UNITED NATIONS, Mar 16 (APP):UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for action to stamp out the “poison” of anti-Muslim hated, as the world body marked the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, observed March 15.
“The world’s nearly 2 billion Muslims reflect humanity in all its magnificent diversity. But they often face bigotry and prejudice for no other reason than their faith,” he said in his message for the Day.
The UN General Assembly adopted a Pakistan-sponsored resolution 76/254 last year, designating March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
In his message, the secretary-general said: “Beyond structural, institutional discrimination and the wholesale stigmatization of Muslim communities, Muslims suffer personal attacks, hateful rhetoric, and scapegoating.
“We see some of the worst impacts in the triple discrimination against Muslim women because of their gender, ethnicity, and faith. The growing hate that Muslims face is not an isolated development: it is part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies, and violence targeting vulnerable populations including Muslims, Jews, some minority Christian communities and others.
“Discrimination diminishes us all. And it is incumbent on all of us to stand up against it. We must strengthen our defences by pushing for policies that fully respect human rights and protect religious and cultural identities. We must recognize diversity as richness and ramp up political, cultural, and economic investments in social cohesion. And we must confront bigotry by working to tackle the hate that spreads like wildfire across the internet.
“For well over a millennium, Islam’s message of peace, compassion, and grace has inspired people the world over. Every great faith and tradition summon the imperatives of tolerance, respect, and mutual understanding. At the heart, we are dealing with universal values: they animate the Charter of the United Nations and lie at the core of our quest for justice, human rights, and peace.
“Today and every day, let us strive to realize these values and counter the forces of division by reaffirming our common humanity.”
In his message to mark the Day, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram said, “While hate speech has proliferated across the globe, Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred in many parts of the world is the most frequent method for spreading divisive rhetoric and ideologies on a global scale.
“UN General Assembly’s designation of 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia is a moment for all of us to come together and reverse the tide of hate and bigotry that threatens to undermine solidarity, peace and cooperation among and within nations.”
