UN CHIEF DENOUNCES ISLAMOPHOBIA

The UN General Assembly convened a high-level meeting in November 2008 aimed at promoting a global dialogue about religions, cultures and common values, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon describing Islamophobia as “new term for an old and terrible form of prejudice.” In a speech at the start of a two-day High-Level Meeting on Culture of Peace, he called for ensuring human dignity for all. Opening his speech with Assalamu Alaikum, the secretary said, “Anti-Semitism remains a scourge. Islamophobia has emerged as a new term for an old and terrible form of prejudice. “And other kinds of faith-based discrimination and racism show a dismaying persistence. Sometimes it seems as if none of history’s awful lessons have been learned. He said, “Communal strife is intensifying. Extremist ideologies are on the rise. Societies are more polarised”.