End Scourge of Islamophobia, Respect Every Person’s Dignity ‘No Matter Their Faith’, Secretary-General Stresses in International Day Message

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres' message for the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, observed on 15 March:

The world's 2 billion Muslims hail from all corners of the globe, reflecting the vast diversity of humanity itself.

Yet, they often face institutional discrimination, socioeconomic exclusion, biased immigration policies, and unwarranted surveillance and profiling.

These worrying trends are fuelled by anti-Muslim rhetoric and outright hate, which can lead to harassment and violence against individuals and places of worship.

Governments must take concrete steps to address hate speech, protect religious freedom and combat discrimination, including by ensuring full compliance with international human rights law.

Online platforms must work to wipe out hate speech and harassment against people based on their religion or belief.

And all people need to speak out against bigotry, xenophobia and discrimination wherever they find it.

That's why I appointed in May 2025 the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations as the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia to enhance our collective response.

On this International Day to Combat Islamophobia, let's re-commit to the equality, human rights and dignity of every person, no matter their faith.

Let's eradicate the scourge of Islamophobia from every country and community.