Cairo [Egypt], July 9: Secretary-General of the Arab League (AL) Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Tuesday Islamophobia is a dangerous phenomenon that cannot be ignored or overlooked.
The AL secretary general called for the necessity of coordinating efforts to shed light on Islamophobia dimensions study and analyze its roots and search for clear solutions to confront it firmly and to prevent it in the future.
According to MENA, Aboul Gheit's remarks came in a speech delivered on his behalf by ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, AL Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Media and Communication Department, during the international conference on combating Islamophobia, held at the headquarters of the AL under the theme: "Islamophobia: Concept and Practice in the Current Global Context."
The pan-Arab body's secretary general said the meeting aims to discuss a pressing humanitarian and ethical issue that touches human conscience and poses a real challenge to the values of coexistence, understanding, and mutual respect.
Aboul Gheit pointed to the spread of Islamophobia, fueled by political, social and cultural reasons -including fragile legislation, artificial links between terrorism and extremism, ignorance of Islamic teachings and values, media incitement, fear of the "Other," and anxiety over national identity. These factors have led to the widespread manifestation of anti-Muslim sentiment, prejudice, harmful stereotypes and the spread of hatred and hostility.
He underlined the need for dealing with this phenomenon with a high sense of responsibility, noting that the United Nations (UN) has acknowledged the gravity of the situation by declaring an International Day to Combat Islamophobia and by appointing a special UN envoy to address the issue.
Source: Emirates News Agency
