Speech of his Excellency Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu at the Conference of Foreign ministers of Muslim and western countries

Date: 18/10/2008

"common world: progress through diversity" ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN OCTOBER 17, 2008 Your Excellency President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Honourable Foreign Ministers, Your Excellency Jorge Sampaio, High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Allow me at the outset to pay tribute to His Excellency, President Nursultan Nazarbayev for his highly inspiring statement which has eloquently articulated the theme of this Conference: “The Common World: Progress Through Diversity; Muslim World and the West”. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to the Government and people of Kazakhstan for the warm hospitality extended to me and to my delegation and to wish them continued progress and prosperity. I feel greatly encouraged by this initiative taken by Kazakhstan in bringing together an assembly of Foreign Ministers of Muslim and Western Countries to deliberate on one of the most burning issues of our times. As I welcome you to this important gathering, I feel confident that we have all come here with an open mind, to be frank in our deliberations and prepared to make constructive contributions to the challenges confronting us. I hope that this Conference would be a beginning of a series of interactions at the level of Foreign Ministers towards concrete progress. I think that it is of paramount importance that we have a clear understanding of the concept of diversity which Islam recognized since more than fourteen centuries, and made of it one of its fundamental principles. This would require involving ourselves in a serious dialogue which will bring into focus the concerns and perceptions of different stakeholders on diversity and seek out common positions in order to make progress. As Secretary General of the OIC, I have been consistent in my call for raising the dialogue among civilizations to a political level. We believe that it is only through acknowledging and celebrating diversity that we can promote reciprocal knowledge of culture, religious and ethnic diversity. This process will help us build a framework for commonly shared values, intercultural competencies and foster dialogue aiming at attaining sustainable understanding, peace and harmony. It is also through recognizing the merit of diversity that we can raise awareness among decision makers, and the representatives of civil society to the value and potential inherent in dialogue, and help us to debunk the myths and misperception that result from ignorance and prejudice. To advance diversity, first and foremost, we need to bear in mind the fact that no civilization is unitary and no culture is monolithic, since both are interdependent and resulting from mutual exchange and borrowing and since that no civilization has grown in isolation. We should admit that human civilization is one civilization but has a multitude of tributaries and branches. There have been intense interaction among different civilizations that have influenced one another in more than one way. This aspect has been more pronounced in the relations between Muslim and Western societies. Honorable Foreign Ministers, Distinguished delegates. I believe that for a comprehensive understanding of the theme of this conference, we need to take a look into history. Islam emerged as a continuation of the preceding Abrahamic faiths. It recognized and revered Christianity and Judaism and supplemented them with a new message of peace and moral values for humankind. Islam flourished in Europe over eight centuries in Spain and since the 14th Century in South East Europe, besides a presence in all the islands of the Mediterranean Sea from Cyprus to Sicily to Majorca to Rhodes to Malta and others. Many of the foundations of technological advancement of modern day can be traced from the pioneering innovations and contributions of Muslim scholars and scientists who in turn profited and built on the lore of ancient civilizations in the Middle East and beyond, and also on the Greek Hellenistic legacy. Today, in turn, the Muslim world relies to a large extent, on the West for the present day science and technology achievements. In other words, the history of civilization has always been a continuous process of give and take. I would not like to be misunderstood in having chosen to ignore the conflagrations, wars and the violence that have taken place over periods of history. But these confrontations resulted not so much because of religious rivalry but more from political aspirations. The lust for political and territorial gains has made Christians fight Christians for long periods including the Hundred Year religious War, at different points of history. The same can be said about Muslims although the magnitude and occurrences of such conflicts were much less in comparison. The end of the Second World War brought about the establishment of the United Nations with the objective to save the world from the scourge of war. While the UN has been successful in preventing another world war, rivalry among countries on political and ideological grounds continue to pose threat to global peace and security. A new disturbing element has now emerged adding to our fears. This is manifest in the growing intolerance of religious and cultural diversity better known as Islamophobia in which Muslims have been the principal target. In contemporary history, Europe and other western societies have hosted large populations of Muslims immigrants. Together with the indigenous European Muslims, Islam today is the second-largest religious faith in Europe and a home for 41 million Muslims. Those Muslim migrants who chose the West as their new homeland made effort to integrate into their adopted homes without divorcing their cultural past. While most of the Western population welcomed and accepted the Muslims migrants, as they are needed to fill the gap of the dwindling populations of some European territories, or as a needed workforce, some marginal groups and individuals were irritated by their presence. These groups espoused a culture of intolerance and incitement of racial and xenophobic intolerance against Muslims. On the same note, I would not absolve those groups and individuals who have resorted to violence in the name of Islam. These groups are abhorred in the Muslim world as much as they are in the West. But I sincerely believe that every one should realize that Islamophobia, which is abetting one side against another, spurring on hate and aversion, is a challenge for all humanity and not limited to the Muslim world alone. Stability, peace and security in the world are indivisible and should be treated as such. Everyone has a relevant role to undertake in this regard. In the long run, Islamophobia will prove to be a very dangerous phenomenon. We have to be vigilant to this trend, its features and its implications. We say that because we see that Islamophobia having permeated all media circles in the West is now gaining new grounds at the level of fanatics of extreme rights in Europe, pressure groups, human right activists and a section of scholars and even officials and policy-makers. We must counter Islamophobic assumptions which claim that Islam is a monolithic system without internal dialogue or development and bent on violence. Islamophobia creates or exacerbates the suffering of Muslim communities in the West and negatively affect their wellbeing in different ways, psychologically, economically and socially. It also results in their social exclusion and expose them to the vulnerability to physical violence and harassment. All these prejudices gravely undermine and erode their basic human rights. This dramatic situation should be rightfully recognized as a flagrant discrimination based on racial or religious grounds. This practice contradicts the European laws and the European standards of values. The EU Member States in the OSCE have since 1990 given anti-racism legal backing, under the slogan which says: “Racism is not an opinion; it is a crime.” Excellencies As Secretary General of the OIC, it falls on me to seize this opportunity to briefly apprise you on our organization. Contrary to what might be a common perception in the West, the OIC is not a religious organization. Our mandate is to uphold the interest of the Islamic countries in all fields, enhance and nurture solidarity among them, encourage joint Islamic action, streamline their policies on the major issues confronting the Muslim world, as well as working to advance economic and social development of Member States. Given the sizeable geographical stretch and large demographic potency of the Muslim world, the OIC has, since its inception, emerged as one of the largest intergovernmental organizations in the world, second only to the United Nations, with a constituency of 57 Member States and 5 Observer States. The OIC is proactive in playing a constructive role in conflict resolutions including UN peace keeping and peace building operations. The OIC is also active in the pursuit of economic and social development of the member states and committed to establish constructive partnerships with the West. However, in fulfilling its mandate to uphold the interests of the Muslim world, the OIC has been compelled on many occasions to clarify that Islam is the religion of peace, moderation and compassion, a religion that celebrates diversity, pluralism, equality, equity and recognition of the other. It recognizes and acknowledges both Christianity and Judaism and a host of other religions. Moderation in Islam has, for millennia on end, found its expression in diverse shape and manifold meanings that have become the distinctive trait of Islamic civilizations and its particular trademark. One of the recent major reforms undertaken has been the overhauling of the Organization’s Charter that is based on a new vision, objectives and principles which go in line with the prevailing universal contemporary realities and values. The Charter also gives prominence to democracy by prioritizing good governance. In this context, it asserts the rule of law, upholds and safeguards fundamental freedoms including freedom of expression and accountability. The vision of the new Charter gives due importance to, and acknowledges the universality of human rights. Not only does it ‘sanctify’ these rights, but it also establishes a Permanent and Independent Commission of Human Rights to monitor, document and deal with any violation of these rights by Member States. It espouses and totally endorses diversity. In the same vein, it exalts tolerance, compassion, equality, and actively promotes dialogue among civilizations to ensure the prevalence of peace, security and concord among all nations. The OIC has been a pioneer of the concept of dialogue among civilizations that was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1998. And at our initiative, the year 2001 was declared as the year of Dialogue Among Civilizations. In our continuous dealings with various Western institutions, including the EU, the European Council, the OSCE and other regional organizations, the OIC has always underscored the need for a dialogue that permeates to grass roots, involving the youths, women, teachers and religious preachers. But to make the dialogue meaningful and result oriented, I strongly believe that it has to be raised to the political level and backed by a political will. Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Our success in defending our just causes, beliefs and values was misperceived. Although our defense was premised solely on the terminology, language, and provisions of the international law and other international legal instruments dealing with human rights, and although the means and mediums we used is none but the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council which were duly democratically voted and endorsed by the international community, our detractors continue to cry foul and resort to insulting the OIC for the decisions and resolutions adopted by the United Nations. The OIC is depicted as a mafia organization, an organization which criminalizes Christianity, or an organization which violate the rights for freedom of religion and expression. All these accusations do not stand to the well established facts. According to the well-known verse of the Holy Quran, it is stipulated that: “No compulsion in the religion”. More than that, one of the major pillars of Islam is the firm belief in and adhering to the messages of Moses and Jesus Christe and a host of other religions. Any slur to Christianity or Judaism is contrary to what Islam and OIC stand for, and could not be conceived as tolerated by Islam or Muslims. I would like to make it abundantly clear that the OIC has never attacked any religion or faith. To do so, would be going against its Charter and the very fundamentals of Islamic faith. The rationale of the OIC to table the UN Resolution against Defamation of Religions was never intended against any particular religious faith or to curb freedom of expression. The OIC initiative was a rational and constructive one, to seek out a way to stop the incitement for hatred and violence. We never undermined the sanctity of the freedom of expression. What we wanted were measures against its abuse. I have discussed this issue at length with some of the leaders of the EU on the sidelines on the UNGA last month as well as with the US Secretary of State. I would reiterate our position once again here to urge the Foreign Ministers representing Western countries not to perceive the Resolution in other manner than what I have just described. At the same time I would like to assure them that we are prepared to cooperate in developing a compromise text so that we can reach a consensus on addressing a malaise of common concern. On an optimistic note, we are delighted and encouraged by a report written by very high ranking American Statesmen, under the title: “Changing course: A new direction for US Relations with the Muslim World”. This report which was published recently recommends: “more diplomatic engagement with the Muslim world and a major investment in economic development in Muslim countries.” It also calls for “the appointment of a Special Envoy within the first three months of the new mandate of the next U.S. President.” The report also came to conclusion that the sore relations between the USA and the Muslim world “were generated by American policies rather than by Muslim religious or cultural beliefs.” This report has been handled to both U.S. Presidential contenders John McCain and Barak Obama. In the same vein, we have expressed our appreciation for the instructions issued by the U.S. Government to all federal and governmental officials ordering them to abstain from using any derogative terms vis-à-vis Islam, such as Islamic-terror or fascism. I hope that this good news coming from U.S. Government and from American highly respected and influential leaders will mark a genuine paradigm shift in relation between the USA and the Muslim world. We also hope that this courageous moves might be emulated by other international players, as it carries happy tidings to radically change the fundamental basis of the relations between the USA and the Muslim world, opening the way to the advent of a new atmosphere which allows for the prevailing of peace, security, prosperity and concord among the nations of the world. Excellencies, It was observed that during negotiations of the Astana Declaration at the meeting of Senior Officials held in August this year, the European Group took issue with the term of “Western and Muslim” world, stating that these were abstract terms that had no geographical or legal standing. This position was taken, despite the fact that this terminology has an accepted usage in all international dialogues and forums including the UN, the EU and the Alliance of Civilizations. It has also been used by historians, politicians and sociologists since the fourteen centuries. I feel that there is still a lot to be done to set the perceptions right on diversity and make progress. I would like to reiterate my call for a historic reconciliation between Islam and Christianity as was the case between Christianity and Judaism in the course of the last century. This would surely remove many of the misperceptions and misconceptions that lie in the way of appreciating diversity and engendering progress. We regard this gathering as a conceptual continuation of the OIC-EU Forum held in Istanbul in 2002 and has proven to be of considerable importance. The present day prevailing circumstances call for the resumption of the year 2002 Forum as quickly as possible, to jointly tackle the new and daunting challenges facing the West and Muslim world, with a view to achieving a better understanding and cooperation between our two groups. I hope that this august assembly will give due consideration to my call so that we may clear the way for the infusion of confidence and inter-faith harmony, and may be able to chart to our mounting generations a climate of peace and security conducive to lead humanity to well-being and prosperity.

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