BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 26. The world is witnessing a rise in manifestations of Islamophobia, the director general of the Center for the Study of History, Culture and Art of Islam (IRCICA), Mahmud Erol Kılıç, Trend reports.
He made the remark at a panel discussion titled "Hate Against Muslims in Politics: Legal Frameworks and Innovation Strategies" within the Conference on “Islamophobia in Focus: Unveiling Bias, Shattering Stigmas.
“Globally, there has been an increase in manifestations of Islamophobia in recent years, although this is happening with varying degrees of intensity in different regions. Numerous cases of aggressive rhetoric, discrimination, and even violence against people because of their Muslim identity have been recorded,” Kılıç said.
According to him, insulting statements against Islam and its holy symbols continue to spread in various media outlets.
“Islamophobia is a political-ideological phenomenon that depends on a specific context. Today, it is actively manipulated by different forces, especially during periods of instability, such as economic crises, election campaigns, increased migration and refugee flows, as well as during wars and terrorist attacks,” Kılıç pointed out.
He noted that IRCICA works to educate about Islam and Muslims, promote intercultural exchange, and mutual learning.
“Our wide range of activities, including conferences both in and outside member countries, art festivals, and cross-cultural workshops, serve this purpose,” Kılıç said.