Crime Today News
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday, March 15, appealed for a tolerant religious world and to eradicate violence against individuals, places of worship, bigotry and speak out against Islamophobia and racial discrimination.
Saturday marked the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. The UN Secretary-General urged the global community to reject extremist ideologies and work for a more inclusive world.
“This is part of a wider scourge of intolerance, extremist ideologies, and attacks against religious groups and vulnerable populations. The rights and freedoms of all are at risk,” he said.
Guterres called upon governments worldwide and various social media platforms to foster social cohesion, protect religious freedom, and curb online hate speech and harassment.
“On this International Day to Combat Islamophobia, let us work together to uphold equality, human rights, and dignity, and build inclusive societies where everyone, regardless of their faith, can live in peace and harmony,” the UN Secretary-General said.
The observation follows the unanimous adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution in 2022 that proclaimed March 15 as such an international day, calling for global dialogue that promotes tolerance, peace and respect for human rights and religious diversity as well as rising Islamophobia.
The date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings, in which 51 people were killed.
The previous day, UN Member States gathered in the General Assembly highlighted the alarming rise of anti-Muslim sentiment.
President of the UN General Assembly, Philémon Yang, said that Islamophobia is not an isolated issue and is connected to xenophobia, intolerance, racism, sexism, and the rampant spread of hate speech.
“Muslim women, in particular, face added hostility, due to deeply unjust portrayals of them as oppressed by their religion,” he said.
UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, said that the need for unity and mutual understanding is more important than ever in today’s world.
“We must all stand up against all forms of hatred and discrimination. Governments all over the world should create an environment that fosters peaceful dialogue and respect all religious and cultural communities equally,” he said.
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