Official visit and meeting between two delegations: The Islamic Community of Montenegro and the Shoura strengthen their ties (Gallery)

On Friday, November 22, 2024, at the headquarters of the Shoura – the Assembly of the Muslim Community of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, an official reception was held, followed by a meeting between the two delegations: the guests from the Islamic Community of Montenegro and the Shoura delegation as hosts.

The delegation of the Islamic Community of Montenegro, led by Reis Rifat ef. Fejzić, included Rejhan ef. Hot, the chief imam of the Islamic Community of Rožaje, Almir Avdić, the president of the municipal council of Rožaje and member of the Bosnian National Council of Montenegro, as well as Emir Dacić, legal advisor and activist of the Islamic Community of Montenegro, who recently held the position of director of the Fund for the Protection and Realization of Minority Rights in Montenegro.

On the other hand, the Shoura delegation consisted of its president Jasmin Jahić, the religious leader of Muslims in Luxembourg, hafiz Hilmija ef. Redžić, the vice president of the Shoura Muhamed Ćeman, the secretary general of the Shoura Lukman Aličković, the secretary Damir Adrović, as well as members Sabahudin Selimović and Ismet Jusufović.

After the introductory part, the members of the delegations briefly presented their institutions, focusing on key recent achievements. It was noted that many similarities and points of contact in the activities of the two institutions could be beneficial for the Muslims in the countries where they operate.

The representatives of the Shoura emphasized that this visit was of great importance because a significant number of Muslims in Luxembourg originate from Montenegro. They also hope that through closer cooperation with the Islamic Community of Montenegro, they can benefit from its decades of experience. At the same time, the representatives of the Islamic Community of Montenegro noted that given Montenegro’s inevitable path toward EU membership, the Shoura’s experience in such a European context could be extremely useful for the representatives of the Islamic Community of Montenegro.

The rest of the meeting was dedicated to aligning positions in preparation for future collaboration, and agreements were made that will soon be put into practice.

During this visit, the delegation of the Islamic Community of Montenegro actively participated in the programs of local mosques. Reis Rifat ef. Fejzić delivered a khutbah at the Gazi Isa-beg Islamic Center in Esch on the importance of preserving religious identity in the face of contemporary challenges, while Rejhan ef. Hot spoke at the Berat mosque about the importance of mutual care and love among Muslims.

The central conference, held on Saturday, November 23, at the Islamic Cultural Center Nordstad in Diekirch, gathered numerous guests and mosque members. The host, Irfan ef. Hasanović, warmly welcomed everyone, and the participants were addressed by Almir Avdić, Rejhan ef. Hot, and Reis Rifat ef. Fejzić. Finally, the religious leader of Muslims in Luxembourg, hafiz Hilmija ef. Redžić, thanked the delegation for their visit. In his speech, he highlighted the similarities between the Muslim communities of Luxembourg and Montenegro, particularly in terms of their unity, which is not determined by nationality, as well as the proportion of Muslims compared to the total population, and the regional connections of most Muslims in Luxembourg with Bihor, Sandžak, and Montenegro.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of gifts and a group photo with the guests and hosts.