About us

THE IMAM

Dr. Nader Akkad, PhD is an Italian imam, engineer and researcher born in Aleppo, Syria. He lives in Trieste since 1992. After arriving in Trieste to complete his university studies, he holds a master’s degree in civil engineering, several master’s degrees and a doctoral degree research in seismic engineering, inspired by the model of unifying the science and faith of Professor Abdus Salam, the first Muslim scientist to be awarded the Nobel Physics Prize, founder of the ICTP theoretical physics center in 1964 in Trieste. Engaged since his arrival in Trieste with the local Islamic community where he has assumed the role of Imam and since 1994 has been a director of the Koranic school, in 2015 he obtained a Master’s Degree in Islamic Studies in Europe promoted by the Ministry of Education internally for the formation of Italian Imams and became the first imam formed in Italy for the Islamic community of Trieste. He is a member and referent to the moonsighting committee worldwide MCW for ISNA calculations of the Islamic calendar, is a lecturer in the course “Knowing Islam: worship and culture” of the Veritas center in Trieste, is delegated for the interreligious dialogue of the union of the UCOII Islamic Community of Italy, met Pope Francis several times, engaging in the Islamic Christian Dialogue of the CEI.