BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 16. Islamophobia is widespread in the world today, Director of the TRT World Research Center Tarek Cherkaoui said at the international conference themed “Islamophobia as a Specific Form of Racism and Discrimination: New Global and Transnational Challenges” in Baku, Trend reports.
According to him, over the past 30-40 years, many studies of Islam have been carried out, but the nature of Islamophobia still has not been thoroughly researched.
"Unfortunately, today Islamophobia is widespread in the world. First, we must pay attention to the manifestation of Islamophobia in the media. Speaking of Islamophobia, we must also talk about the main reasons that are based on rooted beliefs," Cherkaoui said.
On March 15-16, the Baku International Multiculturalism Center (BIMC), the Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center), and the G20 Interfaith Forum are organizing an international conference dedicated to the International Day to Combat Islamophobia themed “Islamophobia as a Specific Form of Racism and Discrimination: New Global and Transnational Challenges”.
The main purpose of the conference is to provide an academic discussion platform on the alarming trends targeting Muslims and Muslim-populated countries at international and national levels.
The conference, bringing together scientists, experts of international organizations, religious figures, and representatives of non-governmental organizations from 32 countries, is featuring discussions on different approaches in the fight against Islamophobia, a manifestation of Islamophobia in some European countries, and Islamophobia in the international media.
15 March was designated as the “International Day to Combat Islamophobia” at the session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), held in Niamey, Niger, on November 27-28, 2020. In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring March 15 “International Day to Combat Islamophobia”.