The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, held the International Conference to Combat Islamophobia under the theme, “Islamophobia: Concept and Practice in the Current Global Context.” The Conference aimed to discuss the manifestations associated with Islamophobia and its impacts on community security, dialogue, and coexistence.

The Conference, held on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo, follows the UN General Assembly’s adoption of a historic resolution designating March 15 of each year as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. This comes as part of efforts to promote dialogue between peoples and religions, foster cultural rapprochement between communities, and counter all forms of hatred and religious disdain.

In an address at the opening session, delivered on his behalf by Ms. Amira Al Fadil, Advisor to the Director-General (DG) for External Relations, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO DG, stressed that countering Islamophobia cannot be achieved without the concerted efforts of international and regional organizations, governments, experts, and academics. He called for intensified joint cooperation to dismantle the structures of prejudice and hatred, and build bridges of understanding and mutual respect between different cultures.

Dr. AlMalik also stressed the need to adopt a comprehensive approach to combating Islamophobia through education, promoting shared human values, and working towards creating a global environment based on mutual acceptance and celebrating diversity rather than viewing it as a source of conflict.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector, Amb. Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, highlighted the League’s efforts to combat hate speech and promote the values of dialogue and tolerance. He pointed to the importance of developing strategies in the fields of education, culture, religious discourse, and foreign language proficiency, stating that these measures can cast light on Islamic values of tolerance and our lofty societal traditions. He also underlined the pivotal role of the media in promoting the values of tolerance, pluralism, and acceptance of the Other.

There followed the Conference’s scientific sessions, which featured rich contributions by a host of experts and academics on effective ways to combat Islamophobia. These included a statement by Dr. Hani Al-Balawi, Expert at ICESCO’s Center for Civilizational Dialogue, who reviewed the Organization’s forward-looking vision for confronting hate speech against Islam, and Dr. Mustafa Osman, former Sudanese Foreign Minister, who addressed the role of NGOs in combating Islamophobia. Dr. Abdessamad El Yazidi, DG of the German Institute for Dialogue and Understanding (Mouatana), also made a presentation discussing the topic of “Islamophobia in Europe: Causes, Consequences, and Ways to Address It – Germany as a Model.”