In a shocking incident that has Italians furious, young children from a Catholic kindergarten in Treviso were reportedly led in Islamic prayer during a school trip, without their parents knowing or giving consent. This disgraceful display of cultural submission has triggered a national debate about parental rights and religious freedom.
The incident happened in the small municipality of Ponte della Priula, where kids as young as three to five from a private Catholic kindergarten were taken to the Emanet Islamic Cultural Center in Susegana. Reports and video footage show the children removing their shoes. At the same time, the teachers veiled themselves and led the kids in Salah – the Islamic prayer ritual where worshippers kneel, bow, and face Mecca – under the guidance of Imam Avnija Nurceski.
Forced Prayer and Cultural Surrender
Photos posted on the kindergarten’s Facebook page show the children kneeling with their foreheads to the ground, imitating Muslim prayer movements. One photo even shows them bowing in front of the imam as he leads the prayer. The school tried to spin this as a “cultural exchange” and described it as an “emotional experience.” They bragged about how the imam explained the five pillars of Islam and said the kids “even tried” the prayer.
Alberto Villanova, leader of the League Party in the Veneto Region, expressed his outrage over the incident, saying the sight of children being led in Islamic prayer “makes the blood run cold.” He questioned whether the imam bothered to explain to the children how women’s rights are trampled on in many Muslim countries, pointing out the hypocrisy of celebrating such practices in a Catholic kindergarten. Villanova emphasized that they would not remain silent about this clear act of cultural submission.
Paolo Borchia, head of the Northern League delegation to the European Parliament, also condemned the incident, pointing out the disturbing trend of cultural surrender:
“First Ramadan in churches, now kindergarten children taken to mosques to pray facing Mecca. In silence, European identity is being dismantled. And there are still those who talk about dialogue when the only message that gets through is that of cultural submission. This is not the future we want for our children. Defending our culture means saying a clear no. No to the erasure of our roots, no to education that confuses integration with surrender. Wake up, Europe!”
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini described the scene as an example of the “silent Islamization of Italian schools.” MEP Silvia Sardone argued that Christian children kneeling in a mosque is incompatible with their religious education in a Catholic institution.
One-Way “Cultural Exchange”
The hypocrisy is glaring. Why are Catholic school kids being taken to a mosque to practice Islamic prayer, while Muslim kids aren’t being brought to a Catholic church to kneel and pray to Jesus? In many Muslim-majority countries, Christians are persecuted for their faith, and it’s unthinkable that Muslim parents would agree to their kids participating in Christian prayer.
Simonetta Rubinato, president of the Italian Federation of Catholic Nursery Schools, tried to brush it off, saying that spirituality is part of the school’s education approach. But she also admitted that each school decides for itself, basically passing the buck and refusing to take responsibility for this disaster.
Enough is Enough – This Isn’t Cultural Exchange, It’s Indoctrination
While the Islamic center tried to spin it as an “interfaith prayer for peace,” the sight of small children prostrating in prayer to Allah is nothing short of disturbing. This isn’t just about exposing kids to other cultures—it’s about forcing them into religious practices they don’t understand, all without their parents’ permission.
The real question is simple: Would Muslim parents be okay with their kids being taken to a Catholic church to pray in front of a priest? We all know the answer. This isn’t cultural sharing – it’s a one-way street where European traditions are sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.
It’s time to draw a line. Cultural exposure doesn’t mean forcing children to perform religious acts, especially without telling their parents first. This incident shows how far we’ve gone in tolerating cultural submission under the guise of multiculturalism. Parents have the right to know—and to say no—before their children are made to participate in religious activities that don’t align with their beliefs.
League Party leaders have promised to hold those responsible accountable and to push for clear guidelines to prevent this from ever happening again. It’s time to stop being polite about it, cultural submission has no place in our schools.
