• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

+1-929-274-6217

contactaoc@unops.org

How to Get Involved

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Many cultures. One humanity.

MENUMENU
  • Home
  • Who We Are
        • About Us
          • About the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
          • Trust Fund and Donors
          • UNAOC Secretariat
          • Vacancy Announcements and Opportunities
        • History
          • History
          • Timeline
          • High Level Group
        • Governance and Leadership
          • Governance and Leadership
          • High Representative
          • High Representative's Statements
          • Previous Leadership
          • Group of Friends
  • What We Do
        • What We Do
          • Programming Overview: Platform for intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation
          • UNAOC News Flash: Read the Latest Updates
        • What We Do
          • United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Annual Activity Reports
          • UNAOC Upcoming Events Calendar
        • Projects and Initiatives
          • An overview of UNAOC's ongoing projects and initiatives
          • How to Get Involved
  • Projects
        • Projects and Initiatives
          • Intercultural Innovation Hub
          • UNAOC Fellowship Program
          • PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival
          • Youth Solidarity Fund
          • Young Peacebuilders
          • Summer Schools
          • Hate Speech International Conference
          • Media and Information Literacy Clearinghouse
          • PeaceApp
          • Media & Information Literacy for Teachers
          • Intercultural Leaders
        • Projects and Initiatives
          • EDIN – “Empowering Dialogue and Interfaith Networks”
          • 'Sport for One Humanity' Initiative
          • Promoting the Role of Women as Peacemakers
          • News Generation Against Hate: Empowering local youth to create alternative narratives and champion diversity in the media
          • #YouthWagingPeace: A Whole Community Approach to Prevention of Violent Extremism through Education
          • Digital Games for Peace: Intercultural dialogue and socio-emotional competencies for peacebuilding
        • Campaigns
          • UN Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites
          • Call to Action #forSafeWorship
          • #OneHumanity Campaign
  • Resources
    • All Resources and Publications
    • UNAOC Action Plan (2019-2023)
    • UN Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites
    • Guiding Documents
    • Implementation Plans
    • Group of Friends Meeting Reports
    • Annual Activity Reports
    • Financial Reports and Audited Financial Statements
    • Publications
  • Global Forums
    • Fez 2022
      • Fez Forum Website
    • 8th Global Forum
      • 8th UNAOC Global Forum Website
      • 8th Global Forum Report
    • Baku 2016
      • Baku Forum Website
      • Baku Forum Report
    • Bali 2014
      • Bali Forum
    • Vienna 2013
      • Vienna Forum
      • Vienna Forum Documents
    • Doha 2011
      • Doha Forum
    • Rio 2010
      • Rio Forum
    • Istanbul 2009
      • Istanbul Forum
      • Outcomes & Reports from Istanbul Forum
      • Marketplace of Ideas at the Istanbul Forum
      • Istanbul Forum Documents
    • Madrid 2008
      • Madrid Forum
      • Outcomes & Reports from Madrid Forum
      • Speeches & Statements
  • News
        • News and Updates
          • UNAOC News Flash
          • News, Features and Press Releases
          • In Focus (Programming Newsletter)
          • Newsletter Archives
        • High Representative
          • High Representative's Statements
          • UNAOC Press Statements
          • High Representative's Blog
        • Multimedia
          • UNAOC Video Gallery
          • Join the Global Call to Action #forSafeWorship
          • Stories of #OneHumanity
  • Contact

UNAOC High Representative’s Remarks at the Special Event Commemorating the International Day to Combat Islamophobia

March 10, 2023 Filed Under: Featured, High Representative's Statements

Remarks by Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos,
High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations,
at the Special High-level Event to Commemorate
the International Day to Combat Islamophobia

10 March 2023, New York

Your Excellency Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari , Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
Excellencies and distinguished delegates,

Thank you for inviting me to this important event. I cannot join you in person due to being in an overseas mission.

At the outset, I would like to commend the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for its successful chairmanship of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) including hosting today’s commemorative event.

I hope that this platform provided by the International Day to Combat Islamophobia would contribute to and complement other efforts aiming at a better understanding of Islamophobia and help to identify how best to address this phenomena.

The rise in Islamophobia around the world is an affront to fundamental human rights including freedom of religion or belief. Perpetuating discrimination, hostility and violence towards Muslim individuals and communities undermines their dignity and their sense of belonging to the societies in which they live.

Anti-Muslim bigotry undercuts the ability of affected Muslims to practice their faith openly and safely.

The growing manifestations of intolerance based on religion or belief can generate hatred and violence among individuals from and within different nations and may have serious implications at the national, regional and international levels.

Such manifestations include cowardly attacks on places of worship, desecration of sacred sights, burning of holy books and insulting revered religious figures.

In this context, I wish to re-iterate that respect for all religions and cultures and advancing interreligious, interfaith and intercultural dialogue are a cornerstone of UNAOC mandate.

I am very pleased the UN General Assembly Resolution: The International Day to Combat Islamophobia takes note of the “Call for Mutual Respect” which my office issued in 2021 reaffirming that all world religions espouse tolerance and peaceful coexistence in a spirit of shared humanity and calls for rejection of those who falsely and maliciously invoke religion to score political gains, create misconceptions, fuel division and spread fear and hatred.

The same resolution referred to the protection of places of worship in OP2 calling for strengthened international efforts to foster a global dialogue on the promotion of a culture of tolerance and peace at all levels, based on respect for human rights and for the diversity of religions and beliefs, and strongly deplores all acts of violence against persons on the basis of their religion or belief and such acts directed against their places of worship, as well as all attacks on and in religious places, sites and shrines that are in violation of international law.

I wish to re-iterate my commitment to work with you to combat Islamophobia and discrimination based on religion or belief.

I thank you

Share this

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)

Primary Sidebar

If you wish to receive updates about UNAOC's advocacy and programming activities, please sign up using the form below:


UNAOC Press Room

  • High Representative’s Remarks at the OIC 49th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers March 16, 2023
  • Remarks by the UNAOC Chief of Cabinet at the SOAR Project Final Policy Dialogue Meeting March 14, 2023
  • UNAOC High Representative’s Remarks at the Special Event Commemorating the International Day to Combat Islamophobia March 10, 2023
  • Remarks by the High Representative at the X Gobal Baku Forum: “The World of Today: Challenges and Hopes” March 9, 2023
  • High Representative’s Remarks at the UNOCT Quarterly Briefing to Member States February 28, 2023
Get Involved

UNAOC is the premier global platform for intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation. Learn how you can support UNAOC.

Support UNAOC

Footer

UNAOC News Flash

For the latest news from the United Nations Alliances of Civilizations, browse through the recent editions of our our monthly newsletter.


Programming Newsletter

To view the latest edition of “UNAOC In Focus”, our programming-focused newsletter, click here to browse through our archives.


UNAOC on Twitter

  • RT @nsaad777: Participated in the 49th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OI… https://t.co/p0beADY6Vz
  • RT @NizamiGanjaviIC: #XGBF #XGlobalBakuForum brought together 400 international participants from 61 countries. Among them 7 current hea… https://t.co/BZf2PM69UZ
  • RT @nsaad777: The High Representative @unaoc @miguelmoratinos tells #OIC the persistent manifestations of hatred, discrimination,… https://t.co/6lfyMHmS1U
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2021 UNITED NATIONS ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS | 730 THIRD AVENUE, 20TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10017 | PRIVACY | TERMS | Return to top