António Guterres said during the United Nations General Assembly's commemoration of the first International Day to Combat 'Islamophobia', that the world's nearly two billion Muslims are the embodiment of humanity in its diversity, noting that they hail from all corners of the globe, but they sometimes face intolerance and prejudice for no reason other than their faith.
Guterres praised the Islamic countries' dealing with the refugee issue and explained: "The message of Islam was an inspiration to people around the world."
He added: "The growing hatred faced by Muslims is not an isolated event, but an integral part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism and neo-Nazi ideologies that pay lip service to white supremacy, and violence that targets the most vulnerable segments of the population, including Muslims, Jews, some Christian minority communities, and others."
Guterres continued: "There are well-known links between Islamophobia and gender discrimination. We see some of the worst effects in the triple discrimination faced by Muslim women because of their gender, ethnicity and faith."
The Secretary-General stressed that the message of peace, sympathy, and compassion brought by Islam is an inspiration to people around the world, explaining that the word 'Islam' is derived from the same root as the word 'peace', pointing out that he saw for himself when he was High Commissioner for Refugees, the generosity of Islamic countries, which opened their doors to those who were forced to flee their homes, at a time when other countries closed their borders.
It is a dazzling expression of refugee protection centuries before the 1951 Refugee Convention came into being.
The Secretary-General touched on the United Nations strategy and action plan on hate speech, which provides a framework for the support provided to Member States in confronting this scourge, explaining also that the organization is pushing for the development of a code of conduct to promote integrity in the media.
Guterres praised the declaration of 'Human Fraternity for World Peace and Coexistence' - which was issued by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayyib, Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar — and said that it was "a model of sympathy and human solidarity."
Guterres said: "All great religions and customs call for the inevitability of tolerance, respect and understanding. In essence, we are about universal values: these values are the spirit of the United Nations Charter, and they are at the heart of our quest for justice, human rights and peace."
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