Snippets of Landmark resolution
The United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a Landmark resolution introduced by Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation that proclaims 15 March as International Day to Combat Islamophobia. The resolution was sponsored by 57 members of the OIC, and eight other countries, including China and Russia. Under its terms, the resolution strongly deplores all acts of violence against persons on the basis of their religion or belief and such acts directed against their places of worship, as well as all attacks on and in religious places, sites and shrines that are in violation of international law. The aims of the resolution is to raise international awareness about the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred along with sending a clear message that the world opposes all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, negative stereotyping and stigmatisation. The resolution also calls for promoting the message of tolerance, peaceful co-existence and interfaith and cultural harmony among all religions, races and nations. Several member states hailed the document though the representatives of India, France and the European Union expressed reservations saying that while religious intolerance was prevalent all over the world, the resolution singled out only Islam and excluded others. TW
