Foreign Minister Lavrov Says Russia and the OIC Will Continue to Fight Islamophobia Throughout the World

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.. (Twitter/@mfa_russia)

JAKARTA - Russia together with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will continue to fight Islamophobia, Christianophobia and Russophobia throughout the world, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in his remarks to participants in the OIC Young Diplomat Forum.

This conference was held on the sidelines of the international economic event "Russian-Islamic World: KazanForum" which was held in Kazan, Tatarsan on May 14-19, 2024.

"We, together with the OIC, are ready to continue to facilitate interreligious and cross-cultural dialogue and protect the spiritual and moral values ​​adhered to by all religions in the world," said Foreign Minister Lavrov, quoted from TASS 16 May.

"Combating Islamophobia, Christianophobia and Russophobia as well as other forms of racial and ethnocultural hatred," he continued.

"Russia is the largest Eurasian country, a civilized country that traditionally supports honest and respectful relations with Muslim countries," stressed Foreign Minister Lavrov.

Foreign Minister Lavrov underlined that Russia is a consistent supporter of establishing a more just and democratic multipolar world order based on the principles of the UN Charter.

"We are firmly united by unwavering adherence to the cultural and civilizational uniqueness of peoples and their natural right to preserve their traditions and history, to determine for themselves the path of their development," he explained.

Previously, President Vladimir Putin in a question and answer session and press conference at the end of last year expressed concern over the increase in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Russophobia throughout the world.

"Regarding the increase in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Russophobia, and other similar manifestations, yes, it does seem to be increasing, and there is an upward trend," said President Putin while answering a question about his opinion on the growth of Islamophobia to anti-Semitism around the world.

According to the President, this is because people are vulnerable to experiencing injustice like this. He cited the current situation in the Gaza Strip as an example, which is producing a "certain reaction" in the Islamic world and an increasing number of people who are "thinking radically."

"This increase is obvious because the number of such people continues to increase. There is nothing good here, but this is the result of elitist policies and the absence of a just solution to the Palestinian problem for decades," said President Putin.

In Russia, he added, a large role in maintaining inter-ethnic peace is played by religious denominations and the appeal to traditional values, as well as implementing balanced domestic and foreign policies.