The Andalusian Hall of the League of Arab States, in cooperation with the Islamic World Organisation for Education, Culture, and Science (ICESCO), hosted on 8 July an international conference on combating Islamophobia under the theme "Islamophobia: Concept and Practice in the Current Global Context."
His Excellency the Secretary-General, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, delivered the opening address, in which he underscored the League of Arab States' principles, contributions, and vision for fostering a culture of peace and coexistence and combating hatred. The convening of this conference is grounded in the resolutions of the League Council at both the summit and ministerial levels, as well as in initiatives undertaken by the General Secretariat and the action plans of specialised ministerial councils to address this phenomenon, which has witnessed a marked surge, particularly across parts of the Western world.
Inspired by its civilisational and cultural legacy, the Arab Group continues to actively engage in multilateral platforms, notably within the framework of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations. Notably, the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Morocco hosted the Alliance Forum in 2011 and 2022, respectively, while the 11th session was held in Portugal in November 2024.
It is worth noting that Miguel Moratinos, the High Representative for the Alliance and recently appointed Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Islamophobia, announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, host of the 12th session, had proposed holding the forum in 2025, rather than in 2026, as a demonstration of its firm commitment to advancing global efforts in this regard.
In his speech—delivered on his behalf by Ms. Amira Al-Fadil, Advisor to the Director-General—Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General of ICESCO, stressed that combating Islamophobia cannot be achieved without the dismantling of deep-rooted structures of prejudice and hatred. He affirmed the need for concerted action among governments, international and regional organisations, academics, and experts. He further noted that this phenomenon is no longer a concern solely for Muslims, but a pressing threat to societal cohesion and the broader quest for a just and peaceful world.
In the presentation delivered on behalf of the Media and Communication Sector, under the session on models and experiences for combating Islamophobia, the League of Arab States' comprehensive media strategy abroad was highlighted. The strategy includes an observatory, an integrated platform, and three central pillars that aim to defend the legitimate Palestinian cause, promote Arab and Islamic cultural heritage, and rectify prevailing stereotypes of the Arab and Muslim world. The initiative complements the objectives of the Arab Media Strategy and its implementation plan, the Joint Strategy to Combat Terrorism, and the recently drafted Arab Media Code of Honour.
