OIC holds meeting to discuss rise in Islamophobia

RIYADH: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held a workshop and meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, recently to discuss the OIC Islamophobia Observatory’s work in dealing with the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment in the West.
The Research Center for Islamic History, Arts, Culture (IRCICA) and the OIC General Secretariat co-hosted the workshop, according to Maha Akeel, OIC director for information and media department.
The meeting was conducted in panel discussions. The sessions included a review of the OIC Islamophobia Observatory, the role of the diaspora in combating Islamophobia and countering intolerance and discrimination based on religion, and the role of member states and OIC institutions in combating Islamophobia.
Participants reviewed the OIC Islamophobia Observatory and came up with rules and actions to be undertaken by the observatory in light of the recent rise in Islamophobia, the OIC said on its website.
According to a communication from Dodik Ariyanto, OIC representative in Istanbul, the meeting evaluated the actual challenges and provided the observatory with recommendations on the roles and actions to be undertaken.
The experts’ meeting also addressed the challenges and cultivated ideas in terms of ways and means to reenergize the observatory.
The meeting also laid a strong foundation for coordination in the field of Islamophobia and suggested practical measures to improve and strengthen the OIC Islamophobia Observatory.
The meeting was successfully organized with the active participation and contribution of 26 OIC member countries, five institutions, six panelists, 33 experts (scholars, journalists and civil societies) and three moderators.