The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has decided to designate March 15 as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” each year. The OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) has passed a resolution in this respect in their meeting in Niamey, Niger.

Pakistan had introduced the resolution which expresses concern that Islamophobia, as a contemporary form of racism and religious discrimination, was on the rise. The Resolution decided to designate 15 March as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” each year. It authorized the OIC Permanent Missions in New York to jointly table a Resolution in the UN General Assembly, calling for the establishment of this day.

Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who led Pakistan’s delegation to the CFM, said that adoption of the Resolution was a reflection of the sentiments of billions of Muslims who respected other religions and expected similar respect for Islam and the Holy Prophet.

Speaking at the 47th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Niger’s capital Niamey, Mevlut Çavuşoğlu pointed out the rising trend of Islamophobic, racist and anti-migrant discourse, especially in Europe…Saying that Europe lacks visionary leaders and that some of the current ones even dare to reform Islam, he pointed out that the peace and well-being of millions of Muslims in the West are being threatened under the guise of counter-terrorism.

Source: OpEdNews