New York, Mar 17 (V7N) – The International Day for the Prevention of Islamophobia is being observed worldwide at the end of Ramadan. At a high-level event at UN headquarters on Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the global community to speak out against rising anti-Muslim hatred.

In his address, Guterres highlighted that conflicts and instability around the world are putting countless lives at risk, including those of nearly 2 billion Muslims who live with fear and uncertainty even away from active conflict zones. He stressed that Islamophobia goes beyond individual acts of hatred, taking forms such as institutional discrimination, socio-economic marginalization, and intrusive surveillance.

“When influential figures make discriminatory statements, hatred becomes normalized,” Guterres said. He also called on technology companies to take stronger measures against online hate speech and harassment, noting that entire communities should not be stigmatized in the name of security.

To strengthen international coordination against Islamophobia, the UN Secretary-General announced the appointment of the High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as the UN Special Envoy on Combating Islamophobia.

Guterres concluded by emphasizing that the core lessons of Ramadan—compassion and solidarity—should guide efforts against hatred and division. He called on governments worldwide to uphold equality and human rights, warning that silence in the face of hatred allows it to spread. He ended by wishing everyone a blessed Ramadan.

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