Cairo, February 7, 2013 (MAP)
Cairo, February 7, 2013 (MAP)
Heads of state of Islamic countries welcomed on Thursday the initiative of King Mohammed VI to lay out an international charter for the respect of the holy nature of religions.
“We reiterate our firm support to the initiative of HM King Mohammed VI calling for laying out an international charter for the respect of the symbols and the holy nature of religions”, says the Cairo declaration adopted at the end of the Organization of Islamic cooperation summit held this Feb.6-7 in Cairo.
The initiative proposed by the sovereign during the precedent OIC summit held in Dakar calls for outlining appropriate norms and rules for the right of the freedom of expression and opinion and the obligation to respect symbols and holy nature of religions, the declaration points out.
The heads of state also stress the need for a larger institutionalization of cooperation between member states to efficiently implement the anti- Islamophobia strategy. The strategy was adopted by the 11th summit.
They also urged for speeding up the implementation of the OIC 11th summit decision to draft a constraining international legal instrument to prevent intolerance, discrimination, prejudice and hatred against religions and promote the respect of all religions alike.
The summit further expressed deep concern over the continuous upsurge of attacks against Islam and Muslims, particularly defamation of the Prophet Sidna Mohammed, burning the Coran and negative stereotypes on Muslims.
They also denounced increasing tendencies to stigmatize some religions and faiths, particularly Islam, by some national policies, laws and measures, calling member states to craft a unified strategy to encourage the international community to take efficient measures against calls for intolerance and hatred.
