António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, cited a verse from the Holy Quran to emphasize the greatness of Islam, which urged the protection of the vulnerable and refugees centuries before the 1951 Convention.
On the occasion of the first International Day to Combat Islamophobia (Islamophobia), corresponding to March 15, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, described Islamophobia as poison, saying that the world’s Muslims, who number about two billion, are the embodiment of humanity in all its diversity, noting that they descend from all corner of the globe, but they often face intolerance and prejudice for no reason other than their faith, according to the United Nations website.
He said that he saw first-hand when he was High Commissioner for Refugees, the generosity of Muslim countries that opened their doors to those forced to flee their homes, at a time when many other countries closed their borders.
He added that this generosity is a contemporary manifestation of what the Holy Qur’an brought in Surat Al -Tawbah: “And if one of the polytheists has traveled, then he rewarded it until he hears the words of God, then he will be.”
He said that this protection is guaranteed to believers and non-believers alike, and is an impressive expression of the principle of refugee protection centuries before the conclusion of the 1951 Refugee Convention.
With the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations said that the message of peace, sympathy and compassion brought by Islam, more than 1,400 years ago, is an inspiration to people around the world, noting that the word Islam itself is derived from the same root as the word peace.
Today, the United Nations General Assembly is holding a high-level event, on the occasion of the first International Day to Combat Islamophobia (Islamophobia), corresponding to March 15, with the participation of the President of the General Assembly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan in his capacity as head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in addition to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Secretary-General. General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, academics and various member states of the United Nations.
