Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
Tomorrow, Wednesday, the world will celebrate the first International Day to Combat Islamophobia (Islamophobia), corresponding to the fifteenth of March. A high-level event was held in the United Nations General Assembly, in the presence of the President of the General Assembly, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, in his country's capacity as head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, academics and various member states of the United Nations participated in it.
In March 2022, the General Assembly adopted Resolution No. 76/254 declaring March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
The poison of Islamophobia
In his speech at the event a few days ago, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described Islamophobia as poison. He said that the world's Muslims, who number about two billion, are the embodiment of humanity in all its diversity, noting that they hail from every corner of the globe, but they often face intolerance and prejudice for no reason other than their faith.
The Secretary-General said that the growing hatred faced by Muslims is not an isolated event, but rather an integral part of the resurgence of ethnic nationalism and neo-Nazi ideologies that pay lip service to white supremacy, and violence that targets the most vulnerable segments of the population, including Muslims, Jews, some Christian minority communities and others.
Guterres added that there are well-known links between Islamophobia and gender discrimination. "We see some of the worst effects in the triple discrimination that Muslim women are subjected to because of their gender, ethnicity and faith," he said.
With the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, the Secretary-General said that the message of peace, sympathy and compassion brought by Islam, more than 1,400 years ago, is an inspiration to people around the world.
He pointed out that the word Islam itself is derived from the same root as the word peace.
He said that he saw for himself, when he was High Commissioner for Refugees, the generosity of Muslim countries that opened their doors to those forced to flee their homes, at a time when many other countries closed their borders.
He added that this generosity is a contemporary manifestation of what was mentioned in the Holy Qur’an in Surat Al-Tawbah:
“And if any of the idolaters seek your protection, grant him protection so that he may hear the word of God.
Then he informed him of his safety, because they are a people who do not know.”
He said that this protection is guaranteed to believers and non-believers alike, and is an impressive expression of the principle of refugee protection, centuries before the conclusion of the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Referring to the UN Action Plan for the Protection of Religious Sites, the Secretary-General said it makes concrete recommendations to support governments so that everyone can enjoy their right to safely practice their religion.
He touched on the United Nations strategy and action plan on hate speech, which provides a framework for support for Member States in confronting this scourge, while at the same time respecting freedom of expression and opinion.
Within the framework of our "joint plan", the United Nations is working to conclude the Global Digital Compact for an open, free, inclusive and secure digital future for all, based on human rights. He said the United Nations is pushing for a code of conduct to promote integrity in the media.
Guterres also referred to the declaration of “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Coexistence” - which was issued by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence, Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar - and said that it is a model of sympathy and human solidarity.
"All great religions and traditions proclaim the imperative of tolerance, respect and understanding. In essence, we are about universal values: these values are the soul of the United Nations Charter, and they are at the heart of our quest for justice, human rights and peace," Guterres said.
He called for continuing to strive to implement these values, to protect the sanctity and dignity guaranteed to every human life, and to address the forces of division by reaffirming common humanity.
Chaba Kuroshi, President of the United Nations General Assembly, said the unanimous adoption of the resolution to designate an International Day to Combat Islamophobia last year clearly shows the need for dialogue at a global level to promote tolerance and peace.
"You have recognized with deep concern the growing discrimination, intolerance and violence against members of many faiths and other communities around the world, including incidents motivated by Islamophobia," he said, addressing United Nations member states. "By designating this International Day, you have pledged to act."
Like many social ills, Koroshi said, Islamophobia is rooted in xenophobia, fear of strangers, and specifically fear of the unfamiliar. The President of the General Assembly said that this fear is reflected in discriminatory practices, travel bans, hate speech, bullying, and sometimes targeting others because of their clothes.
Koroshi added that the harmful effects of such discrimination are multiplied on social media, often by extremists who use negative stereotypes as a recruitment tool for their groups.
"On the other hand, and unfortunately, we find cases in which the teachings of religion are hijacked to subject them to policies that cannot be compatible with the original and true intentions of these teachings," he said.
The UN General Assembly president added that Islamophobia is part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, racial superiority, stigma and hatred targeting religious, national, ethnic and linguistic communities.
"It is our duty to change these trends by supporting diversity and protecting the rights of minorities," he said. He called on all states to protect the right to religion and belief. He stressed the importance of cultural and religious exchange that unites everyone around values 
"It is our duty to change these trends by supporting diversity and protecting the rights of minorities," he said. He called on all states to protect the right to religion and belief. He stressed the importance of cultural and religious exchange that unites everyone around common values.
He stressed the importance of social media companies doing more by removing hate speech from their platforms and fighting the spread of misinformation. He also emphasized the importance of women participating equally in discussions about Islamophobia

Concluding his speech, the President of the General Assembly called for advancing the common values of solidarity and mutual respect and building more bridges of understanding.
Tاhis event aims to invite the international community to consider ways to combat intolerance and incitement to violence and hatred against followers of religions and beliefs, including Muslims.
The event will seek to achieve a number of goals, including looking at ways to reduce Islamophobia globally, and calling for solidarity and cooperation to combat discrimination and violence against people based on their religion or beliefs, including anti-Muslim rhetoric that may lead to racial profiling, discrimination, negative stereotypes, and stigmatization of Muslims.
The event also aims to promote collective action by the international community to combat xenophobia, intolerance and incitement to violence based on any religion or belief.