Participants call for greater international cooperation and coordination to tackle anti-Muslim hatred
– Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi, March 17: Amid heightened anti-Muslim sentiment worldwide, stoked by Israel’s continuous aggression in occupied Palestine, the first coordination meeting on combating anti-Muslim hatred took place in Strasbourg, France, on March 14-15. To address this challenge, the summit called for increased international coordination and cooperation.
The meeting’s objective was to address the alarming rise in anti-Muslim sentiment that has been observed across the world. This hatred manifests itself in the polarization of societies, propagation of racist and discriminatory narratives, frequent use of degrading language, and rise in vandalism against community centers and places of worship. The meeting served as a reminder that radicalization and extremism in all of its manifestations, including violent right-wing extremism directed towards Muslims and other minorities, must be stopped and opposed.
Marking the UN International Day to Combat Islamophobia on March 15, the meeting was chaired by Marion Lalisse, the EC Coordinator on combating Islamophobia, and co-organised by Alexandre Guessel, Special Representative of Secretary General of the Council of Europe against antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes.
The Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić opened the meeting, saying “We must do everything possible to stop [prejudices, discrimination and even violence targeted against Muslim people] using our own tools and working together everything had to be done to ensure the safety, security, and dignity of every Muslim, like every other European.”
This meeting followed the “Joint Statement of the Coordinators, Special Representatives, Envoy and Ambassadors on Combating Anti-Muslim Hatred and Discrimination” of 29 November 2023.
16 EU members, the UK, Norway, Switzerland, the Holy See, Türkiye, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Moldova, Canada, and the US were present at the meeting. There were also representatives from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the UN Alliance of Civilizations.
The meeting brought together Special Envoys, Coordinators, and Experts from Member States of European Union and Council of Europe, UN, OSCE, European Court of Human Rights, European Court of Justice, and Civil Society Organisations and discussed the growing trend of Anti-Muslim hatred in Europe and beyond, share expertise and exchange views on future work to combat Anti-Muslim hatred.
The participants reiterated that bigotry, racism, and hatred directed toward Muslims all endanger social participation and cohesiveness in our democratic and multicultural society. In addition, they expressed solidarity with people facing discrimination and concurred that there should be more international coordination and cooperation. A delegation from OIC General Secretariat and OIC Mission also took part in the meeting.
