Within the framework of the League of Arab States' commitment to fostering continuous dialogue among peoples and religions, advancing cultural rapprochement between the nations of the world, and countering all forms of incitement to religious hatred, contempt for religions, extremism, racism, discrimination, and hate speech—which collectively undermine security and stability, fuel terrorism, and contribute to the eruption and perpetuation of conflict—the General Secretariat continues to act in accordance with the resolutions of the Council of the League of Arab States in this regard. The most recent of these is Resolution 9131, adopted by the Council at the ministerial level during its 163rd session on 23 April 2025, under the title "Tolerance, International Peace, and Security," which expressed grave concern over the growing prevalence of hate speech, intolerance, and discrimination based on religion or belief, particularly manifestations linked to the phenomenon of Islamophobia.
In implementation of this mandate, the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (Social Affairs Sector – Department of Culture and Dialogue of Civilisations) convened the International Conference on Combating Islamophobia under the theme "Islamophobia: Concept and Practice in the Current Global Context," held on 8 July 2025 at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Cairo, in cooperation with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO). The conference was inaugurated by His Excellency Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Media and Communication Sector, on behalf of His Excellency the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.
The conference was attended by Her Excellency Dr. Amira Al-Fadil, Advisor to the Director-General of ICESCO, representing His Excellency the Director-General of the Organisation, as well as the President of Al-Azhar University and the Legal Advisor to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. The conference also witnessed the participation of representatives from Arab and Islamic states, international and regional organisations, non-governmental organisations, academics, experts, members of the diplomatic corps, and youth representatives.
Discussions at the conference addressed the root causes behind the proliferation of Islamophobia, including political, media-related, and societal factors; the persistent and deliberate association of Islam with terrorism and extremism; widespread ignorance of Islamic values and teachings; incitement through political and media platforms; fear of the "other"; and anxieties surrounding national identity. These elements have contributed to the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment, the entrenchment of prejudiced narratives and false stereotypes, and the pervasive dissemination of hate speech—often escalating to acts of racism, discrimination, and at times, violence and terrorism.
The conference also examined the role of international, regional, and local institutions working in the areas of interfaith dialogue and cultural pluralism in advancing sustainable dialogue among followers of different religions and cultures. In this context, experiences of Muslim communities in several European countries were presented, alongside the strategies adopted by Arab and Islamic states to promote coexistence and tolerance.
