During a press conference, Deputy Mayor Christian Estrosi confirmed on Wednesday evening that the project for a Muslim prayer hall will be realized in the Roquebillière social housing neighborhood.
The religious agency “Agence des Musulmans de l’Est Niçoise, AMEN, a member of UNAM (Union of Muslims of the Alpes-Maritimes) will manage the new hall. Until now, the one offered on the route de Turin “was not a suitable place and must close,” declares Christian Estrosi. The new hall will be located at the foot of the social housing towers in the neighborhood. 500 square meters will be made available to the association, with 200 dedicated to the new hall (significantly larger than the 60 square meters on the route de Turin) and 300 for educational and cultural activities, such as learning the Arabic language.
Otnane Aïssaoui, president of UNAM, welcomes the agreement reached with the town hall. The start date for construction is not yet known. It seems that it would begin approximately two months after the lease is signed, which should happen in the coming weeks.
For Christian Estrosi, this type of policy “fights against communitarianism.” “We cannot blame certain religions for expressing themselves in the street if we do not provide them with decent places to pray,” explains the mayor. Although the cost of the upcoming construction is not known, it was specified that the association will fully fund it.
