{"id":251167,"date":"2023-03-10T11:10:14","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T16:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/77\/?p=251167"},"modified":"2023-03-10T11:10:14","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T16:10:14","slug":"pga-remarks-to-high-level-event-to-commemorate-the-international-day-to-combat-islamophobia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/77\/2023\/03\/10\/pga-remarks-to-high-level-event-to-commemorate-the-international-day-to-combat-islamophobia\/","title":{"rendered":"PGA remarks to High-level event to Commemorate the International Day to Combat Islamophobia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Csaba\u00a0K\u0151r\u00f6si<\/em>,<\/i>\u00a0President of the 77th<\/sup>\u00a0session of the General Assembly<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

—-<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

High-level event to Commemorate the International Day to Combat Islamophobia<\/b><\/p>\n

10 March 2023<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

[As delivered]<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Mr. Secretary-General,<\/p>\n

Minister Bhutto Zardari,<\/p>\n

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n

\u200f<\/span>\u0627\u064e\u0644\u0633\u064e\u0644\u0627\u0645\u064f \u0639\u064e\u0644\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0643\u064f\u0645 \u0648\u064e\u0631\u064e\u062d\u0652\u0645\u064e\u0629\u064f \u0627\u064e\u0644\u0644\u0647\u0650 \u0648\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0631\u064e\u0643\u0627\u062a\u064f\u0647\u064f<\/span>\u200e<\/span><\/p>\n

(Arabic translation:\u00a0Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings.)\u200e<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I am honored to be a co-convener of today\u2019s event affirming the need to combat Islamophobia.<\/p>\n

I thank Pakistan and the OIC for drawing global attention to this important issue.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s unanimous adoption of the GA resolution on it speaks volumes about the need for a global dialogue to encourage tolerance and peace.<\/p>\n

A dialogue that should be based, to quote the resolution, \u201con respect for human rights and the diversity of religions and beliefs\u201d.<\/p>\n

Yes, the freedom of every religion and belief. As a believer, I wholeheartedly support this notion.<\/p>\n

You, the Member States, recognized with deep concern the rise in discrimination, intolerance and violence against \u201cmembers of many religious and other communities\u201d across the world, including cases roused by Islamophobia.<\/p>\n

And with the establishment of this International Day, you vowed to do something about it.<\/p>\n

Like so many such social ills, Islamophobia is rooted in xenophobia.<\/p>\n

The fear of strangers. Of foreigners. Or, to put it more exactly, the fear of whatever is unfamiliar.<\/p>\n

According to the\u00a0American\u00a0writer H. P. Lovecraft, \u201cThe oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of it is fear of the unknown.\u201d<\/p>\n

We see the reflections of this fear in discriminatory practices, travel bans, hate speech, bullying and the targeting of others \u2013 sometimes just for their clothing.<\/p>\n

We see it in the generalized and unjustified worries stoked by bigots and populists, and in the coverage of Muslims in a part of the media as threats to certain ways of life.<\/p>\n

Its harmful effects are amplified on social media, often by extremists who use this negative stereotyping as a tool for recruitment into their ranks.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, unfortunately, we often see cases when teachings of the religion are hijacked and usurped for policies unreconcilable with their original, true intensions. And the extremist actions are often followed by blanket opinions and reactions \u2013 without distinction.<\/p>\n

All over the world there are political movements and parties who want to benefit from spreading the myth that any foreigner or believer of a different faith can only be an enemy with evil intentions.<\/p>\n

And they have a significant following, including many who are always happy to blame somebody else for their own failures.<\/p>\n

Islamophobia is part of a broader resurgence of ethnonationalism, supremacy, stigma and hate that are targeting religious, national, ethnic and linguistic communities.<\/p>\n

It is on us all to reverse these trends by embracing diversity and safeguarding the rights of minorities.<\/p>\n

Freedom of religion or belief is guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights \u2013 this is international law that must not be breached in any country.<\/p>\n

I call on every Member State to uphold this fundamental freedom.<\/p>\n

All of us carry a responsibility to challenge Islamophobia or any similar phenomenon, to call out injustice and condemn discrimination based on religion or belief \u2013 or the lack of them.<\/p>\n

Education is key to learning why social phobias exist. Indeed, it can change our understanding of one another, it can be transformative.<\/p>\n

Making Islam understood, instead of keeping it unknown, can be crucial in dealing with the phenomenon of Islamophobia.<\/p>\n

Because, to quote the New York writer Christian Bovee, \u201cWe fear things in proportion to our\u00a0ignorance\u00a0of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Let us struggle against that ignorance, let us show the real nature of Islam or any other religion.<\/p>\n

Interfaith and intercultural exchanges that unite us around shared values can also help a lot.<\/p>\n

Social media companies should also do more by removing hate speech from their platforms and curbing the spread of disinformation.<\/p>\n

It is critically important that women and young people are involved in these efforts.<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s voices should be equally included in discussions around Islamophobia, like the one we are having today.<\/p>\n

Their important role in shaping Muslim communities was well emphasized during the \u201cWomen in Islam\u201d event earlier this week.<\/p>\n

Dear Friends,<\/p>\n

In 1945, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ emerged from a climate of fear and distrust as an advocate for all peoples.<\/p>\n

Marking this International Day, let\u2019s continue to advance our shared values of solidarity and mutual respect that have been underpinning our Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter.<\/p>\n

As the saying goes, \u201cWe build too many walls and not enough bridges.\u201d<\/p>\n

Let us turn to building more bridges.<\/p>\n

I thank you.<\/p>\n

\u0648\u0623\u062a\u0645\u0646\u0649 \u0644\u0643\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0632\u064a\u062f \u0645\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0646\u062c\u0627\u062d \u0644\u0647\u0630\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0624\u062a\u0645\u0631 \u0648\u0634\u0643\u0631\u064b\u0627 \u062c\u0632\u064a\u0644\u064b\u0627<\/span><\/p>\n

(Arabic translation: I wish you further success for this conference and many thanks<\/i>.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Csaba\u00a0K\u0151r\u00f6si,\u00a0President of the 77th\u00a0session of the General Assembly —- High-level event to Commemorate the International Day to Combat Islamophobia 10 March 2023 [As delivered] Mr. Secretary-General, Minister Bhutto Zardari, Excellencies, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[561,562],"class_list":["post-251167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-statements","tag-commission-on-the-status-of-women","tag-csw","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nPGA remarks to High-level event to Commemorate the International Day to Combat Islamophobia - General Assembly of the United Nations<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/77\/2023\/03\/10\/pga-remarks-to-high-level-event-to-commemorate-the-international-day-to-combat-islamophobia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PGA remarks to High-level event to Commemorate the International Day to Combat Islamophobia - 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