Mayor Aboutaleb, who came to the Netherlands from Morocco at the age of 15, is the first mayor of a large city in the Netherlands who is of both immigrant origin and the Muslim faith. Mayor Aboutaleb started his career in media and public relations, then became director of the Forum organisation, an institute dealing with multiculturalism in the Netherlands. In January 2004, Aboutaleb succeeded Rob Oudkerk as alderman in Amsterdam. He then served as the State Secretary for social affairs, and then eventually became appointed as mayor of Rotterdam in October of 2008. Mayor Aboutaleb has often been in the media spotlight for his stances on issues of immigration, race, and faith.
Share This Speaker