JEDDAH – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called on the United Nations and other international and regional organizations to declare March 15 as international day of solidarity against Islamophobia, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef Bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen as saying on Saturday. Al-Othaimeen stressed that the call comes to enhance global awareness of the danger of Islamophobia, hatred and intolerance against Muslims, calling on the international community to take practical measures to address this phenomenon and promote tolerance, understanding and peaceful coexistence in the world. Al-Othaimeen was speaking on the occasion of the first anniversary of the terrorist attack, which targeted two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and killed a large number of innocent worshipers, expressing the organization's sympathy and solidarity with the families of the victims and the Muslim community there. The OIC chief reaffirmed the organization's appreciation of the firm and frank stance taken by the New Zealand government and people against terrorism, appreciating the distinguished position undertaken by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in her care of Muslims in her country in these difficult circumstances and the measures taken by her government to address hatred and terrorism. He affirmed that this heinous terrorist act sent a strong message that hate speech, intolerance and Islamophobia are a threat to all societies, and that terrorism has no religion, race or nationality. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's permanent representative to the UN, told a meeting of ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, said the use of terms linking terror to religion, such as Daesh (so-called IS), should be avoided. In his address as chairman of the Islamic group to combat terrorism on behalf of the OIC, Al-Mouallimi said there should be no discrimination between terrorist groups from all religions and sects, and calls for extremism and terrorism should be condemned regardless of their source, he added. The meeting was chaired by the UAE at the UN headquarters in New York.
