The UCOII (Unione delle Comunità e Organizzazioni Islamiche in Italia) is an Italian Islamic association and probably Italy's largest Muslim umbrella group.
Contents
History
The present Association is the product of the fusion of various previously existing organizations such as the Syrian and Palestinian components of the Unione degli Studenti Musulmani in Italia (USMI) organization, some female Islamic organizations as Islam Donne and the contribution of some individuals as Hamza Roberto Piccardo, a former militant of Autonomia Operaia converted to Islam and currently director of the publishing house Libreriaislamica.it (formerly known as “Al Hikma”).
Initially the Presidency had been assumed by Nour Dachan, a leader of the Syrian component of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Secretariat by Ali Abu Shwaima, a leader of the Palestinian component of the same organization; successively such charge has gone to Roberto Piccardo.
UCOII's aims
UCOII’s aims are to supply the Italian Islamic community with:
1. one only representation in front of the institutions of the Italian State and the one only reference point for the same institutions to relate with Islam in Italy
2. legal and administrative technical guidelines
3. cultural organization of activities and mediations
4. conventions, conferences and youth camps
5. collection and distribution of informations
6. social and humanitarian activities
7. production and distribution of printed publications, materials and audiovisual aids
8. study and elaboration of programs and proposals in the fields of technical instruction and of the professional formation
Criticisms
Amongst the mosques affiliated to UCOII those directly or indirectly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood organization are overwhelmingly dominants, and for such ties the association has been sourly contested.
In her defence UCOII claims that such ties are limited to the personal militancy of part of her leadership and management and that UCOII related more actually to the European Council for Fatwa and Research, to scholars like the Mufti of Egypt Ali Gomaa, to European Islam, to Tariq Ramadan, to the scholarship of Islamic feminists and to the writings of Italian converts and Muslim youths and students in Italy. However, European Council for Fatwa and Research is led by Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the leading ideologue of the Muslim Brotherhood, Ali Gomaa is also a member of the organization, while Tariq Ramadan is its leader in Europe and the grandson of its founder Hasan al-Banna