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The speech of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, at the United Nations Headquarters, on Islam, the month of Ramadan, the Holy Qur’an, and Surat al-Tawbah, topped the social networking sites, amid great praise.
The pioneers of the communication sites praised the Secretary-General's speech on the virtue of Islam, the month of Ramadan, and the Muslims' love for alms, and that the message of peace and mercy that Islam brought is an inspiration to people around the world.
The following is the text of the speech of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia:
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank Pakistan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for focusing attention - and the call to action - to eradicate the toxins of Islamophobia.
The world's two billion Muslims reflect humanity in all its wonderful diversity.
They come from all over the world. They are Arabs, Africans, Europeans, Americans and Asians.
But they often encounter intolerance and prejudice for no other reason than their faith.
This hatred against Muslims takes many forms.
There is an institutional structural distinction.
This manifests itself in social and economic exclusion, discriminatory immigration policies, and unwarranted surveillance and profiling.
It manifests itself in the wholesale stigmatization of Muslim societies.
It is supported by biased media representations, and - shamefully - by the anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies of some political leaders.
Other than structural Islamophobia, Muslims suffer from personal attacks, hateful rhetoric, and stereotypes.
Many acts of intolerance and distrust may not be reflected in official statistics - but they degrade people's dignity and our common humanity.
The links between anti-Muslim hatred and gender inequality are unmistakable. We see some of the worst effects in the triple discrimination against Muslim women because of their gender, race, and belief.
The growing hatred faced by Muslims is not an isolated development.
It is an inexorable part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies, and violence targeting vulnerable populations including Muslims, Jews, some Christian minorities, and others.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Discrimination diminishes us all. It is our duty for all of us to stand against it. We should never be spectators to bigotry.
We must strengthen our defenses.
This means pushing for policies that fully respect human rights and protect religious and cultural identities, especially for minorities.
The United Nations Action Plan for the Protection of Religious Sites makes specific recommendations to support governments so that everyone can enjoy their right to safely practice their religion.
We must recognize diversity not as a threat, but as an enrichment to our societies.
This means intensifying political, cultural and economic investments in social cohesion.
We must confront intolerance wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head.
This includes working to tackle the hate that spreads like wildfire online.
That's why I've called on governments, regulators, tech companies, and the media to put up and enforce firewalls.
We have launched the United Nations Strategy and Action Plan on Hate Speech - to provide a framework for our support for Member States to confront this scourge while respecting freedom of expression and opinion.
As part of our common agenda, we are working on a global digital compact for an open, free, inclusive, and secure digital future for all, firmly grounded in human rights and non-discrimination.
And we're pushing for a code of conduct to promote integrity in public information — so people can make decisions based on facts, not fiction; Education not ignorance.
I will consider with interest the fresh proposals made today by His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.
I am grateful to the religious leaders around the world who are joining forces to promote interfaith dialogue and harmony.
The Declaration of Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, co-authored by His Holiness Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, is a model of compassion and human solidarity.
Excellencies,
We are just a few days away from the beginning of Ramadan.
For more than a millennium, Islam's message of peace, mercy, and grace has inspired people all over the world.
The word Islam itself is derived from the same root word - peace / peace.
As the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, I have seen the generosity of Muslim countries in welcoming people who have been forced to flee their homes, while many have closed their borders.
I saw the modern manifestation of what is stated in Surat al-Tawbah of the Holy Qur’an: “And if one of you asks for your protection, give him protection until he hears the word of God. Then take him where he can be safe.”
And this protection is to be given to believers and non-believers alike, again, according to the Qur'an.
What a wonderful expression of refugee protection centuries before the 1951 Refugee Convention.
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