The International Conference on the Protection of Diversity and Fight Against Islamophobia kicked off on Friday (March 8, 2024) in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 

Organized by the Baku International Center for Multiculturalism, in partnership with the G20 Center for Interreligious Dialogue and the Azerbaijan Policy Analysis Center, the two-day conference brought together scholars and religious leaders from 30 countries, along with experts and representatives of international and non-governmental organizations and bodies. 

The Conference’s opening session was marked by a reading of the address of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev, who addressed the international community, highlighting Azerbaijan’s advanced role in standing against the active extremist currents that manifest Islamophobia in the West. 

In his statement at the first session of the Conference, Ambassador Khaled Fathurahman, Head of ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue, outlined the Organization’s new vision which stems from an open-door approach to accommodate visions characterized by diversity and cultural richness. The ICESCO official also addressed the civilizational dilemma posed by policies and trends resulting from Western centralism, noting that they attempt to impose and generalize the West’s vision, thus exacerbating the struggles of the future. 

The conference sessions will address several topics, including cultural diversity, Islam and the clash of civilizations, and women and human Rights.