ArcelorMittal Zenica – Donation worth BAM 300,000 for the completion of the construction of the Zenica Islamic Center.
The Islamic Center “Sultan Ahmed” in Zenica was officially opened on April 27, 2024. As said, it is a project of historical importance for the Islamic community as a whole and for Zenica in particular. It is located in the heart of Zenica, the old town centre on the banks of the Bosna River, which gives it exceptional importance and beauty.
“Today is a testimony of pride and glory that together we managed to build the Sultan Ahmed Islamic Center as a generational project of the Islamic community and all citizens of Zenica,” said the mufti of Zenica.
The center has 6,000 square meters of space for public use. It consists of two buildings. There are arabesques on the walls, which are an association with the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) from Istanbul. The construction of that mosque, as well as Sultan Ahmed’s or Čaršija mosque in Zenica, was ordered by the same sultan. The facade is also done in that style, and the arabesques are also on the glass. Everything is done as a combination of modern and Islamic traditions. Arabesque is a traditional Islamic art, based on Islamic philosophy, it has no beginning and no end. This, say the people of Medžis from Zenica and the Muftiluk of Zenica, symbolizes God’s transcendence “because God has no beginning and no end”. The centre was built in the very centre of the city, right next to the Bosna River, and includes a library, kindergarten, restaurant, classrooms, business premises… and according to many, it is the largest facility of the Islamic community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On July 19, 2023, in the premises of the Mufti of Zenica, the signing of the contract on the sponsorship of the company ArcelorMittal Zenica for the construction of the Islamic Center in Zenica took place. The company donated BAM 300,000 for the construction and equipment of the library within the Islamic Center.
Mufti Zenica hafiz prof. Ph.D. Mevludin ef. Dizdarević said on that occasion:
“AMZ is not an ordinary company. It is a company with a capital ‘F’ in our city, because it is the foundation and capstone, in a way, of the history of our city and part of the identity of our city. (…) Of course, we are extremely grateful to the company AMZ and its general director, for recognizing the potential of the Islamic Center, for recognizing its importance for all citizens of our city, considering that the Islamic Center will be a space where all our fellow citizens will meet their spiritual, cultural and other needs in the coming years, God willing, for decades and even centuries – emphasized Mufti Dizdarević.
The CEO, Nikhil Mehta, expressed his satisfaction at the opportunity to be “part of this important project in the city of Zenica”.
“The Islamic cultural centre is a progress for the city of Zenica. It will guide people in the way to think, and it will also bring a future for the population and children of this city. We are proud to be part of this project and to have been given the opportunity to be part of this project. So far we have supported schools, and the construction of playgrounds, and now it is also the Islamic cultural center in Zenica. We believe that education is very important for the future of any city,” said Mehta.
