Conference on Islamophobia in Azerbaijan becomes geopolitical fault line Berliner Zeitung’s article

An article about the international scientific conference entitled “Embracing Diversity: Tackling Islamophobia in 2024” held in Baku has been published by Germany’s Berliner Zeitung daily newspaper.

The author of the article notes that this event, dedicated to an important aspect of Europe’s future, became a warning to European politicians, Trend reports.

“The international conference on Islamophobia in the capital of Azerbaijan has become a geopolitical fault line. The organisers spoke about the religious dimension of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the Pakistanis reminded the fate of 200 million Muslims in India. The bloody persecution of Muslims in Myanmar and the oppression of about 18 million Muslims in China were also mentioned. The main topic of the speech by experts, namely, scholars and representatives of Muslim circles from around the world was the liberalism of the secular West. France was cited as an example,” the article says.

According to the article, 130 participants from 31 countries, including well-known representatives of multilateral interreligious dialogue attended the conference. One of the sponsors was the G20 Interfaith Forum. Most Europeans arrived from France and the UK.

“Sarah Al-Sheikh Cheikh-Husain, PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, delivered a speech in Baku about the representatives of different religions living together. Despite some hostility towards Muslims in Australia, the conditions are favourable in Australia compared to France. The Australian Muslim community is consciously working to bridge the divide between public and private. Mosques regularly hold open days, and on holidays people pray together in public parks,” the author wrote.

“Despite global inter-confession tension between Muslims and Hindus in India, Jews and Muslims in Palestine, Muslims and Christians in the South Caucasus, everyone agrees that Islamophobia has no roots in other religions, especially Abrahamic ones. Mohammed El Maazouz, director of the European Arab Academy for Geostrategic Studies in Paris, sees Islamophobia as a continuation of the French state policy since the Crusades in the 13th century. However, the number of anti-Islamic statements has recently increased sharply,” the author said.

 El Maazouz noted that if European policy does not change, there will be a civil war in ten years.

“Some conference participants living outside Europe were surprised that the term ‘multicultural’ had lost its significance in Europe. Representatives of Muslims still consider multicultural coexistence and living together as an ideal,” the author wrote.

The author also noted that some conference participants considered Azerbaijan as a suitable model - a country that is both religiously positive and secular.

“For such a country as Azerbaijan, this is an opportunity to present itself as an alternative. Too many Muslims perceive European laws, values and ideas as discriminatory. Even superficial rhetoric about tolerance and diversity does not change anything. Widespread debates about neo-colonialism and decolonisation, double standards, Western deceit and hypocrisy raise doubts. The conference that clearly defines Islamic expectations and demands is commendable,” the author added.