, but public perception has focused on the risk that such gestures may contribute to a gradual displacement of Italian society’s Christian roots.
The case will be subject to an investigation by the Ministry of Education and Merit.
Javier Villamor is a Spanish journalist and analyst. Based in Brussels, he covers NATO and EU affairs at europeanconservative.com. Javier has over 17 years of experience in international politics, defense, and security. He also works as a consultant providing strategic insights into global affairs and geopolitical dynamics.
