ISESCO calls for 15 March to be International Day to Combat Islamophobia

A group of Maori men pay tribute performing a haka in front of the Masjid Al Noor Mosque during a public vigil, close to the shooting area, in Christchurch, New Zealand on 17 March, 2019 [Peter Adones/Anadolu Agency]

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) called on the United Nations to declare 15 March an International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

The date was chosen to honour the 50 people who were killed last week in terror attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

ISESCO Director General, Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri, warned of “the growing extremism and hate speech against Muslims in the world, despite the great efforts made over the past three decades in intercultural dialogue and alliance of societies.”

Al-Tuwaijri called on the international governments and organisations to “intensify their efforts to confront this dangerous phenomenon that threatens world peace and security”, warning that Islamophobia has become “a global phenomenon that has repercussions on Muslims’ rights, security, and safety in countries outside the Islamic world”.

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