4 THE UNION OF NGOs OF 63 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF MUSLIM PHILANTHRO-
2008BULLETIN 4 THE ISLAMIC WORLD
8 NEW PERIOD IN MUSIAD
8 DUTY SHIFT IN UNIW
9 ENERAL COORDINATOR OF UNIW AT BAB-I ÂLEM MEETING
9 SECRETARY GENERAL DELIVERS A SPEECH AT CHANNEL A
10 THE SPEECH OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF UNIW AT
THE UNION OF ISLAMIC SCHOLARS
13 MEMBERS OF UNIW MAKE A PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT
PALESTINE ISSUE
15 WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PALESTINE, JOINT PRESS STATE-
MENT
18 TGTV MAKES A CALL FOR UNITY IN PALESTINE
19 UNIW - TGTV AND AL QUDS INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION
ARE TO COOPERATE
21 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA
23 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA OPEN-
ING SPEECH / NECMI SADIKOGLU
26 PRESENTATIONS
44 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA FINAL
COMMUNIQUE
47 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA OR-
GANISED BY THE UNION OF NGOS OF THE ISLAMIC
WORLD
48 CONFERENCE IN PICTURES
54 UNIW COMMISSIONS BEING CONSTITUTED
54 THE SECRETARY GENERAL’S CONGRATULATION MESSAGE
TO OIC SECRETARY GENERAL
55 THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS OF INDONESIA
MEETS WITH THE UNIW MEMBERS
55 THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE MUST BE STOPPED
57 URGENT MEETING OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANI-
ZATIONS FOR PALESTINE
58 CONSULTATION MEETING ON FAMILY IN DIYARBAKIR
59 INTERNATIONAL HALAL FOOD CONFERENCE SUPPORTED
BY UNIW ENDS
60 THE SECRETARY GENERAL TO GO TO REFAH TO PROVIDE
SUPPORT FOR PALESTINE
60 CALL FOR EMERGENCY AID FOR PALESTINE
61 ZUHAIR SALIM VISITS UNIW
62 UNIW COUNCIL TO GATHER IN KUWAIT ON MAY
62 THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF UNIW IS IN THE TRADE
CHAMBER OF ISTANBUL
PISTS HELD IN ISTANBUL
65 MAWLUD AL-NABI MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY
GENERAL
66 SECRETARY GENERAL SPEAKS AT HABER7 TV
66 UNIW STATEMENT ON THE LAWSUIT DEMANDING CLO-
SURE OF AK PARTY
67 MUHAMMED NAIM AKBEEK VISITS TURKEY
68 UNIW MEMBERS ATTEND OIC’S FIRST CONFERENCE OF
HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS IN DAKAR
68 EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS MUST NOT TOLERATE
ANTI-ISLAMISM
69 UNIW TURKISH MEMBERS 1ST CONSULTATION MEET-
ING HELD
70 LEBANON NGOS VISIT UNIW AND APPLY FOR MEM-
BERSHIP
70 CHAIRMAN OF IRAQI STUDENTS & YOUTH LEAGUE
VISIT UNIW
71 UNIW REPRESENTATIVE OF TURKEY VISITS TIKA
PRESIDENT
72 UNIW SECRETARY GENERAL DELIVERS A SPEECH AT IS-
TANBUL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ICOC)
72 UNIW REPRESENTATIVE OF TURKEY VISITS DR.
ADNAN ERTEM, PRIME MINISTRY DEPUTY UNDER-
SECRETARY
73 URGENT CALL FOR HELP TO PALESTINE
74 ASSEMBLY OF ISTANBUL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
77 UNIW IN THE PRESS
78 ISLAMOPHOBIA SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS CRIME
79 ISLAMOPHOBIA MUST BE ACCEPTED AS AN OFFENSE
80 TURKEY PREVENTS EUROPE’S FEAR
81 ISLAMOPHOBIA MUST BE ACCEPTED AN OFFENSE LIKE
ANTI-SEMITISM
81 ISLAMOPHOBIA CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL
82 UNIW’S SADIKOGLU: EUROPEAN STATES MUST NOT TOL-
ERATE ANTI-ISLAM ACTIVITIES
82 UNION OF NGOS OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD (UNIW): EU-
ROPEAN STATES MUST NOT TOLERATE ANTI-ISLAM
ACTIVITIES
83 EUROPE MUSN’T AGGRAVE ANTI-ISLAMISM
84 ISLAMOPHOBIA THE CONTINUATION OF THE CRUSADES
86 FEAR OF ISLAM IN DEPTH
87 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA
THE UNION OF NGOs OF
THE ISLAMIC WORLD
THE UNION OF NGOs OF
THE ISLAMIC WORLD
— ABOUT US
The Conference with the topic
of “The International Conference
of Non-governmental Organizations
of the Islamic World : Searching for
a New Vision in a Changing World “
was organized with the participation
of more than three hundred non-
governmental organizations from 40
countries, on the date of May 1,2005
in Istanbul.
On the first day of the Conference,
the Chairman of Turkish Parliament
Mr.Bulent ARINÇ made a speech. It
was the Foreign Minister Abdullah
GUL gave a speech as well, on the
second day. In the last session of the
Conference, a debate was initiated
over the draft regulation of the Asso-
ciation, and the establishment of The
Union of Non-Governmental Organi-
zations of Islamic World was agreed
upon with the votes of the representa-
tives who participated to the Confer-
ence.
For the first three-year period, the
Chairman of the Board of Directors
of the Turkish Voluntary Organiza-
tions Foundation (TGTV) Necmi
SADIKOGLU was elected as Secre-
tary General of the Union. Istanbul
was chosen as the headquarters of the
Union. Ali KURT was elected as the
Turkish representative of the Union.
The Union of NGOs of The Islam-
ic World has completed its foundation
process with the Cabinet Decree dated
December 31, 2005, under the provi-
4 www.theunity.org
sions of the Act No. 3335 regarding
the Foundation of the Organizations
Having International Characteristic.
At the present, the Union have 110
members. Mr. A.Cihangir Isbilir is the
General Coordinator of the Union.
— ACTING PARTS OF THE UNION:
1- General Assembly
2- Council
3- Secretariat
4- Commissions
5-Consultancies
6- Auditing Council
7- Advisory Council
8- Branches and Representatives
— OUR VISION:
Ensuring sustainable develop-
ment, consolidation and coordination
between non-governmental organiza-
tions of the Islamic world;
Contributing to establishing just,
peaceful and stable environments all
around the world;
Protecting the individuals’ and so-
cieties’ principle rights and freedoms;
Performing technical and social
studies based on participant and plu-
ralist principles for developing the
civil society cooperatively;
Performing activities introducing
Islamic culture and values.
— OUR MISSION:
Ensuring cooperation and coor-
dination between non-governmental
organizations of the Islamic world
by considering their constitutional
systems; developing common reflexes
and obtaining advantages by ensuring
knowledge, experience and views be-
tween the organizations based on the
objective of the Union;
Making the efforts for a better
world in cooperation with all non-gov-
ernmental organizations, which aim a
more safe and restful world;
Making the required structural ar-
rangements for these purposes, open-
ing the required branches, subunits
and representatives;
Ensuring participation to interna-
tional mechanisms effectively togeth-
er with the member organizations;
Generalizing the programs, which
are deemed as proper relating to the
voluntary organizations, and partici-
pating to all organizations relevant to
them and supporting them; setting up
collective working teams; establishing
research institutions; arranging train-
ing programs;
Contributing to the solutions of the
problems relating to the Islamic world
collectively; following developments
and crisis regions relevant to the ar-
eas in which the union interested, de-
termining a common attitude to the
developed events and the changes by
ensuring participation of the member
organizations; developing projects;
obtaining the required initiative, set-
ting up monitoring committees when
required,
Making activities for introducing
the Islamic culture and civilization
and for preventing all types of dis-
criminations;
Supporting all local, regional and
international attempts targeting es-
tablishing cooperation and solidarity
in the Islamic world;
Helping those, who are in difficul-
ties and have experienced damages
and troubles from wars and disasters
when required in cooperation with lo-
cal or international charitable institu-
tions.
— WHO CAN APPLY FOR THE MEMBERSHIP?
Having been adopted the Islamic
Culture and purposes of The Union,
Have not been interfered to violent
acts,
Having the characteristics of a
non-profit organization,
Not taking orders from any other
authority,
Having Legal Entity under the law
of their own country,
Having been established at least 1
year before the recourse for the mem-
bership,
Having no connection with any
www.theunity.org
5
 THE UNION OF NGOs OF
THE ISLAMIC WORLD

political parties and any kind of sister
organizations,
Having taken references of two
currently member organizations of
the Union.
— HOW CAN THE APPLICATION PROCESS
BE CARRIED OUT?
All and every NGOs on the condi-
tion of having application qualities of
membership may apply for becoming
a member in writing by the agency of
its representative to The Union after
rendering such decision through com-
petent organs thereof. In the decision
regarding the application for mem-
bership full name of the representa-
tive to The Union shall be expressly
mentioned.
Application for the membership
shall be submitted to the Council
through a fully filled The Union Ap-
plication Form (Appendix-2) having
the organization’s application deci-
sion and references of two currently
member organizations of The Union
appended.
Procedures regarding the applica-

— MEMBERS of the UNION COUNCIL:

1- Necmi SADIKOGLU 6- Dr. Ghulam Nabi el FAI

Turkey ( Secretary General ) USA

2- Ali KURT 7- Mohammed Ali Al-Amin MOHAMMED ALI

Turkey (Deputy Secretary General) Sudan

3- Mubarak al MUTAWWA 8- Nedim KAYA

Kuwait (Deputy Secretary General) Azarbaijan

4- Prof. Dr. Salah Abd el MUTAAL 9- Mohammed Naim AKBEEK

Egypt Syria

5- Ahmed A’zam ABDULRAHMAN 10- Mohammed Naji ALLAW

Malaysia Yemen

6 www.theunity.org
tion for membership will be followed
by the secretariat for submitting it at
the next first the Council’s Ordinary
Meeting.
Council shall examine the member-
ship application of NGOs in terms of
eligibility qualities of membership.
The application after being found
eligible by the Council, all members
shall be informed of this status along
with the agenda of the meeting at
least 15 days prior to the General As-
sembly meeting in which the member-
ship is scheduled to be put to vote.

11- Dr. Hani el BENNA 16- Fuhaid M. AL-HOWAIMEL

UK Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

12- Abdurrahman PIRANI 17- Mohammed AL-KATTAN

Iran Bahrain

13- Suripto 18- Mohammed Sirach MOHAMMED

Indonesia Ethiopia

14- Cemalettin LATIC 19- Prof. Dr. Anis AHMAD

Bosnia Pakistan

15- Shuaib Abdullatif SHEIKH 20- Husam KHRAIM

Somalia Palestine

www.theunity.org
7
NEW PERIOD IN MUSIAD
17th Ordinary General Meeting of
MUSIAD, one of the charter members
of UNIW, was held in Grand Cevahir
Convention Center on April 19, 2008.
Necmi Sadıkoglu, the Secretary
General of UNIW and Cihangir İsbilir,
the General Coordinator of the Union
participated in the general assembly.
The meeting was also attended by
Köksal Toptan, the President of the
Turkish Grand National Assembly; Re-
cep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minis-
ter; Hayati Yazıcı, Minister of the State
and Deputy Prime Minister; Mehmet
Simsek, Minister of State Responsible
for Economy; Veysel Eroglu, Minister
of Environment and Forestry; Hilmi
Güler, Minister of Energy and Natural
Sources; Zafer Çaglayan, Minister of
Industry and Trade; Kürsat Tüzmen,
DUTY SHIFT IN UNIW
A new appointment took place
in the Union of Non-Governmental
Organisations of the Islamic World
(UNIW) as of 25 February, 2008.
Mustafa Özkaya who had been
serving as the General Coordinator
of UNIW for two years has been ap-
pointed as the Deputy Representative
of Turkey and Cihangir Isbilir who
had been serving as the Deputy Gen-
eral Coordinator has been appointed
as the General Coordinator.
Cihangir Isbilir, the General Coordi-
nator of UNIW was born in K.Maras.
8 www.theunity.org
Minister of State Responsible for For-
eign Trade; Nimet Çubukçu, Minister
of State Responsible for Women and
Family; Binali Yıldırım, Minister of
Transportation; Bülent Arınç, Former
President of the Turkish Grand Nation-
al Assembly and Manisa Parliamentar-
ian; Muammer Güler, Istanbul Gover-
nor; Kadir Topbas, Mayor of Istanbul
Metropolitan Municipality and Rıfat
Hisacıklıoglu, the President of TOBB.
Ömer Cihat Vardan was elected as
the General President of MUSIAD
in place of Ömer Bolat at the meet-
ing. Necmi Sadıkoglu, the Secretary
General of UNIW, sent a congratula-
tory message to the General President
Ömer Vardan and wished him suc-
cess.
Having graduated from Ankara Uni-
versity, Faculty of Political Sciences,
Department of International Rela-
tions, Isbilir received his master’s
degree in Constitutional Structure of
Syria and Baath Party.
He had researches on books of po-
litical science in Islamic History and
on the USA political history. He has
been serving as columnist for several
national media organs with various
signatures for over ten years and now
he is the executive editor of two mag-
azines, one is in English, the other is
in Turkish.

Guest students of 72 countries who
study in Turkey met at the “Internation-
al Students’ Meeting”. Cihangir İsbilir,
the General Coordinator of UNIW at-
tended the meeting.
The students, gathered at the Show-
room of Taksim District Subway by
Bab-ı Alem International Students’ As-
sociation, showed an example of peace
and brotherhood.
Attending the meeting in their in-
digenous costumes, the students were
the centre of attention. Performing the
Necmi Sadıkoglu, the Secretary
General of UNIW, made a statement
for a documentary, concerning Is-
lamophobia, prepared in the scope of
“Documentary from the Past to the
Future” and broadcasted by Channel
A (Kanal-A).
Having provided information
about the International Conference
on Islamophobia held on December
8-9, 2008 in Istanbul and its out-
comes, Sadıkoglu stated the follow-
ing:
“Islamophobia is an obvious
threat to the world peace. It is beyond
a kind of idea, it is a clear discrimi-
nation and a crime against humanity.
Islamophobia should be regarded as
GENERAL COORDINATOR OF UNIW AT BAB-I ÂLEM MEETING
inauguration of the exhibition, Numan
Kurtulmus, the Deputy Chairman of
the Fazilet Party, stated the following:
“This workshop is realized in accord-
ance with the organizational skills of the
university students. Our students organ-
ize this exhibition so as to present their
countries, cultures, well-known person-
alities and their scholars to our people.
I wish they described their nation to
our people, and familiarized with our
values and they became voluntary mes-
sengers of our country when they return
home”.
SECRETARY GENERAL DELIVERS A SPEECH AT CHANNEL A
a crime like Anti-Semitism and new
laws should be adopted against this
dangerous discrimination feeding on
terrorism and racism.
“Attempts to consubstantiate
Islam and terrorism are certainly
an evil-minded discourse and it is
a product of the dark propaganda
which aims to increase Islamopho-
bia. The use of such terms as ‘Is-
lamic terrorism’ or ‘Islamofascism’
is the part of a whole attack aiming
to spread Anti-Islamism. We should
struggle against Islamophobia and
Anti-Islamism both of which feed
on ignorance, malicious policies and
provocative mass media activities”.
www.theunity.org
9
THE SPEECH OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF UNIW AT THE UNION
OF ISLAMIC SCHOLARS
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful,
the Compassionate,
Endless Praises be to Allah who
commanded in His Book, the Qur’an,
as : “ If you do not know, ask from the
Scholars “ (Fatir, 35 / 28) and made us
meet each other in such a auspicious
meeting like this and gave us a cause
to start the first step for the unity of
Muslims.
Also, as much peace and praises as
the numbers of letters written by the
scholars, be upon Our Beloved Proph-
et who declared as: “the scholars are
the inheritors of the Prophets.” (Bu-
hari, Ilm, 10) and to His (pbuh) Fam-
ily Members and Friends.
Peace and Mercy be with You!
Distinguished Mr. Deputy Prime
Minister,
Distinguished Ministers,
Distinguished Assembly Chairmen
of the Assemblies and Members of Par-
liaments,
Distinguished Secretary General of
the Islam Conference,
Distinguished Chairman of Reli-
gious Affairs Presidency,
Distinguished Governor,
Distinguished Chairman and Mem-
bers of the Union of Islamic Scholars,
Distinguished Guests from all over
the world,
10 www.theunity.org
Distinguished Chairman and Mem-
bers of the Foundations of Volunteer
Organizations,
Distinguished Press Members,
Welcome to the Opening Meeting
of the 2nd General Assembly of the
Union of Islamic Scholars..
We are honoured to have you here.
I do thank all of you that you have
participated in such an important and
auspicious meeting.
Also, I present my gratitudes to all
the scholars and especially to Master
Yusuf Al-Kardavi, that they prefer us
and accept our hosting service for or-
ganizing this meeting in Istanbul.
Honourable Participants and
Guests,
In our culture, we regard a scholar
as a universe. The scholars are our
guides. All the behaviours of those
scholars are taken as the guiding ex-
amples in the Islamic World. Because
the scholars always remember that
Our Prophet (pbuh) said: “The supe-
riority of a scholar over an ordinary
Muslim is just as my superiority over
you.” (Kutub-i Sitte,4102)
The Islamic scholar is a guide who
directs the society and pays all the at-
tention for applying the orders of Al-
lah. Nations live as long as they fol-
low and stay on the right paths of the
scholars.
For that reason, Our Prophet

(pbuh) ordered : “ Death of Ali made
a hole on the wall of Islam” (Darimi,
Preface, 32)
Because of this, this conference
and this initiative is so important.
This is a meeting of a unity. Further-
more, this meeting is not such an ordi-
nary one. It is the meeting of Islamic
Scholars. Even a small action that
becomes a cause for the unity of Mus-
lims must be regarded as a big action.
On the other hand, a small action that
becomes a cause for a conflict among
Muslims must be regarded as a big
murder. If our scholars unite, Islamic
World will be in unity. If our scholars
conflict, Islamic World will get the
disease of dispute.
Honourable Participants and
Guests,
The World is facing enormous
changes and transformations. In the
past, when people heard of the words
‘Islamic World’, they thought of a
few countries. Today, the world has
turned into a world of Islam thanks
to the Muslim’s emigration to many
different countries and the increase
in their numbers. Regarding this sub-
ject, a thinker said: “In the past, ‘the
West’ and ‘Islam’ were the words of
the debates. Now, in the West, ‘Islam’
is the issue being discussed.
Some power centres observing
that this transformation affecting the
world, are planning many tricks for
incriminating Muslims and spoiling
Islam. They do not hesitate for carry-
The Opening Speech of Mr. Necmi Sadikoglu, the Secretary General of the Union of Non-
Governmental Organizations of the Islamic World (UNIW), and the Chairman of Foundation of
Volunteer Organizations of Turkey (TGTV), at the General Assembly of the Union of Islamic
Scholars. July 10, 2006 – Istanbul.
ing out plans that will offend Muslims
where they live. They do not be reluc-
tant to apply tricks that will cause
instability and chaos in the Islamic
World.
For stopping those tricks, Muslims
must unite in all the fields. This is our
most important duty today.
There are just a few causes to initi-
ate conflicts among us, but there are
many reasons for uniting Muslims. We
have to remember holy ties that make
us united and we have to make people
remember it. Because, the help and
mercy of Allah will surround us only
if we hold fast to His Rope together.
Today, we cry for Palestine and feel
sad for Iraq. If we do not unite, there
will be no change tomorrow, but those
names of the places will be different
and our sadness and cry will remain.
Today, our picture over here is what
the Islamic World needs most. So, it is
not wrong to describe those kinds of
meetings as ‘historical’.
For that cause, I as a Secretary
General of the Union of non-Govern-
mental Organizations of the Islamic
World and the Chairman of the Foun-
dation of Volunteer Organizations of
Turkey, thank once again for the ones
who served for this auspicious action.
Our Prayers and support will always
be with you.
Honourable Guests and Friends,
We got on the road by thinking that
www.theunity.org
11
 the unity is what Muslims need most
and we established the Foundation of
Volunteer Organizations of Turkey
on December 22, 1994. TGTV has be-
come the symbol of unity. Sharing the
distresses of Muslims and reacting for
those issues, coordinating and unit-
ing our foundations and associations
for carrying out auspicious works are
the main aims of TGTV. With its 99
members, TGTV has fulfilled many
projects directing our nation and re-
flecting our nation’s views to the po-
litical and administrative fields for 12
years and it has still been carrying out
similar projects.
With the Help of Allah TGTV
has once again carried out a giant
project at the end of last year. With
the initiation of TGTV the Union of
non-Governmental Organizations of
the Islamic World has been founded
with the participation of almost 500
representatives of non-governmental
organizations from 40 different coun-
tries. Founding process has officially
completed with the decision of the
Council of Ministers and the approval
of The President of Turkish Repub-
lic. Istanbul was chosen for the centre
of the Union and I was elected as the
Secretary General.
The Union of non-Governmental
Organizations of the Islamic World
excited the Islamic World. Following
the establishment of the Union, the
number of the members has reached
to 80 in 6 month’s time. In that pe-
riod, we have improved our way of re-
flex actions regarding the important
issues.
Furthermore, in that short period
of time, we have organized three in-
ternational meetings.
Following the first meeting of the
Union Council, which consisted of 20
12 www.theunity.org
different countries, in March 2006,
the second meeting was held in Ja-
karta, Indonesia between 1st and 5th
of July, 2006. We, as a committee
which consisted of Council Members
and Board of Directors Members, met
our brothers in Indonesia and Malay-
sia. We visited Jogjakarta where the
disasters of earthquake and volcano
took place and we visited Ache where
the tsunami disaster befell. We met
our brothers and made consultations
with them. We examined our brothers’
projects. We delivered your regards to
them and we brought their regards
from Jakarta, Jogjakarta, Ache and
Kualalumpur.
As a result of this, I invite all the
foundations and associations of the
Islamic World to be a member of the
Union of non-Governmental Organi-
zations of the Islamic World.
Also, I beg you, respected scholars
and guests for supporting and praying
for our auspicious walk.
Honourable guests and participants,
The Islamic World has all the phys-
ical and spiritual richness to struggle
with all the troubles and distress. Do
not let any incident direct us into de-
spair. Let’s remove any hopelessness
with a Verse of Qur’an, which is: “Do
not give up expecting the Mercy of
Allah.” Because, hopelessness is the
biggest obstacle to the success.
Let’s remember that Islam is just
like the sun; you can not put it out by
blowing. It is like daylight; the night
would not be coming by closing your
eyes. It would be darkness just for the
one who closes his eyes.
May Allah, the Almighty, give all
the health and favourable and long
life to our scholars.
 With those wishes and thoughts,
once again I present my thanks to you,
respected Chairman and the Members
of the Union of Islamic Scholars and
the guests who love knowledge and
scholars.
The Secretary General of UNIW,
Mr. Necmi Sadikoglu made a press
conference with the participation of
many chairmen of the UNIW mem-
ber foundations at Sepetciler Palace,
at 10:30. Many chairmen and repre-
sentatives of the non-governmental
organizations which are the members
of UNIW and TGTV participated
in the conference. At the conference
which was started with a common
text read by the Secretary General
of UNIW Mr. Necmi Sadikoglu, the
Chairman of MUSIAD Mr. Omer
Bolat, the Chairman of ASKON
Mr. Mustafa Koca, the Chairman
of IHH Mr. Bulent Yildirim, the
Chairman of MAZLUMDER Istan-
bul Branch Mr. Mustafa Ercan, The
Turkish Representative of UNIW
Mr. Ali Kurt, the Chairman of Ensar
Foundation Mr. Ahmad Sisman, the
Chairman of Young Businessmen
Foundation Mr. Muhiddin Agırman,
the Founder Chairman of Hikmet
Foundation Mr. Cemaleddin Kerim
made speeches.
The common press text read by the
Secretary General Mr. Necmi Sadikog-
lu is as follows :
WE, FIERCELY, CONDEMN ISRAEL WHICH CARRIES
May Allah let this General Assem-
bly of the Union of Islamic Scholars
be the cause for the goodness of the
Islamic World and also for all the hu-
man beings.
With all respect.
MEMBERS OF UNIW MAKE A PRESS
CONFERENCE ABOUT PALESTINE ISSUE
OUT UNLIMITED STATE TERROR!
Dear members of the press,
We are following the heartbreak-
ing events happening in Palestine and
Lebanon with regret and sorrow. Is-
rael, with its military and technology,
is carrying out massacres on inno-
cent civilians, especially on children,
women and elderly people in Palestine
and Lebanon. We strongly condemn
Israel which killed over 200 civilians
mercilessly, in one week. We are aware
of that the evil centres which intro-
duced the pretext and excuse of two
kidnapped Israeli soldiers to the world
media, want to take the control of the
region by a plan of bringing blood and
instability. We are aware of the fact
that the occupation of Iraq and Af-
ghanistan, political assassinations in
Lebanon, deportation of Syrian army
from Lebanon and finally, Israeli at-
tack on Lebanon are the steps of the
same project and we are calling the
world for the pressure on the govern-
ments to stop this evil scenario.
We are also aware that killing of
hundreds of civilians with the reason
of small excuses, bombing the infra-
structure, destroying and taking con-
trol of the farm lands and water re-
www.theunity.org
13
 sources of Palestine are the other steps
of this dark project. We are bewildered
of the silence of the world, especially
D-8 countries towards this massacre
and we strongly condemn it. This situ-
ation showed once more that the peace
projects imposed on the publics of Mid-
dle East countries by the global actors
are just clever lies and deceptions.
We are against any kind of terrorism.
We have tens of thousands of martyrs
and we still have them. We condemn the
centres carrying out political plays over
our martyrs. We inviting the global and
local actors which let the terrorist groups
live and grow, to fairness and justice and
we invite them to prevent this evil situ-
ation. This bloodshed must be stopped
and the terrorist group of PKK must be
cleaned off the region immediately.
The massacre carried out in Lebanon
and Palestine is the state terror by using
unbalanced power. We especially con-
demn this terror.
Dear members of the press,
We were glad about the independent,
just and democratic election for the Na-
tional Assembly of Palestine. Once more,
we are conforming that the new govern-
ment which has taken the confidence vote
in the Assembly represents the public of
Palestine. Regarding this, we strongly
and regretfully condemn and refuse any
kind of blackmail, boycott and blockade
carried out against the public and govern-
ment of Palestine.
We strongly condemn Israel assas-
sinating and murdering the people of
Palestine, destroying infrastructures like
sewage, electricity bases of Palestine, de-
stroying the richness and resources of Pal-
estinian people, never ending campaign of
arresting, carrying out aggressive actions
against over 10.000 Palestinian prisoners
in Israeli prisons, never ending captivity
of chosen members of parliament, occu-
14 www.theunity.org
pying the lands of Palestine continuously,
efforts of making Jerusalem Jewish by
surrendering there, destroying Al-Aksa
Mosque, surrendering Palestinian villag-
es, not paying the supplement rewarded
by Palestinian government and finally
bombing Palestinian state buildings.
Israel goes on committing the crimes
of humanity by not recognizing the gov-
ernment of Hamas coming to the power
by a democratic election, cutting off any
kind of funds, causing of the deaths of
hundreds of Palestinian by economic
sanctions. Today, Israel is carrying out the
same merciless massacres as happened be-
fore, in Sabra Shatilla and Der Yasin.
We as TGTV in the name of our 99
members and in the name of humanity
invite the Government of Turkish Repub-
lic, The Foreign Ministry, ICO, UN, EU,
the Arab Unity, D-8, IUMS, Amnesty In-
ternational, the people of the world, the
people of Islamic World and especially
our people for stopping this monstrous
killings. We are inviting all the non-gov-
ernmental organizations for reacting in
democratic ways. We invite the countries
of Islamic World for taking the perma-
nent and strong precautions to solve the
crisis.
I invite Islamic World and the sin-
cere people of my country for uniting as
one fist, praying for our brothers in cri-
sis, showing any kind of their reactions.
These events must make us more coura-
geous and hopeful instead of being in
fear and despair and make us shouting
strongly instead of sitting in silence. To-
day is the time of doing that. Tomorrow
might be too late for us. If we don’t react
as necessarily today, the new crying places
such as Gaza and Beirut might be added,
tomorrow. Palestine is the conscience of
the world. Let us protect this conscience.

Omar El Bursh, Palestine Acting
Minister of Justice and Mohammed
Farac El Goul, the Chairman of the
Constitutional Committee and Member
of Parliament made a statement to the
press.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN PALESTINE?
Joint Press Statement, 02.06.2007
Feshane / 11 am
Omar El Bursh, Palestine Acting
Minister of Justice and the Chairman
of Constitutional Committee, Mem-
ber of Parliament Mohammed Farac
El Gouls’s press statement:
Israelis who have occupied Pales-
tine territories since 1948 have been
increasing their expansionist policies
day by day and almost left no place
for Palestinians to take breath.
Now, Palestinians, who fell into
the position being refugees in the
lands they possessed once, have been
undergoing genocide for more than
fifty years owing to Israel’s greed for
seizing The Promised Land as they re-
gard everything as legitimate for this
greed. Violation the international law,
they have been assaulting everybody
from infants to defenceless old men
and women. They maintain that they
do for the sake of state security.
Illegal acts done by Israelis can be
listed as follows:
-They have been harassing and
surrounding Palestinians continually
and they have been compelling them
to leave their lands which they possess
by establishing new Jewish settlement
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PALESTINE, JOINT PRESS STATEMENT
areas, notably Jerusalem, continuous-
ly in Palestine lands. These practices
are contrary to the international law
and human rights. They have been
threatening Palestinians’ future by
violating Palestinians’ basic rights.
-Secretly executed capital punish-
ment, political assassinations violate
individuals’ freedom of life and safety.
Civilians have been tortured by mas-
sive punishment.
- Raids and attacks of Israel to
the West Bank and Gaza strip have
destroyed thousands miles of agricul-
tural lands. And Palestinians’ means
of existence have been destroyed.
-Israel obstructs Palestinians’ liv-
ing conditions; by imposing pitiless
embargoes on the West Bank and
Gaza strip, cause more than 75 % of
the people will be unemployed and
thus impoverish them.
-Israel has destructed the infra-
structures of Palestinian cities, the
cities became uninhabitable, and im-
migrations have begun.
-62% of the Territories of the West
Side and Gaza strip were occupied and
houses were constructed by Israel. Is-
rael grabbed 90 % of the Palestine
territories by this method.
-Israel invade Palestinians’ privacy
by attacking, raiding, pulling down their
houses and their private properties.
-The erection of the wall of racial dis-
crimination in Palestine has been going
on as the symbol of shame by disregard-
ing the decree about the illegitimacy of
www.theunity.org
15
 Omar El Bursh, Palestine Acting
Minister of Justice and Mohammed
Farac El Goul, the Chairman of the
Constitutional Committee and Member
of Parliament made a statement to the
press.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN PALESTINE?
Joint Press Statement, 02.06.2007
Feshane / 11 am
Omar El Bursh, Palestine Acting
Minister of Justice and the Chairman
of Constitutional Committee, Mem-
ber of Parliament Mohammed Farac
El Gouls’s press statement:
Israelis who have occupied Pales-
tine territories since 1948 have been
increasing their expansionist policies
day by day and almost left no place
for Palestinians to take breath.
Now, Palestinians, who fell into
the position being refugees in the
lands they possessed once, have been
undergoing genocide for more than
fifty years owing to Israel’s greed for
seizing The Promised Land as they re-
gard everything as legitimate for this
greed. Violation the international law,
they have been assaulting everybody
from infants to defenceless old men
and women. They maintain that they
do for the sake of state security.
Illegal acts done by Israelis can be
listed as follows:
-They have been harassing and
surrounding Palestinians continually
and they have been compelling them
to leave their lands which they possess
by establishing new Jewish settlement
areas, notably Jerusalem, continuous-
ly in Palestine lands. These practices
are contrary to the international law
and human rights. They have been
threatening Palestinians’ future by
violating Palestinians’ basic rights.
16 www.theunity.org
-Secretly executed capital punish-
ment, political assassinations violate
individuals’ freedom of life and safety.
Civilians have been tortured by mas-
sive punishment.
- Raids and attacks of Israel to
the West Bank and Gaza strip have
destroyed thousands miles of agricul-
tural lands. And Palestinians’ means
of existence have been destroyed.
-Israel obstructs Palestinians’ liv-
ing conditions; by imposing pitiless
embargoes on the West Bank and
Gaza strip, cause more than 75 % of
the people will be unemployed and
thus impoverish them.
-Israel has destructed the infra-
structures of Palestinian cities, the
cities became uninhabitable, and im-
migrations have begun.
-62% of the Territories of the West
Side and Gaza strip were occupied and
houses were constructed by Israel. Is-
rael grabbed 90 % of the Palestine
territories by this method.
-Israel invade Palestinians’ privacy
by attacking, raiding, pulling down their
houses and their private properties.
-The erection of the wall of racial dis-
crimination in Palestine has been going
on as the symbol of shame by disregard-
ing the decree about the illegitimacy of
the wall (09.07.2004) by International
Court of Justice in The Hague.
-Innocent civilians are being killed
owing to haphazardly bombardments
causing to death of a lot of families
such as Ebu Selmiyye, Galiye, El-Hay-
ye ve Assamite in Palestine territories.
-The source of Palestinians’ anguish is
not conflict of interests among Palestini-
an organizations as reflected to the world.
The main reason stems from at-
tempts of the occupier Israel to over-
throw the legal government elected
by a democratic and free election
(25.01.2006). Zionist Powers spent
millions of dollars to their collabora-
tors for the plan to break out a civil
war immediately after the election.
The most recent plan is Dayton Plan.
-Unfortunately, world media gave
information partially, ignored the mas-
sacres that Israeli powers are still car-
rying out, the return right of Palestin-
ians compelled to live out of Palestine
and the Palestine case itself by keeping
high the conflicts between Hamas, Al
Fetih and other Palestinian organiza-
tions on the world agenda. The best
example of this was seen in the captur-
ing incident of the Israeli Soldier called
Shalit by the Palestinian resistance
fighters. Although this case was exces-
sively high on the agenda, they kept
silent when more than 11000 Palestin-
ians were captivated by Israel and in
the Lebanon case. There were women,
patients, children among the captives.
-The plans made for starting civil
war failed thanks to Palestinians’ com-
mon sense. A great deal of meetings
chaired by Egypt among Palestinian
groups especially Hamas and Al Fetih
have been held recently. So, unfounded
rumours and false news about clashes
between Palestinians groups were de-
nied by these meetings.
First of all, we thank to Turkish
Public for the “one million signature”
campaign organized in order to free
Palestinian MPs, ministers and may-
ors, which are kept in Israeli prisons.
Occupier Zionists have arrested more
than 47 mayors including the Pales-
tinian assemble President Aziz DU-
VEYK and his secretary Dr. Muham-
mad RIMHI.
Ignoring the voice of Turkish pub-
lic, UN, European Parliamentarians
and Arab and Muslim Parliamentar-
ians and World Freedom Partisans;
occupying leaders did not release the
deputies. As if it was not enough,
they took some MPs of Al-Hamas and
Al-Fetih captive and took over their
equipments and closed their offices.
Finally, they have arrested Minis-
ter of Education Nasır UDIN from
National Union Government, Minis-
ter Vasfi and a number of MPs.
Occupying force is still committing
war crimes which are opposite to the
international laws. However, nobody
prevents or punishes them. Now we
are asking you; What would happen if
they had arrested a Minister of one of
the European Countries or Israel?
So, we are calling out to the World
and Freedom Fighters in order to stop
all of these crimes and make a pressure
on Israel. Palestine Public will main-
tain their fight for freedom; however,
this fight hopes and waits for the sen-
sitivity of all human beings in order to
gain human honour and life right.
Lawyers Association,
The Union of NGOs of the Islamic
World (UNIW),
Foundation of Volunteer Organizations
of Turkey (TGTV),
International Union of Lawyers,
Solidarity Association with the Pales-
tinian People,
IHH Humanitarian Relief Founda-
tion.
www.theunity.org
17
 TGTV MAKES A CALL FOR UNITY IN PALESTINE
The founder member of UNIW
and the largest NGO of Turkey, TGTV,
sent a missive asking solidarty to the
Palestinian autharities.
With regard to this event, TGTV
committee met with the Palestine
Istanbul Consul Mr. Abdulkerim el-
Hatip, and delivered him the letter by
hand.
In the meeting delegation Mr. Ne-
cati Ceylan (the chairman of TGTV),
Mr. Murat Yasa (vice president in
charge of international relations of
TGTV), Mr. Mustafa Özkaya (UNIW
General Coordinator) and Mr. Kamil
Ugur Yaralı (President of the Law-
yers Association) were present. In
this session, they gave information
to Mr. al-Hatib about the latest situ-
ations in Palestine. The sent letter is
given below :
CALL FOR UNITY IN PALESTINE
The purpose of this missive is to
convey Turkish people’s concerns to
all parties involved due to the com-
mon history, geographical proximity
and the support for their case. The
case of Palestinians is one of the most
important not only because the Pales-
tinians are our brothers and currently
being victimized but also we are the
children of a common history and
civilization and we share the common
reverence toward Masjid Al Aqsa.
Turkish people have always stood
by the Palestinian people with their
material and spiritual support par-
ticularly to compensate the loss and
destruction caused by Israel.
18 www.theunity.org
In this context, we believe the fol-
lowing points carry a great weigh of im-
portance, hence it is our utmost desire
that they are taken seriously by all par-
ties involved. Any combat or conflict
situation among the Palestinian people
would only benefit Israel and her allies.
The current situation and the confusion
and break up from within would have
adverse effects in particular over the
region but on a larger scale over all the
Muslims in the World.
1. The case of Palestine consti-
tutes the heart and conscience of the
Muslim Community, therefore any
wrong conduct would be disrespectful
toward the rights of all Muslims.
2. It is crucial for Palestinians to go
back to their own agenda and focus on
more essential and vital topics such as
the status of Jerusalem, the conditions
of refugees and their rights of return.
3. In political and economic con-
texts, it is of utmost importance to
counter all practices of corruption
and to ensure clarity and transpar-
ency. Formation of guerrilla or gang
organizations should be prevented
and those involved in such criminal
organizations should be tried when
they are discovered.
4. Respect is the ultimate and
core principal when it comes to justice
in being represented and in the choices
of peoples using their free will.
5. To conceive this matter as a
case of power struggle and to have it
launched as such would hurt the case
of the Palestinian people.
 6. The established national gov-
ernment should be perpetuated to
avoid the past incidents having long
term effects and the ways of dialogue
should be kept open.
7. The economic, social and political
blockades and sanctions on the peoples
of Gaza should be ended immediately.
8. We consider Mr. Mahmud Ab-
bas not just as the head of a particular
group but as the head of the State of
Palestine. At the same time, Mr. Is-
mail Haniyya is the legitimate Prime
Minister and the Palestinian Parlia-
ment is the legitimate parliament. In
this context to request the sanctions
to be removed from one part and not
from others would be inappropriate.
9. As is known, the talks between
the parties from Palestine that took
place in Mecca were well received
by the Turkish people as well as the
rest of the Muslim World. All parties
are urged to abide by the decrees in
Mecca Agreement that followed the
meeting.
A delegation from Al Quds Inter-
national Institution visited “UNIW”
and “TGTV” in a meeting under the
hospitality of Safa Foundation.
During the meeting, the coopera-
tion of the both sides in joint projects
was discussed.
The Al Quds International Institu-
tion established under the Presidency
of Honorable Sheikh Prof. Dr. Yusuf
al Qaradawi made a visit to UNIW
and TGTV with a delegation where
Sheikh Akram Adlouni (the Secretary
10. Furthermore, the solutions for
arising problems should be sought un-
der the leadership of Muslim countries
or organizations formed by Muslims.
It should be taken into consideration
that there will be groups or global ac-
tors who will try to take advantage of
the current situation.
11. There should be extreme sen-
sitivity and caution for respect for the
unity of the nation.
As the Turkish People we would
like to emphasize that we consider
Masjid Al Aqsa as one of the most im-
portant central pillars of our civiliza-
tion and hence to constitute the most
important aspect of the Palestinian
case. Therefore, we would not accept
any attempt, activity, concern or en-
deavour that can harm this case.
We strongly advise each new step to
be seriously evaluated and the dialogues
between the groups to be hastened ur-
gently and any attempts that weaken
the Palestinian people in the local or in-
ternational platforms to be prevented.
UNIW - TGTV AND AL QUDS INTERNATIONAL
INSTITUTION ARE TO COOPERATE
General of Al Quds International In-
stitution) offered cooperation with
UNIW and TGTV in several Al-Quds
related projects.
TGTV, with the cooperation of
UNIW, came to an agreement and
welcomed the offered projects of Al
Quds International Institution.
According to this project, UNIW
and TGTV will be organizing an Al
Quds Conference and host the guest
delegations from all around the world.
www.theunity.org
19
INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA
OPENING SPEECH / NECMI SADIKOGLU
Honourable Ministers,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Members of
Parliament,
Valuable guests,
Esteemed Scholars,
Distinguished friends,
Valuable members of the press,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. Welcome to International Conference
on Islamophobia organized by Internation-
al Non-Governmental Organizations of the
Islamic World. The Foundations of Interna-
tional Non-Governmental Organizations of
the Islamic World were laid on 01.May.2005
with great excitement and enthusiasm by
you, our distinguished guests, who came to
Istanbul from all over the world as now.
As you remember, Honourable Former
speaker of the Turkish Grand National As-
22
www.islamophobiaconference.org
sembley Bülent Arınç and distinguished
Former minister of Foreign Affairs and His
Excellency President Abdullah Gül hon-
oured our Foundation Congress.
The foundation of International NGOs
of the Islamic World was formalized in the
status of International Union by the deci-
sion of Council of Ministers.
2. Two years have passed since we found-
ed this Union.Our process of construction
and organization continues. We held Second
Ordinary General Assembly Meeting suc-
cessfully yesterday. At present the number
of members has reached 101.
3. So far, we have held meetings of Un-
ion Council in Indonesia, Sudan and Hol-
land. Thanks Allah, in every place we went
we saw how much the Islamic World needs
our union. With each passing day, our ex-
citement and desire for working have gotten
bigger and bigger.
4. We organized an aid campaign for our
brothers in Kashmir after the catastrophic
earthquake took place there and coordinat-
ed an another one fo
r our brothers in Sudan after the flood
disaster.
5. Since the day of the foundation of the
unity, We are struggling for Palestine, one
of the most important issues of Islamic
World, and Jerusalem the heart of human
beings. We organized a One Million Signa-
ture Campaign for Palestinian members of
parliament who were in imprisonment, and
thanks Allah we reached our goal.
6. Last year we played host to Interna-
tional Union for Muslim Scholars Meet-
ing. With a successful meeting, 300 Muslim
Scholars from all over the world gathered
together and important decisions for the Is-
lamic World were taken.
Today we came together for Internation-
al Conference on Islamophobia. I tender my
thanks to the speakers, participants and our
distinguished guests.
Dear brothers,
The reasons for organizing this confer-
ence and the consequence that we expect
from it are as follows:
— To generate projects directed at solu-
tions and to make contributions to the world
peace by giving way to the handling of the
concept of Islamophobia at all points, that
is a clear discrimination.
To gather experts on the issue from aca-
demic environment and non-governmental
civil organizations circle,
To give the issue political, social and eco-
nomic dimensions,
— To discuss causes and consequences,
culpables and culprits and solutions to Is-
lamophobia.
— To establish a Monitoring Centre/
Committee that will offer reports and solu-
tions to academic environments and deci-
sion making mechanisms.
— To prevent personal and institution-
al incidents, publications and regulations
23
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
through legal means by enabling necessary
regulations according to international and
national legal norms,
To create a broad sensitivity about Is-
lamophobia in international public opin-
ion,
To increase sensitivity about Islamapho-
bic publications in international press or-
gans
To eliminate the causes of Islamophobia,
a clear discrimination which is threatening
the world peace.
Thanks to the papers which will be pre-
sented by the experts of the subject from
all over the world, solution offers and the
concequences that the conference will bear,
we intend to reach these targets:
The concept of islamophobia will be dis-
cussed with all details.
Causes and consequences feeding the
conception will be handled together.
— All advocates of the notion, academi-
cians, representatives of non-governmental
organizations, political authorities will be
brought together,
Attention of international public opin-
ion will be drawn to this phenomenon thus
a sensitivity will be created against the
threats of Islamophopia which is a clear
discrimination
National and international decision
making mechanisms will be urged to take
precautions against discriminations that
can be defined as Islamophobia
A powerful thesis will be developed
against the conception that is threatening
the world peace.
The sensitivity of press organs about
the issue will be increased and thus Islamo-
phopic publications will be prevented.
24
www.islamophobiaconference.org
Misconceptions about our culture and
civilization and Islam will be restored.
— Regular reports will be prepared by
the monitoring centre to be established and
the reports will be delivered to internation-
al decision making mechanisms and media
organs.
Those who misrepresent and introduce
Islamic Culture and Civilization wrongly
will be warned and thus misrepresentation
will be prevented
Attentions of non-governmental organi-
zations will be drawn to the notion of Is-
lamophobia and they will be urged to make
researches on it.
Distinguished friends,
Islamophobia is an apparent danger to
world peace and not only just a thought but
an open discrimination and crime against
the humanity,
Islamophobia should be regarded as a
crime such as antisemitism, laws have to be
made against this dangerous discrimination
nourishing from terrorism and racism.
The efforts to identify terrorism with Is-
lam are completely ill-intentioned actions
and a result of black propaganda intended
to increase terrorism.
The use of such expressions as Islamic
terrorism, Islamofascism is a part of a com-
plete plan of attack agaist Islam intended
to spread the Islamophobia.
We will struggle together against Is-
lamophobia and Anti-Islamism based on
ignorance, malicious politics, provocative
media. The ways of this struggle will be the
main subject of this conference.
In this common struggle especially our
religional leaders, reverends, scholars; sivil
society representatives, academicians and
politicians have very important duties.
Islam and terror are two concepts that
are not possible to be cited together. But
unfortunately, due to the mounted cam-
paigns, Islamophobia has become a social-
ogical fact and malicious means and result
of Anti-Islamism which is a political gun.
As a result of Islamophobiac politics,
broadcasts, publications and actions Mus-
lims are subject to a great deal of discrimi-
nation, vexations and ill-treatment in every
part of the world.
Islamophobia is the newest but the most
perilous malignancy the world has ever
come across.
Islamophobia is an open and a dreadful
human rights violation.
Islamophobic broadcasts, publications
and expressions containing Islam and ter-
rorism together are giving strength to disas-
ter scenarios created against world peace.
I wish this conference that we shall
search solutions to the most imaginary fear
of the human history to bear good results.
Valuable friends,
We already know that old answers are in-
sufficent compared to new questions.
We must jerk ourselves out of this som-
nolent state, with methods suited to both
the place and the time, and explain the
truths of Islam, in cooperation, thoroughly
to Muslims and non-muslims and without
fear when needed, make self- criticism free
of prejudices. History and next generations
will judge us if we do not pull our weight.
We are members of a religion which glo-
rifies goodness, beauty, interdependence,
morality, knowledge and wisdom. Through-
out the history our humane virtues arising
from our belief system carried peace, toler-
ance towards differences and brotherhood
wherever they arrived.
When we look at the picture of the cur-
rent world, which seems troublesome, we
observe that the humanity must ponder
over the messages of the heavenly religions,
notably of our religion once again.
We come from such a civilisation that it
glorifies truth above all instead of power,
peace instead of conflict, justice instead of
cruelty, moral intangibles instead of mate-
rialism, knowledge and enlightenment in-
stead of ignorance, morality and conscience
instead of greed, sharing instead of oppor-
tunism, us instead of me. We come from a
civilisation which held together mosque,
synagogue and church in peace. We come
from a civilisation which does not consume
wildly, support cruel competition, exploit,
tyrannize or let others tyrannize. We come
from a civilisation which is friendly with
the environment, regards itself and other
things as the signs of divine power and
respects them and does the necessary. We
come from a civilisation which loves created
because of creator. We come from a civili-
sation which works, produces, distributes
equally and protects the weak.
Because of these reasons fear-based
expressions which created against Islam
and Muslims are groundless and have no
support. The real point is how to struggle
against these baseless fear scenarios. Forth-
coming years have very important and criti-
cal crossroads that we must struggle against
islamophobia and Anti-Islamism for main-
taining world and humanity peace.
I wish us to turn successfully at these vi-
tal crossroads.
With these thoughts and feelings I wish
this conference to be successful, welcome
every attendant and offer my respects.
25
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
Two solutions for Islamophobia:
The Proper Tabligh and Effective Tamsil
(Representation and Presentation)
The way for saving Islam
from being ‘the unknown
other’ is to make the commu-
nication systematized. The
‘systematical communication’
means the strong and capa-
ble communication and only
by this way, ‘the deliberate
ignorance’ can be removed.
Unfortunately, firstly, some
prejudices coming from the
past and still existing in the
West and also in some Mus-
lim countries and secondly,
forming the ‘the deliberate
ignorance’ about Islam have
become the instruments and
preferences of power centers
taking decisions. ‘The delib-
erate ignorance’ is the result
of the ‘selfish ideas’ and the
politic desires. So, using the
communication is not enough.
It has to be systematized.
The persons who will rep-
resent the Islam have to
know Islam widely and also,
they have to endure it and
be equipped with effective
blessed causes. The most ef-
fective instrument against
Islamphobia and the antipa-
thy of Islam is to raise a gener-
ation who have the knowledge
of ‘solid examples’, ‘speaking
evidences’ and the principle
of ‘dissembling’. Having this
knowledge is one of the most
important characteristics of
the Prophets and especially
26
www.islamophobiaconference.org
Our Prophet’s(PBUH).
If the human resource raised
with the appropriate thoughts
and works, be equipped with
the devotion, it will produce
the fruit of strong person-
alities called as the ‘the pious
foundation person’ in the Is-
lamic terminology and that is
the base stone of the system-
atical communication. In oth-
er words, they are the trained
and well-educated staff.
Just as the power and
spread of means of commu-
nication urges Islamophobia
it may offer solution potential
as long as it is used in a good
way. As it is the element of ef-
fective tabligh we underline it
once more.
Another duty of the own-
ers of systematic tabligh in
information disorder and pub-
lication intensity is the prepa-
ration of satisfying, tested,
printed and audio-visual pub-
lications devoid of extrava-
gances directed at the cures
for diseases.
The power and legitimacy of
the facts also necessitate pow-
er and legitimacy of means.
The rightfulness and legacy of
conveyed facts does not mean
one can refer any means of
communication.
“Alhaqqu ya’lu wala yu’la
alaih” meaning “Allah is supe-
rior to everything.” Nothing
can be superior to Allah is a
common principle. Ustad Be-
diuzzaman answers the ques-
tions, “Why is power supe-
rior to right then? Why is the
follower of the truth a loser
against the follower of false?”
as follows:
If the follower of the truth,
the follower of faith does not
use right matters will be a los-
er against the illusion of the
follower of false. Here lies the
superiority of right against
false. There is a reason for
creation and mystery of crea-
tion. One who attains it uses a
true reason.
In that case, tabligh in this
time, in other words “i’la kali-
matullah” is dependant upon
materialistic progress. In
relation to the topic, to per-
form a sound act of service
of tabligh, it is very crucial
that the Islamic countries,
our people and institutions
progress in terms of material
things and establish powerful
structures.
Lastly, the most significant
must of the systematic reli-
gious communication or the
roof that provides the unity of
the other necessary things is a
sustainable coordination and
—Ali Kurt
UNIW Deputy Secretary General and
Representative of Turkey
a permanent unity, the unity
of Islam. Here, the unity of
NGOs of the Islamic World
that makes us get together
has a great importance.
Some Islamophobic pub-
lishings and policies, and some
important events and political
games set in this sense ben-
efits from the disconnection,
the lack of coordination and
cooperation, the inability to
experience transfer and prej-
udices and enmities among
Muslims.
In this conjuncture, to insist
on fruitless methods, to de-
fend the actions strengthening
alignments disconnected from
the spirit of union and coop-
eration in an obstinate and
dogmatic way, to ignore the
means of tabligh, being closed
to the realistic understanding,
is a serious disease that must
to be urgently treated.
In the struggle against Is-
lamophobia, it is indispensable
must that we have to get rid of
our own baseless, worthless,
rootless imaginary phobias. It
constitutes of the systematic
religious communication in
our world getting smaller that
the consciousness of the unity
and cooperation, shaped in
the catchword “Without any
doubt, the believers of Allah
are brothers.”
Islamophobia: Challenges And The Way Out
The earliest religion and code
of human existence is Islam,
albeit it was the last to be re-
vealed to mankind upon per-
fection through the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon
him). The forerunners of Is-
lam, Judaism and Christianity,
neither made great impact nor
meet the Almighty God’s ex-
pectations. Both were hijacked
by certain groups of people for
their narrow communal and
political interests. Therefore,
the religion of Islam had to be
revealed in its perfected (reli-
gion-made-easy) form, to better
guide mankind in seeking God’s
favor as well as in performing
their spiritual obligations.
But being a perfected reli-
gion, Islam earned the envy
of the other two forerunners
that felt threatened of los-
ing their flocks. They rallied
their still unwary adherents
to reject Islam outright with
all the negative implications
to preserve their leadership.
However, in territories that
the earlier religions have not
penetrated, Islam spread like
wild fire even without the
aid of the sword, especially
amongst pagans and animists.
As the dominance of the older
religions was threatened, some
untoward repercussions led to
—Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman
UNIW Representative Member of
Malaysia Deputy president WADAH
wars of attrition which mostly
ended in favor of Islam. These
could have triggered the phe-
nomenon of what today is
known as “Islamophobia.”
Islamophobia takes different
form among different groups
and individuals. The Euro-
pean orientalists for instance
blamed Islam for the “lack of
democratic and scientific devel-
opments in Muslim countries.”
They also argued that Muslims
are not capable to lead in a
democratic society and to hold
values antithetical to religious
tolerance and world peace.
Their views are supported by
America’s neoconservatives
who intimidate scholars of
academia that present a bal-
anced view of Islam and the
Middle East. They smear writ-
ers who criticize American for-
eign policy and Israel’s treat-
ment of Palestinians.
Not long after, however, the
orientalists’ views were exposed
by Dr. Edward Said as being
built on false premise. Dr. E.
Said argued that Islam was
used to justify Europe’s colonial
ambitions in the Muslim world.
His authentic presentations of
Islam as a vibrant religion, and
the fact that Muslims shared
many of Western values and
concerns, were highly profound
that the orientalists tried to re-
fute but never fully recovered.
Islamophobia and Women Rights
Professor of Islamic Studies in Al-Azhar
Praise is to Allah, prayers
and peace of Allah is the seal of
prophet after that:
Islam is a comprehensive sys-
tem, complete legislation, jus-
tice rule, and realist course care
about human nature, and im-
plementing balance between in-
terests of individual, family and
society, the religion of justice,
purity, dignity, straight and pi-
ety, a religion declare about its
self during its trust call, sincere
doctrine, honorable law, kind
morals, kind etiquettes and its
pure resource: the book of Al-
lah and the Sunna of his proph-
et (peace be upon him ).
Women in Islam has great
rank, and honorable position,
she is the first teacher in gen-
—Ahmed Mohammed Sharqawe
University and Qassim University
erations school, she is the basic
factor in building society, she
is firm strong hold for this reli-
gion, she is the righteous wife,
advised sister, sympathetic
mother, the kind daughter, the
springs or sympathetic, the se-
curity strong holds, lights of
houses and she is the supports
of family.
Islam recommend goodness
concerning women an give her
its rights, ennobled her as a
wife, mother, daughter and sis-
ter: ennobled her as mother to
make paradise under her foots,
make her filial piety cause for
paradise, ennobled her as wife,
when Islam make her mercy
and cordiality and a source of
love, ennobled her as a daughter
when Islam makes her learning
and favor on her keeping from
hell fire.
With this great position
which the women acquired from
Islam and these care which the
women obtained in the lights
of its instructions: but the en-
emies of Islam made a dispute
between Islam and women, in
order to distrust in Islam and
turning the Muslim women
form her Islamic law, and dep-
rivation her from justice, mercy,
blessings of Islam, depredating
her from the way of dignity, pu-
rity and straight which clarified
by God law, besides turning non
Muslims from thinking in this
matter.
27
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 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
Islamophobia:
False Impressions and Genuine Concerns
Chairman „Muslime Helfen“ (Muslims help) Germany
The term „phobia“, bor-
rowed from psychology, in
combination with Islam does
not adequately describe the
phenomena commonly under-
stood as “Islamophobia”. How-
ever uncertain fears and anxie-
ties with regards to Islam and
Muslims do exist among many
Non-Muslims and are promoted
by interested parties. Cases in
point from the experience of
Muslims in Germany by way of
example are the issues of head-
scarf (hijab) and construction
of mosques.
By and large non-Muslim
public and published opinion
about Islam is not based on
knowledge of prime Islamic
sources. Rather Non-Muslims
understand and judge Islam by
28
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Islamophobic Discourse
Masquerading as Art and Literature
— Dr. Anas Al-Shaikh Ali
—Ahmad von Denffer Chair of the Association of Muslim Social
Scientists (AMSS UK) and Chair of the Forum
Against Islamophobia and Racism (FAIR)
what they perceive to be “Mus- Examining the resurgence of
lim” behaviour. Islamophobia and tracing its
In response to this situation, seeds to the Mid-Late Victorian
a thorough analysis needs to era, the paper will examine a
selection of “classical” liter-
differentiate between false im-
ary works including literature,
pressions and genuine concerns.
paintings and sculptures to in-
Both false impressions as well vestigate this very early use of
as genuine concerns need to be public culture propaganda as a
taken seriously. Many of the tool to mould and affect public
genuine concerns may again opinion. The paper will then
be based on errors and false examine modern attempts to
impressions, while some may incite morality-laden anger and
also be based on facts. These volatile insecurity amongst the
fact-based genuine concerns general public through popular
cannot really be included under culture.
“Islamophobia”, however they
There will be a slide show de-
do have a great impact on the
picting historical and contem-
relationship between Muslims
porary examples of the latter
and Non-Muslims and therefore
to show their relevance to the
require attention as much as
current situation.
prejudices and misinformation.
The paper will also discuss
False impressions and preju-
the challenge and impact of
dices may hopefully be removed Islamophobia and touch upon
through constant and patient the importance of education in
efforts to present the facts equipping pupils and students
about Islam on a variety of with the tools of critical think-
platforms. ing and socio-spiritual-cultural
With regards to genuine fact- “awareness of the other” to
based concerns, “Muslim” be- generate a society of citizens
haviour needs to be adjusted to who can think for themselves
reach conformity with proper and can combat the fallacy of
Islamic standards. emotional manipulation and
stereotypes.
Even after that some areas
of disagreement between Non-
Muslims and Muslims would
remain. However these disa-
greements will truly reflect the
differences that exist and there-
fore need to be accepted.
Concept of Jihad: Some Reflections Constructing American Islamophobia:
The Role of Media and Identity

—Prof. Dr Anis Ahmad —Erik C. Nisbet

Riphah International University, Islamabad Lecturer, Department of Communication Cornell University

Jihad, incorrectly translated Negative attitudes and intol-

as “holy war” has been a topic erance toward Islam and Mus-
of extra ordinary interest in lims have been on the rise with-
the non-Muslim scholarship for in the United States in recent
the past two centuries. Western years. This paper empirically
orientalists as well as Muslim examines what factors drive
apologists, in their own ways, these public opinion trends,
have approached the subject. with a special focus on the role
While orientalists in general of the mass media. The paper
talk about it as militant tool for has three sections. The first
proscelitization, Muslim apolo- section discusses the state of
gists define it as a defensive American public opinion toward
act, which is no more relevant Islam and Muslims and how it
in a “tolerant”, “peace lov- has progressively evolved since
ing” world of today. For them the September 11th attacks.
jihad has lost its relevance in The second part employs a se-
the modern world. Therefore no ries of national public opinion
need to refer to jihad in the text polls conducted by the author
books in schools. They think that explore how different me-
while teaching the Qur’an, ha- dia use patterns, combined with
dith and tarikh topic of jihad American religious and political
should not be highlighted. identities, impact both politi-
This paper makes an effort cal tolerance toward Islam and
to approach the subject from the formation of Islamophobic
a Human Rights and peace attitudes. The last section dis-
perspective. Relevant Qur’anic cusses the study’s implications
ayat and hadith are studied in for developing communication
order to understand the real strategies addressing the prob-
meaning. Impact of jihad in the lem of Islamophobia within the
life of a Muslim and its impact United States.
on others is also explored. The
paper presents jihad as a strat-
egy for peace, order and justice
in human society.

29
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 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA

The Attitudes of Major Global Powers
towards Islam and Moslems
— Dr. Hassan Abou Taleb
Assistant Director, Ahram Center for Political
and Strategic Studies, Egypt
Islamophobic Act As Human Rights Issue
— Dr. Haytham Manna
Spokesperson of the Arab Commission for
Human Rights President of IBH

launched war against Afghani- Like anti-Semitism, the term

Nowadays, Islam and Mos-
lem world represent a big prob-
lem to the Global Powers. This
problem extends to Islam as a
religion and for Moslems whom
are living outside or inside. Af-
ter 9/11 attacks on New York
and Washington, the relations
with Islam considered a sen-
sitive national security issue,
which needs a lot of efforts,
money, and creative policies in
different arenas.
In the last 6 years, the rela-
tions between the Global Pow-
ers, especially USA and some
Europeans Countries, with
Moslem countries witnessed a
tall list of negative accidents,
even dangerous features. In the
official aspect, no Global Power
- including USA, Russia, China,
European Union and India -
declared that Islam is a threat
should be confronted. None of
them considered itself in case of
war against Islam or any Mos-
lem country. Even USA when
stan late 2001 or Iraq on March Islamophobia is born in Europe.
2003, didn’t justified it in terms Used for the first time in 1925,
of religious reasons. In many oc- it becomes a great challenge for
casions, some major world lead- Human Rights defenders in the
80th and 90th of the last centu-
ers such as President Bush and
ry. Refused by a number of sec-
President Putin declared their
ular intellectuals in France, it
respect to Islam and to Moslem has been criticized by a number
communities in their countries. of commentators for its loose
Both presidents expressed their definition and broad applica-
belief that Islam is not related tion and its use remains a con-
to terrorism. tested issue. ‘War against ter-
rorism’ and amalgam between
In the other hand, the politi-
Islam-Immigration and terror-
cal realties tell us a variant ver-
ism make from Islamophobia
sion. The prevailing discourse in today, as Doudou Diène, Spe-
media and intellectual produc- cial Reporter on contemporary
tions consider Islam a dangerous forms of racism, racial discrimi-
threat and that Moslem peoples nation, xenophobia and related
living inside should be enforced intolerance in the HCHR, said
to go out or adjust themselves in December 2006: the most
completely with the local type Important phenomena of rac-
of life. In this context there ism in Europe today.
are a highly antagonistic voices Bearing in mind debates con-
calling for segregating the Mos- cerning the definition and ap-
lems in special places. plication of the term ‘Islamo-
phobia.
This dualism is expounded by
the nature of democracy. Actu- Our intervention tentatively
ally the issue more complicated explores the Human Rights is-
than that. The hostile discourse sues broadly based on the defi-
nitions of racism and racial dis-
against Islam and Moslems,
crimination.
both inside and outside, for-
This paper calls for an in-
mulate the public opinions at-
ternational additional mecha-
titudes which the politicians
nisms, including the UN General
should keep up with. Logically,
Assembly, to treat the different
this formula produces a com-
expression of Islamophobia as
plicated situation and raises it is defined by Human Rights
the levels of mutual misunder- defenders today.
standing between Moslems and
Global powers.

30
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Countering Islamophobia:
The Obligation of Scholars
Even though Islamophobia
is relatively new in our con-
sciousness, it dates back cen-
turies, and has ancestral and
intellectual roots that must be
researched by Muslim scholars.
Islamophobia compounds an-
tagonism against the religion of
Islam with enmity towards in-
dividual Muslims. It is built on
negative perceptions of Islam
as exemplified by extremists on
its fringes. Often Islamophobia
is the result of Islamophobes’
dishonest contextualization
of Qur’anic verses. A glaring
example is Robert Spencer’s
book about Prophet Muham-
mad, which illustrates the need
for Muslim scholars to decon-
struct its claim to expose the
“true” nature of Islam. Since
Islamophobia is the irrational
and unreasonable fear of Islam,
Muslim scholars need to con-
nect with people who engage
— Dr. Iqbal Unus
Director of The Fairfax Institute (TFI)
in anti-Islamic rhetoric out of
ignorance. Islamophobia is also
a consequence of deliberate ef-
fort by those who, while osten-
sibly promoting and defending
values of freedom, tolerance
and democracy, insist that
they alone can and will define
the debate. The obligations of
Muslim scholars begin with un-
derstanding the true nature of
Islamophobia.
Muslim scholars will be well
advised to seek active involve-
ment in various theatres of aca-
demic discourse in the West, as
well as identify Christian and
other groups to build inter-faith
alliance with. Today’s pervasive
medium is the Internet. There-
fore, Islamophobic statements
on websites, blogs and such,
must be responded to with cred-
ible scholarship, in the process
exposing the Islamophobes as
to who they are and what their
objectives are. Long-term stra-
tegic attempts to reduce Islam-
ophobia must focus on educa-
tion. Education should address
racist attitudes and behavior
from an early age and focus on
elimination of racism and racial
discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance. In addi-
tion, Western academic institu-
tions must reevaluate their cur-
riculum on all levels and purge
material that may encourage
or promote violence or hatred
towards others through Islamo-
phobia and xenophobia.
Islamophobia: Prejudice and Strategy
Research Director, International Institute of Islamic Thought, Herndon
Blaming Islam and Muslims
for the rise of terrorism that
threatens the United States and
the West is at the heart of the
strategy developed by individu-
als and groups whose systemic
attacks on Islam and Muslims,
borne out of either ignorance
or hatred, constitute the recent
and painful reality we call Is-
lamophobia.
Islamophobia is a strategic
weapon in the campaign to
marginalize American Muslims
by ideological extremists and
paranoid bigots. This renewed
focus on Islam as a problem has
been justified by invoking secu-
rity concerns. Many experts in
Middle East and Islamic Stud-
ies departments have their an-
cestral roots in Middle Eastern
and Muslim cultures. Many
American Muslims are active
in the debate on how best to
— Dr. Louay Safi
bridge the divide, or at least
change the perceptions of a di-
vide, between the Muslim world
and the West.
The Far right draws its ranks
from the fringes of the Christian
Right and the neoconservatives,
particularly those who see in
the indigenization of Islam and
the presence of authentic Mus-
lim voices in the United States
a direct threat to their ability to
manipulate the public and pro-
mote their narrow religious and
foreign policy agenda.
Top administration figures
have moved from calling the
current war against groups in-
volved in indiscriminate killing
of civilians a war on “terror-
ism” to a war on “Islamic ter-
rorism,” “Islamist terrorism,”
and “radical Islam.” Most re-
cently, top leaders in the Bush
administration, including
George Bush and Condoleezza
Rice, have accepted the argu-
ment, popular among the Far
Right that the war on terror
aims at preventing Muslim ex-
tremists from establishing an
“Islamic Caliphate” and an “Is-
lamic Empire.”
Have the Far Right succeeded
in pushing their extremist views
on Islam and Muslim into main-
stream political discourse? Are
those who want to turn the war
on terror into a war on Islam
getting the ears of government
agencies and political leaders?
31
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 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
Manifestation of Islamophobia in
Public Affairs
Although the impacts are
varied from country to country,
Anti - Muslim / Islam manners
and attidutes are observed vir-
tually all over the world and
particularly in Europe, and
they trigger serious disputes.
France is among the leading
countries where the debate is
put to tender most frequently
in the recent era.
Having broken the Medieval
domination of The Church by
the Revolution, for over 200
years, France has been vigi-
lant, in general, for the religion
phenomenon and particularly
for any of the diverse trends
that might emerge, and elimi-
nated this diversity sometimes
by meeting its costs. In fact, a
32
www.islamophobiaconference.org
Concept of Jihad
— M. Fahmy HOWEIDY
— Dr. Ahmet Bakcan
Columnist and deputy editor-in-chief Al-
Paris VII University, Lecturer Ahram newspaper
manifestation of an historical While the word jihad is prob-
mentality underlies the manner ably the most famous word as-
of opposition and disagreement sociated with Islam today, it
experienced in the recent era. is largely viewed as a negative
term that’s widely synonymous
It is possible to see that un- with terrorism. The behaviour
der the reasons of socio-cultural and action of some Muslims
fluctuations that have occured have contributed to this unfor-
since the beginning of the 20th tunate perception, but a sig-
century, there lies the idea of nificant part of the blame lies
anti-religion starting by the with out-of-context and selec-
French Revolution in 1789 and tive western approach towards
continuing with the purging of jihad. In Islam, jihad has 13
religious people from the edu- levels which are mostly civil.
cational circles in 1879s, and Jihad by fighting is encouraged
only defense purposes when a
reinforced by the invention of
Muslim is subject to aggression.
secularism in 1905.
The paper attempts to explain
As Albert Camus stated in his the concept of jihad in Islam,
La Peste, racism and discrimi- how it has been manipulated
nation is “Plague bacillus nei- by various parties -and thus
ther dies nor disappears, there misunderstood- and suggests
is a plague bacillus somewhere solutions to overcome this per-
in our rooms or amidst our ception.
clothes”
Plague bacillus of yesterday
was antisemitism, and today it
appears as racism and discrimi-
nation. Witnessed in France,
The New Trend of Islamopho-
bia, is not in a different form
than the one in the other coun-
tries of Europe. This Islamo-
phobia, appearing in the scope
of xenophobia and anti-immi-
grant notion, is examined as a
National Problem in France,
and it is a mode of rejection
and form of resistance to Islam
that has been gallicized in the
historical aspect.
Anti-Terror Laws: Muslims’ Contribution to
Promoting Security or Dividing Communities Islamophobia In America
— Massoud Shadjareh — Dr. Merve Kavakci
Chairman, IHRC Lecturer, George Washington University International Affairs

The British government will In the post-September 11

soon introduce a new terrorism America, profiling has become
bill which it says is in the inter- increasingly pertinent to the
ests of our safety and security “Muslim” experience. This has
and designed to ensure that we entailed the emergence of the
will prevail in this never-ending notion “Islamophobia” as a sa-
‘war on terror’. With scores of lient concern in Muslim Ameri-
young Muslims in Britain be- can, civil and human rights cir-
ing arrested every month under cles. Neo-con Washingtonians
existing anti-terror laws, one who are also known to be the
would be forgiven for believing entrenchers of Orientalist as-
that these laws are necessary sumptions at a global scale, at
to prevent any future atrocities the outset of the new millen-
and protect innocent lives. But nium, are rendered liable for the
the difficulty arises when on most part, for the rise of Islam-
closer examination, it emerges ophobia in today’s America. In
that the vast majority of those this paper, after delineating the
arrested are released without theoretical framework within
charge and that even those who which Islamophobia burgeons,
are ultimately convicted are, as I zero in on several positioning
one high court judge stated, “no of the Muslims of US in re-
closer to a bomb or a firearm sponse to the changing environ-
than a computer keyboard”. ment in the hands of neo-cons.
For British anti-terror laws have I provide a reverse reading of
effectively criminalized sim- Muslims’ re-actions. I argue
ple everyday activities such as that their stance not only lacks
photography, tourism, studying the necessary tools to counter
engineering, camping, research Islamophobia but, more impor-
and even poetry. The discrimi- tantly, and maybe deleteriously,
natory manners in which these albeit inadvertently, contributes
laws have been used to target to its further augmentation.
the Muslim community alone
have even resulted in the perse-
cution of Muslim lawyers who
defend terror suspects. With
politicians, the judiciary and
the media associating levels of
religiosity with “extremism”,
rather than achieving security,
these laws and their implemen-
tation only serve to divide com-
munities in Britain and foster
hatred of the “Other”.

33
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 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
“The OIC/NGOs Cooperation in
Combating Islamophobia”
Deputy of OIC Mission to UN Geneva Office
Islamophobia is a multifacet-
ed and complicated present-day
phenomenon. It is a pertinent
task to define the matter con-
ceptually, explain its manifesta-
tions and underlying its causes,
and identifying preventive and
preemptive measures for tack-
ling with its current expressions
through advocating legal bind-
ing instruments in national and
international levels.
Islamophobia refers to a
baseless hostility and fear of re-
ligion of Islam and as a result
fear of and aversion towards all
Muslims. Some prefer to use an-
ti-Islam or anti-Muslim instead
of Islamophobia, although each
concept has its own merit, they
can be used interchangeably.
34
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Fundamental Questions About
The Concept Of Islamophbia
— Dr. Mojtaba AMIRI VAHID
In the past, the driving force
of Islamophobia was base on
religion, but present-day Islam-
ophobia has taken new forms
stemming from societal changes
linked with significant waves of
immigrations and the growing
political and economic assert-
iveness of Muslim countries.
Islamophobia which is rooted
in the long standing Oreintal-
ism discourse in the western so-
cieties, could be seen as a direct
consequence of the Cold war-
type of ideology building on,
“Clash of civilizations” and re-
ligions –MacJihad verses Mod-
ernization, “Us and Them”,
“enlightenment against dark-
ness,” “civilization against bar-
barism”, “good against evil”,
which according to the UN Spe-
cial Rapporteur is dominated in
several political and intellectual
circles of Western societies.
Indeed, according to the fre-
quent reports of UN Special
Rapporteur there are two main
factors which depict the rise of
Islamophobia: a) the Intellec-
tual legitimization of hostility
toward Islam and its adherents
and b) the political tolerance of
such hostility in many coun-
tries. These two growing trends
“not only pose a direct threat
to the safeguard of the rights
of Muslim individuals, but also
to the very democratic founda-
tions of many societies.”
Because Islamophobia
sounds like a medical word,
I would like to address it as a
physician, my concern being to
make the most comprehensive
and objective diagnosis of the
issue we are debating. In my
medical practice, the approach
might be painful because of the
tests or because of an unex-
pected diagnosis. But it is the
only way to tackle the problem
for the benefit of the patient.I
hope that some participants
would accept, with my apolo-
gies, the pain that might be
provoked by what I am going
to explain. Islamophobia is a
word made of Islam and Pho-
bia. All of us here are supposed
to know what Islam is, but not
necessarily what means Phobia.
This word coming from ancient
Greek refers in psychiatry and
psychoanalysis, to painful feel-
ings such as blocking fear, dis-
gust, and anxiety, leading some
times to dangerous behaviours.
Therefore we must ask ourselves
if all westerners, Russians,
Hindus and other populations
among them live Moslems have
such pathological feelings and
behaviours towards them!
If we accept that the word
is not relevant, and that in
fact Islamophobia refers sim-
ply to ignorance about Islam,
— Dr. Moncef Marzouki
Researcher Writer
confusion between religion and
politics, hidden racism against
Moslems, the question became
so what and what is new? The
word has been used for the first
time in 1921, by Etienne Di-
net and Slimane Ben Brahim
in their book ‘’ L’orient vu de
l’occident’’ describing hostile
attitudes against Moslems as
ancient as the conflict between
the conquering Islam and the
religions and cultures that he
confronted. The racism against
Arabs in France and Turks in
Germany did not begin after
September 11.
I am not denying the rising
discrimination that Moslems
are suffering from, or the exist-
ence of negative feelings against
Islam in the Western countries,
in Russia or in India.
A physician never dismisses
the symptoms his patient is
complaining from. He just has
to interpret them, not necessar-
ily like the patient does or would
like them to be interpreted.
The symptoms might be
less, or more serious than he
believes. They might be the sig-
nals of an other problem he did
not expect.
To go further in our diagnosis
let us ask the question: Who,
and for what purpose, is stir-
ring old fears against Moslems
and Islam, pushing towards the
clash of civilization?
What Can Muslims Do to Oppose
Islamophobia?: Lessons from Canada
University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA)
Islamophobia is on the rise.
Everyday anti-Muslim and Is-
lamic prejudice becomes more
acceptable and mainstream in
Europe and North America.
From television programming,
to political debate, to intellec-
tual discussion, overt racism
and discrimination against Mus-
lims and mean-spirited attacks
against Islam have become al-
most fashionable in some circles.
While recognizing the danger of
this growing social phenomenon
this paper poses a challenge to
Muslims by asking the critical
question: what can Muslims do
to oppose Islamophobia?
— Nader Hashemi
Visiting Assistant Professor
During upon a decade of ex-
perience as a Muslim political
activist in Canada, it will be
argued that are numerous steps
Muslims should be taking to
stop the rise Islamophobia and
that traditional Muslim passiv-
ity in challenging Islamophobia
has in fact allowed it to prolifer-
ate.
A key battleground is in the
realm of human rights. Draw-
ing upon the Qur’anic verse
(4:135) an argument will con-
structed that the failure of
Muslim organizations/groups to
criticize acts of violence by fel-
low Muslims -- out of fear that
it might contribute to Islamo-
phobia -- is a strategy that has
backfired. Rather than abat-
ing the spread of Islamophobia
-- this strategy of silence -- has
given credence to Muslim-hat-
ers in the West and contributed
to the rise of Islamophobia.
Moral consistency is required,
not moral hypocrisy.
Finally, it will argued that
the failure of Muslims to be
self-critical is also a denial of
the Qur’anic ideal embodied in
4:135 where Muslims are en-
couraged to “stand out firmly
for justice, as witnesses to God,
even as against yourselves, or
your parents, or your kin.”
The Political Exploitation of Islamophobia
in Post–Communist Albania
PhD researcher, European University Institute in Florence
The paper ‘the Political Ex-
ploitation of Islamophobia in
post–communist Albania’ gives
a resume to the historical and
present usages of Islamophobia
by different religious, political,
intellectual and artistic actors
of modern Albania.
The first part of the paper
starts its narrative during the
era of communism, when Is-
lamophobia and Turkophobia
were two major elements that
the communists used for con-
structing the modern Alba-
nian identity, in opposite with
Albanians’ inherited cultural
heritage from the Ottomans.
While, the second part, the
paper travels in the realities of
post-communist Albania. Here
Islamophobia is exploited by
different political and intellec-
tual quarters, for legitimizing
political ambitions and project-
ing the new modern enemy of
the ‘European’ Identity of Al-
banians with Islam.
While during the era of com-
munism the Muslims of Alba-
nia were portrayed as anadol-
— Olsi Jazexhi
lakë (Anatolians), prapanikë
(backward), tradhëtare (turn-
coats), dallkaukë (idiots), tur-
qeli (little Turks), dylberë (ho-
mosexuals), aziatikë (Asians),
fanatikë (fanatics), bixhozçinj
(gamblers), përdhunues (rap-
ist) and barbarë (barbarians),
after the fall of communism
Islamophobia found new usag-
es. People from Ismail Kadare,
Fatos Nano, Remzi Lani, Piro
Misha and many more, who in
the past were high members
of communist nomenclature,
after the fall of communism
started using the so-called
American war on terror and
the theories of clash of civili-
zations, for legitimizing their
grip on power and reviving
the old communist hatred and
stereotypes against Muslims,
the Ottomans and the Islamic
heritage of Albania.
But if during the commu-
nist past, Islamophobia was
projected as a tool for fighting
the Ottoman heritage and Is-
lam was treated as a remnant of
the Turkish invasion, at present
days Albania, it is being project-
ed against the newly Islamized
Albanians who are portrayed as
‘Arabized’, ‘threat to national
security’, ‘foreigners and the
other of the modern Albanian’,
‘the main obstacle for Albania’s
attempts to join the European
Union’ and ‘remnants of the
Turkish invasion’.
35
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
The Sociology Of Fear
Selçuk University, Faculty of Science and Art,
The fear of communism in
the McCarthy Period of USA,
the fear of the Jews in Germa-
ny, the cultural Revolution of
Mao’s China, the great fears of
capitalism or counter-revolution
supporting the great cleansing
operations of Stalin, the “fear
from the negro” in America
and South Africa resulted in the
great discrimination… In all
these examples fear is employed
as instrument for the elite domi-
nation, but in turn also convinc-
ing the masses through conspir-
acy theories it worked as a mass
ideology.
Anti-Semitism, had brought
about the emergence of a human
tragedy through the creation of
a fear from the Jews. Humanity
has paid the cost of the fascism
prepared and elaborated by this
fear by the life of several millions
of Jews and about 30 millions of
other people. So there has been
elaborated a sensitivity in Eu-
rope against the fears that might
surrounding the political sphere.
In all the mentioned examples
it has been seen clearly that all
no one of the object of the fear
had the potential to produce any
threat to those who were afraid.
However, it has been proved that
these fears have been employed
as reasons to exclude some peo-
ple from their human rights, to
realize systematical discrimi-
native policies against them.
36
www.islamophobiaconference.org
American Exceptionalism, Globalization and
Islamophobia: Double Discrimination
— Prof. Dr. Yasin Aktay
Department of Sociology
Therefore after a long and rich
period of experience it has been
agreed that such fears are either
psychological diseases (phobias)
that should be rehabilitated and
should be precluded from domi-
nating the political or social
spheres, or they are something
produced or abused as political
instrument to control the politi-
cal sphere. In any case, the pos-
sibility of the revival of the fears
as political power instrument
could not be excluded yet. As a
matter of fact especially in rela-
tion to the Muslims in the entire
world the political is ruled by
such production of fears. These
fears are feeding each other as
political instruments and as psy-
chological diseases.
The sociology of fear propose
to think on the employment of
fear in the political discourses as
instrument, on the reality and
availability of this fear. Fur-
thermore the importance of the
Subject of fear (who fears) is
emphasized. The impact of the
fear on the object who is being
afraid and on the one who is
afraid should be distinguished.
Since, as it is told in this paper,
when the one who is afraid is in
power or is the dominant-major
part of the society, then the pos-
sibility of the emergence of sys-
tematic human right violations,
discrimination based on that
fear is quite higher and higher.
Associated Professor of Media and Cyber Studies – University of Tehran
Islamophobia is about nega-
tive representation of Islam
and Muslim through encoding
Muslims and Islam by phobic
concepts such as violence, ter-
ror, fundamentalism, anti-hu-
manism and uncivilized behav-
ior. This destructive ideology
has two overt and covert di-
mensions. The overt dimension
of Islamophobia is related to
variety ways of representation
of Islam and Muslims in litera-
ture, television, radio and cine-
ma productions. The covert and
hidden aspect of Islamophobia
is related to Ideology of Excep-
tionalism embodied in America-
centrism and Euro-centrism.
Such an exceptionalism explain
the major force and major cause
of ‘revenge culture’ in Europe
and America, which respect one
and reject the rest.
Islamophobia is explaining
why and how conflicts between
so called the West and Muslim
World expanded in the post
September 11th world policy of
the United States and its allay
around the world. Islamopho-
bia is conceptual ground which
one can reflect covert aspects
of devaluation, misperception
and misrepresentation of Islam
and Muslims internally and ex-
ternally. Islamophobia instru-
— Saied Reza Ameli
mented as a code of fact for war
against any Islamic countries
and code of legitimation of vio-
lence against Muslims. There
is serious trend to exaggerate
Islam and Muslims to more ha-
tred environment by emphasiz-
ing on “Islamofascism’.
Islamophobia used as tools
for ‘otherization’ or ‘segrega-
tion between Muslims and oth-
ers’ which works for Isolation
and demonization of largest
religious community around
the world. This isolation and
demonization convey mistrust,
misunderstanding, communica-
tion noise, mutation of Mus-
lims and legitimating war and
violence against Muslims if it
happened. Islamophobia can
also seen as a “minority policy’
for either negative immigration
policy to force Muslim to leave
USA and European Countries
or at least slow down the trend
of Muslim immigrations to USA
and European Countries.
According to such a discourse
this paper, will examine con-
nection between American Ex-
ceptionalism as a ‘domination
ideology’ and globalization as
an instrument for ‘globalization
of American Ideology’ and it’s
effects on crating ‘hatred envi-
ronment’ and ‘revenge culture’
against Muslims in the form of
Double discrimination around
the world.
Islamophobia and Its Impact on
the American Muslim Community
Howard University, United States of America
Islam is one of the four ma-
jor world religions. It is also
described as the fastest grow-
ing faith among humankind.
This image of Islam as a world
religion and as a popular com-
munity of believers is being
Opportunities for dialogue and alternatives
for relations among civilizations
— Dr. Sulayman S. Nyang
destroyed by a counter- im-
age manufactured by foes and
enemies of the religion. There
are clearly identifiable elements
that can be labeled as purveyors
of hate against the religion and
its believers. Unfortunately,
there are also certain Muslims
who contribute to this phenom-
enon and their words and deeds
are partly responsible for this
matter. This paper wishes to ex-
plore the rise of these political
animals whose activities foster
what has been called the Clash
of Civilizations.
The purpose of this paper
is to look at the word Islam
phobia and to trace its origins
as well as the manner in which
it has affected the Muslim com-
munity. Primary attention is
devoted to the problem and its
impact on Muslims in the West.
The first part of the paper deals
with the idea and the manner
in which it is conceptualized
by its perpetrators. The second
part is to explore the different
dimensions it affects in Muslim
existence in Western societies.
The third part of the paper ad-
dresses Muslim reactions to the
phenomenon and their attempts
to contain and defeat it in the
Western public square. The fi-
nal section gives the author’s
conclusions on the subject.
South America: The Unknown West.
Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Montevideo, Uruguay
When analysing Islamopho-
bia in South America we can
distinguish remarkable differ-
ences with the developed West.
Although all South Ameri-
can countries identify them-
selves with western values and
culture, their recent history
–which was marked by military
governments and dictatorship-
has shown them the degrees of
information manipulation and
interference to which the Unit-
ed –States resorted in their own
nations. Hence, they maintain
a more objective stand towards
news dealing with Islam and
Arabic countries.
Nevertheless, a terrorist at-
tack against the AMIA (Jewish
medical centre) in Buenos Aires
in 1994 or suspicions about Is-
lamic terrorist activity in Foz de
— Dr. Susana Mangana
Iguazu (Brasil) have reopened
the door for criminalizing Mus-
lims. Moreover, recent strength-
ening of bilateral relations be-
tween Venezuela and Iran has
set off the alarms among Jew-
ish communities in the region
that also instrumentalise cul-
tural differences with Islam.
However, the common citizen
of Argentina, Brazil or Uruguay
realise nowadays that there is a
need to understand what Islam
really represents and what be-
ing a Muslim means in order
to discard prejudices. Thus, it
would be interesting for Islamic
nations to come closer to South
America and to show there Is-
lamic culture in a thorough and
complete manner, including
the rich cultural legacy Mus-
lims left the West. This can be
achieved by financing courses
and seminars and opening cul-
tural centres to spread Islamic
culture and different Middle
Eastern languages throughout
South America.
Besides, cultural exchange
programs involving students
from both sides of the Atlan-
tic ocean would contribute to-
wards a bigger understanding
and a exchange of information
between Islamic societies and a
much friendlier side of Western
civilization.
37
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
“The Role of the OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights in Combating
Intolerance against Muslims”
Adviser on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination Against Muslims,
Islamophobia is unfortunate-
ly an increasing phenomenon
which threatens stability and
security within countries and in
international relations. There-
fore, it requires our consistent
attention and intensive efforts of
the OSCE. The first OSCE stand-
alone decision specifically on tol-
erance and non-discrimination
was adopted during the 2002
Porto Ministerial Council Meet-
ing. This decision calls for the in-
creased efforts of the OSCE and
participating States to promote
tolerance and non-discrimina-
tion in all fields. It further af-
firms the importance of freedom
of thought, conscience, religion
or belief, and condemns all forms
of discrimination and violence,
including against any religious
group or individual believer.
The decision also recognizes the
need to combat hate crimes,
which can be fuelled by racist,
xenophobic, and anti-Semitic
propaganda on the Internet,
a digital area where the most
extreme forms of racial and re-
ligious hate speech take place.
The roots of this decision can be
traced back to the 1975 Helsinki
Final Act provisions which are
related to non-discrimination,
freedom of religion and protec-
tion of minorities.
The commitments made in
2002 have been subsequently
38
www.islamophobiaconference.org
Islamophobia in Europe:
A New Evil?
— Vincent GEISSER
— Taskin Tankut Soykan
Researcher in Political Science and Sociology at Research Institute
on the Arabic and Moslem World (IREMAM)
OSCE/ODIHR
followed by a series of specific beyond this date. The attacks
decisions which are taken dur- on New York City acted as a
ing the annual meetings of the revealing and amplifying fac-
Ministerial Council. However, tor of the French islamopho-
not until the 2004 decision of bia more than a deciding one .
the Permanent Council (PC Dec With this regard, the slaughters
No. 621), the OSCE made ex- of civilians that took place in
plicit reference to the protection Algeria between the years 1991
of Muslims from intolerance and 2000 produced a somehow
and discrimination. This deci- greater emotionnal trauma
sion of the Permanent Council on the French public opinion,
was endorsed by the Sofia Min- Islam being often related to
isterial Council, which was held barbaric violence and funda-
later in the same year. More im- mentalist terrorism. Indeed,
portant, in the 2005 Ljubljana there is in France an « Algerian
Ministerial Council Decision, trauma » comparable to the
the participating States reject- « 9/11 trauma » in the United
ed the identification of terror- States, especially since a three-
ism and violent extremism with million French-Algerian com-
any religion, culture or ethnic munity live in the country and
group; and reemphasized com- many Algerian intellectuals are
mitments to raise awareness regularly denouncing the ill ef-
and develop measures to coun- fects of radical islamism. These
ter prejudice, without endan- French-Algerian networks are
gering freedom of information indeed working as a « cultural
and expression, in order to ef- lobby » anxious to fight every
fectively respond to xenopho- aspect of « Islamic activism »
bic stereotypes and intolerance and as a matter of fact, alto-
against all religious groups, in- gether contribute, to shape the
cluding Muslims. Finally, in the
As in all European countries perception of the Islamic reli-
2006 Brussels Ministerial Coun-
in the follow up of september gion in the French opinion. It
cil, the OSCE called upon the
11th, France experienced a rise is therefore the particular con-
participating States to address
of anti-Islamic racism in many junction of the fallouts of both
the root causes of intolerance
social sectors. However, it must the recent Algerian civil war
against Muslims by encourag-
be said that these « islamopho- and the 9/11 terrorist attacks
ing the development of compre-
bic attitudes » were already at that makes the French situa-
hensive domestic educational
work prior to the 9/11 event tion a very unique one among
policies and strategies.
as much as they went on far the European countries.
The roots of Islamophobia in Sacred Books
and Ancient Traditions
As it is known the legacy of
Islam and Christianity left their
signs on both East and West
cultures. In the recent years
Islamophobia has become a
topic of increasing sociological
and political importance. But
it is not a new concept; it has
its roots in sacred books and
traditions. When we look to the
Bible we can find many verses
which impose radicalism and
hostility toward non-Christians
like: “Think not that I came to
send peace on the earth: I came
not to send peace, but a sword
(Mat 10:34)`. Another version
of this verse is: “Do you think
that I came to give peace on
the earth? Not at all, I say to
you, but rather division! (Luk
12:51).
When we look to the origins
and Muslims Attitudes towards “Anti-Semitism”
and “Islamophobia
— Dr. Yusuf Suiçmez
Near East University, TRNC
of all these beliefs we can find
its roots in The Bible and in its
commentaries. According to
the traditional Christianity and
Judaism the property of Ab-
raham was divided among the
sons of his legitimate wives, the
eldest son getting a larger por-
tion than the rest. The Mosaic
law made specific regulations re-
garding the transmission of real
property, which are given in de-
tail in the Bible. The Christians,
after coming of Christ claimed
that he became the “heir of all
things” and his followers be-
came heirs of the “promise,”
“of righteousness,” “of the
kingdom,” “of the world,” “of
God,” “joint heirs” with Christ.
The destiny of those who op-
pose these beliefs determined in
another verse: `But these mine
enemies, that would not that I
should reign over them, bring
hither, and slay them before
me (Luk 19:27)`. According to
Adam Clark, this verse refers
to the awful destruction of Je-
rusalem, but pointing to the
final destruction of all that are
found in open rebellion against
Christ.
As a result we can say that,
what is going on today has its
roots in sacred books and histo-
ry. Being unaware of this real-
ity, we can not comprehend the
issues of today’s events and we
can not find real solutions.
About the Meaning of the Freedom of Religion
Due to the main stream of
the progress in Europe freedom
is being perceived as ‘freedom
from God’ , it is impossible to
observe the religious freedom
by Muslims at full length yet
for the time being as the his-
torical and social reflexes of
the continent are not yet suit-
able for that. Under the guiding
of intellectual habits, religious
freedom is usually understood
as a kind of tolerance between
Christian groups themselves.
After the Second World War the
Jews achieved an exception and
protected by the hate laws.
Although we can find the
roots of “Islamophobia” in the
crusades at the ‘childhood’ of
the western civilization, nowa-
days it is in its new fashion of
a modern and fabrication phe-
nomenon. The modern Islamo-
phobia is directed to Islam as
an identity and its visibility via
symbols such as hijab and min-
aret; more then Islam as pure
religion.
— Fatih Okumus
Lecturer, Vrije University-Amsterdam
New Europeans those who
describe themselves as “Euro-
pean Muslims” transforming
from temporality to residency,
from expatriation to citizenship
have weaker bonds either with
cultural heritage of their own
forefathers or European Cultur-
al heritage. European Muslims
are being affected negatively by
fear of Islam and opposition to
Islam proportional to their dis-
tance to own roots.
The raising of Islamophobia
and anti-İslamizm which acti-
vates the European inner reflex-
ions, not only causes a demand
of more information regarding
Islam but also on the other side
causes initiatives of efforts to
defense and normalizing the Is-
lam’s existence.
Crisises and expansion peri-
ods follow one another: qabz
and bast (pressure and expan-
sion). Several European gov-
ernments are taking preven-
tive measures for getting rid of
this kabz status to eliminate
more increase of Islamophobia.
Concrete indicators of this new
approach are, having financial
support of governments, steps
such as Islamic theology edu-
cation programs that are being
opened one after another and
social activities of mosques in
European countries.
39
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
Muslim Women’s Rights and Islamophobia
Chair, Women Rights Against Discrimination (AKDER)
Islamophobia in Europe
and the USA first appeared by
otherizing Muslims and sub-
sequently turning them into
elements of threat. A different
version of Islamophobia ap-
peared in “the headscarf ban”,
limited the rights of pious Mus-
lim women’s attending in educa-
tion, work and social lives with-
out discrimination in Turkey.
In the process, women wearing
headscarf as a command of
their religion have demanded to
be more visible in the society as
having university level educa-
tion and working in public of-
fices different from their previ-
ous generations. Veiled women
have not been satisfied with the
compatible roles in the society
such as housewife, agricultural
worker, house maid or secretary.
The problematization of the
headscarf as a problem in the
society came across with the
demand of ‘visibility.’ Finally
beginning from February 1998,
headscarf has been forbidden
and women’s visibility at the
“public sphere” was banned.
The discrimination of at-
tire as such appeared in non of
the European countries, and
40
www.islamophobiaconference.org
“The Concept of Human Rights in Islam Versus
Universal Declaration of Human Rights”
— Fatma Benli
contrary to the constitution of
Turkey and any codes it exists
in circulars and court decisions
on attire. To legitimize the ban
a distinction between headscarf
and “turban” emerged. Turban
is a differentiating term derived
from abroad to differentiate
veiled women among them.
Young and more educated
women’s scarf described by the
term, turban. Additionally tur-
ban defined as a political sym-
bol and just because of this rea-
son those veiled women’s rights
were limited.
It was just ignored that be-
cause of the ban on headscarf
not only university students
but also their mothers were not
allowed to be at the university
graduation ceremony, or even
some women attending pub-
lic seminars at the university
properties were taken out dur-
ing seminars.
Stigmatized by their attire,
otherized women’s status re-
flected to debate on tne new
constitution. The debate on
“1982 constitution” which was
criticized since its first day and
claimed as illegitimate in any as-
pects was locked to discussions
on headscarf. Some fears such
as Turkey turning into Malay-
sia were discussed. These fears
without any concrete roots can
be considered as Islamophobia.
UNIW Representative Executive Director, Kashmir American Council (CAR)
The West holds many mis-
conceptions about Islam, par-
ticularly in regards to human
rights, and often point to some
dictatorial regimes in the Mus-
lim world to prove their point.
Confusing these oppressive au-
tocracies with Islamic states,
Westerners then reject the re-
ligious voices that arise in op-
position to these rulers, and
ironically continue to support
the existing despotic regimes,
which in reality reflect beliefs
and practices of pre-Islamic
Arabia.
Islam as a value system up-
holds the same human rights
— Ghulam Nabi Fai
precepts as contained in the
Universal Declaration of Hu-
man Rights (UDHR). After
all, Islam means submission to
God (and should be translated
when communicating in non-
Arabic languages to capture the
universal meaning intended),
and does indeed encapsulate
the same moral principles as
outlined in the Hebrew Bible
and the New Testament, both
of which served as templates
for the modern Western code of
law and legal system.
In fact, Islamists should be
defending the universal truths
as conveyed through all the sa-
cred scriptures, and specifically
the three Abrahamic faiths –
Islam, Judaism & Christianity.
Some of these timeless spiritual
principles can indeed be seen in
the thirty articles of the United
Nations Universal Declaration
of Human Rights.
Prophet Muhammad intro-
duced the concept of human
rights to Arabia, a place where
people were suffering the worst
kind of human rights violations
known to humanity. Under
these conditions, he promoted
human rights and human dig-
nity not only for his followers,
but also for all humankind.
The Roots and Challenges of The Role of International Conventions in
Islamophobia Promoting Islamophobia through the Media

— Karen Armstrong — Dr. Manal Abolhasan

Writer Mass Communication, Al Azhar University

The lecture will discuss the to impose a single cognitive

historic roots of Islamophobia framework on the whole world,
in the West. Why did the West thus ignoring the specific nature
conceive a fear and aversion to of different cultures and socie-
Islam and the Muslim world? ties, resulting in a clash among
And how does this operate in civilizations. Most importantly,
the Western psyche. We will see
Muslim countries’ objections to
how Islamophobia is affected
some of the articles pertaining
by the rise during the twentieth
century of the militant piety, to Women Rights which con-
often, somewhat misleadingly, tradict with the Islamic Shari’a
called “fundamentalism.” We are usually rejected because
will also see how Islamphobia they allegedly have a negative
has played a role in and been effect on women rights in the
increased by such recent events world. The reason behind this
as the September 11 attacks, are the widespread misconcep-
the episode of the Danish Car- tions concerning the tolerance
toons, and the recent crisis in and justice of Islamic Shari’a,
Sudan. Finally we will look at which grants additional rights
the religious challenge that Is- to women without bypassing
lamophobia offers to Muslims
their obligations that ensure re-
today.
spect to the rights of others.
This international vision is
reflected in the Media by ei-
ther ways: highlighting nega-
tive practices of radical Islam-
The Media sector currently ist groups, or stressing positive
represents one of the main de-
sides within anti-Islamic media
vices through which Interna-
productions, a fact which pro-
tional Conventions on Women
motes Islamophobia. The paper
are implemented. This was the
natural outcome of the increas- attempts to show several results
ing world and regional interest of Mass Communication studies
in Women Rights since the final besides uncovering some of the
decades of the twentieth cen- anti-Islamic aspects of interna-
tury, when international con- tional conventions on women
ventions on women were suc- rights, and finally to reach a
cessively in place thanks to the more objective viewpoint re-
United Nations. The purpose of garding the role of media in
such agreements is apparently fighting Islamophobia.

41
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA
Needs Of Muslims Throughout The World For
The Union Of Civil Organizations & Legal
Institutions To Compact Islamic Phobia
Deputy Secretary General Union of the NGOs of the Islamic World (UNIW)
No doubt that the need to
resort to the law, rules and hu-
man rights principles through
concerned bodies and expert
specialized persons has recently
become apparent and urgent
and it has even become more
urgent as the result of close
relationship between countries
and interact of interests and
the communications among na-
tions due to the easy movement
and communications the matter
which resulted in several differ-
ent relationship. Some of these
relationship is based on rules
of law and justice while others
are against this rules, to the ex-
tent that it might some times
become a crime, aggression or
terrorism regularly. Hence it’s
a must to resort to these rights
and acquiring them through le-
gal institutions.
42
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Civil Peace
— Mubarak al Mutawwa
Therefore, the International
Union for the Civil Organiza-
tion in the Islamic World was
established in Turkey and its
Headquarters is in Istanbul
City in May 2005. The inaugu-
ral conference was attended by
hundreds of civil organization
from all over the Islamic World
and Muslims from other coun-
tries. In its meeting the Union
was announced and the First
General Assembly was held on
March 25, 2006. Its first activi-
ties started in a number of sev-
eral areas in the Islamic World.
The union has included major
civil organization and other im-
portant committees that aim
realizing legal protection and
to guarantee the rights of indi-
viduals and civil organization
worldwide. These organizations
included Turkey Endowment
Organization TOTV, Al Ansar
Endowment H.H, Organiza-
tion of Islamic Invitation in
Sudan, Bahrain Reformation
Society, International Islamic
Committee for Human Rights
of the International Islamic
Council for Invitation & Relief
as well as other Organizations,
Students Unions, the European
Muslims Union.
Gazi University Faculty of Economics and Political Science,
Department of International Relations, Lecturer
The Islamic world gave a viv-
id and an impressive reaction
when the caricature crisis arose.
These reactions were surprising
for the western world, which
had long been in bad terms with
their own religions and the sa-
cred things. Muslims’ purpose
was to warn the west not to play
with fire. Though the westerns
— Prof. Dr. Mümtaz’er Türköne
attempted to take the matter in
terms of the freedom of ideas,
they understood how dangerous
a field they were about to stir.
Attacking the prophet of Islam
meant to wish death.
However Muslims are not
facing the humiliation for the
first time. Salman Rushdie’s
novel, Satanic Verses was one of
the storms of 1980s. The novel
included humiliating things
against Qur’an, similar to those
which Christian theologians
use. What made this novel,
which is of no literal value, and
its author famous was the fatwa
of death given for its author by
Ayatullah Humayni. Despice
against the foreign and “other”
Islam is a part of European
history. The same symbol re-
mained behind the recent mur-
der of Van Gogh in Holland.
Today, those who visit Europe-
an cities can certainly find one
or two pictures on the walls of
church which humiliate Islam.
The ordinary figure is one with
the crescent being trampled.
These caricatures which
causes great indignations in the
Islamic World express a humili-
ation directly aiming at Islam.
It is ironic that there are still
many people that advocates
this inauspicient pictures sim-
ply because they think it is a
matter of freedom of ideas.
Socio-cultural Perspective of Islamophobia
UNIW Representative Member of Egypt Department of
Sociology, Faculty of Arts, University of Cairo
The present study has tried
to determinate dimensions of
the concept of Islamophobia
from sociological and cultural
point of view, putting into
consideration its psycho-socio-
logical contents. That Phobia
is a symptom of psychological
disturbance in personality as
well as in group or society. It
has been coined recently and
as socio-political phenomenon
and might be tested by socio-
logical approaches. Since the
classical literature of sociol-
ogy by Ibn Khaldoun, E. Dur-
khiem, K.Marks and M.Weber;
to contemporary Sociology by
P.Sorokin, A.Giddens e.g. and in
Psychology Abraham Maslow.
Islamophobia as well may be
partly related to the domain of
social pathology and sociology
of (man-made) disaster, which
at present days after 11th of
September 2001has been reac-
tivated by USA administration
and some European states. In
fact as Edward Said claimed,
and he is right, “Islamic terror-
ism displaced Communism as
public enemy number one” with
the end of the Cold War, provid-
ing a continued justification for
the military-industrial complex
and national security it is not a
coincidence state apparatuses
in the U.S.
Socio-historical analysis may
lead to roots of hostility against
— Prof.Dr. Salah Abdel Motaal
Islam from the dawn of Islamic
era and since the crusades to lib-
eration movements against col-
onization. That kind of conflict
has created spheres of mutual
hatred between most of Mos-
lems and the crusaders and their
descendants in western world
, whom they actually domi-
nated most of Islamic countries
by military occupation and
in present days , by so called
world’s new order and empow-
ered Zionism to establish Israel
State in Palestine, the heart of
Arab and Islamic world. That
kind of unfair conflict has mo-
tivated Islamic revitalization
and created according to many
Moslem groups to develop re-
sistant movements which some
of them are extremely fanatics
against foreigners and their in-
digenous political regimes.
The present study proved evi-
dences of western hostility feel-
ings against Moslems particu-
larly the immigrant residents
in western countries. Many ag-
gressive events are still occurred
since explosions of September
11th 2001. Islamophobia be-
haviors in one side is usually
happened by some western citi-
zens, mostly extremists, and
the other side by formal insti-
tutions .i.e. ,Islamophobia has
been Institutionalized.
— PARTICIPANTS —
Necmi Sadikoglu, Secretary General of the UNIW, Turkey;
Necati Ceylan, President of the Turkish Foundation for
Volunteer Organizations (TGTV), Turkey;
Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia;
Anwar Ibrahim, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Malay-
sia, Malaysia;
Karen Armstrong, Writer and Lecturer, UK;
Ali Sarikaya, OIC-Youth, Turkey;
Prof.Dr. Norman G. Finkelstein, USA;
Prof. Dr. Tariq Said Ramadan, Switzerland;
Hasan Abou Taleb, Al-Ahram Center for Political and Stra-
tegic Studies, Egypt;
Dr. Ibrahim Kalin, Politics, Economics and Society Re-
searches (SETA), Turkey;
Dr. Merve Safa Kavakci, Writer, Lecturer George Washing-
ton University, USA;
William Baker, Founder and President of Christians and
Muslims for Peace (CAMP), USA;
Vincent Geisser, President of Study and Information Center
on the International Migrants (CIEMI), France;
Prof. Dr. Susana Mangana, Arabic and Islamic Studies, The
Catholic University, Uruguay;
Dr. Louay M. Safi, Executive Director, ISNA Leadership
Development Center, USA;
Dr. Moncef Marzouki, Writer, France;
Ghulam Nabi Fai, Executive Director of Kashmiri Ameri-
can Council (KAC), USA;
Prof. Dr. Ahmed Muhammed Al-Sharkawe, Islamic Studies,
Al-Azhar and Qassim University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
Haytham Manna, Arab Commission for Human Rights,
France;
Fatma Benli, President of Women Rights Society against
Discrimination (AKDER), Turkey;
Ahmad Azam Abdurrahman, President of Global Peace
Mission, Malaysia;
Mojtaba Amiri Vahid, Deputy of OIC Mission to UN Ge-
neva Office, Iran;
Ahmed von Denffer, Muslime Helfen, Germany;
Ali Elghatit, Deputy President Egyptian Society of Inter-
national Law, Egypt;
Massoud Shadjareh, Chairman Islamic Human Rights Com-
mission, UK;
Dr. Yusuf Kaplan, Lecturer, Director Science and Art
Academy, Turkey;
Prof. Dr. Mmtazer Trkne, Lecturer Gazi University, Turkey;
Prof. Dr. Anis Ahmad, Vice Chancellor Riphah Interna-
tional University, Pakistan;
Dr. Iqbal Unus, Director Fairfax Institute, USA;
Ali Kurt, Deputy Secretary General UNIW, Turkey;
M. Fahmy Howeidy, Deputy Editor in Chief Al-Ahram
Newspaper, Egypt;
Prof.Dr. Nader Hashemi, Northwestern University, Political
Sciences,
Mr. Orhun, OSCE Personal Representative dealing with
Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims, Turkey.
43
www.islamophobiaconference.org
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA
FINAL COMMUNIQUE
DECEMBER 8-9, 2007 – ISTANBUL
Our world is intentionally and
deliberately desired to be trans-
formed into a planet where the fear
is dominant, security is a matter of
crisis and culture of living together
is declined. The hegemonic pow-
ers’ policies that are self-interested
and negligent of the law and hu-
man rights threaten the peace and
comfort of the mankind. The events
like the occupations of Afghanistan,
Iraq and Palestine, the slaughter of
hundred of thousands of innocent
people, the conviction of millions of
Palestinians to a life of refuge, the
exposition of Caucasus and Kash-
miri people to dreadful cruelties for
decades and their being deprived of
their internationally legal rights are
all the results of the same mental-
ity. These policies, especially after
the collapse of the eastern bloc, are
nourished by Anti-Islamism and
Islamophobia. Fear-based policies
have resulted in so many dramas
of mankind; provided that nobody
takes lessons from the past and to-
day nobody takes the essential pre-
cautions, then the future Islamopho-
bia may present similar outcomes.
The discriminative applications
that Muslims are exposed; the ver-
bal and physical attacks targeting at
devoted individuals and groups, and
places of worship; the deprivation
of Muslims from their basic rights;
contemptuous, unkind and insulting
broadcasts and expressions on Is-
lamic values and sacred things; the
political, sociological and psycho-
logical oppressions and applications
performed to prevent the imple-
mentation of religious merits; every
kind of bad treatment that the Mus-
lim is subjected to while serving or
being served in the sectors of poli-
tics, education, health and business
44 www.theunity.org
should be evaluated in Islamophobic
context. No one can be condemned,
insulted and offended because of his
performing what his religion says.
No one can be inhibited from prac-
ticing his religion, hampered from
applying choices and submitted to
discrimination due to his religious
way of life.
Islamophobia is a dark and dirty
tool of a global depression. In to-
day’s world, when we deeply need
multiculturalism, pluralism and
the mentality of living together, Is-
lamophobia is the biggest betrayal
carried out against the peace of the
world. Islamophobia is a clear dis-
crimination and violation of the hu-
man rights. Therefore Islamophobia
must be considered a crime like anti-
Semitism; decisions must be taken
and laws must be made against Is-
lamophobia by national and inter-
national mechanisms. In the last
century, there has been a great,
worldwide inclination towards reli-
gion and spirituality. Mankind has
begun to eliminate the lack in his
soul with the assistance of spiritual
sources and to question that being
more worldly and secular. Especial-
ly, although Islamic countries stayed
undeveloped in comparison with the
western countries, the increase in
the interest towards Islam or in the
number of devotees has scared some
groups. Islamophobia is a concept of
a global war on Islam against spir-
ituality and any religious values.
Media organs are used as the
most effective instruments in the
formation and spread of Islamopho-
bia. Constant violent broadcasts re-
sulted from ignorance of Islam and
Muslims bring about misconcep-
tions and misperceptions in public
and this case causes Islamophobia
to take roots in public. Especially,
mentioning of Islam together with
“terror” and “violence” and iden-
tifying Muslims and Islam with
the terms such as “Islamofascism”,
“fundamentalism” and “reaction”
hurt public conscience deeply and
cause irrecoverable damages on the
souls of Muslims. The major fac-
tors in the formation and spread
of Islamophobia are media organs
and programs of educational insti-
tutions as well as systematic disin-
formation activities implemented
by various instruments. Struggles
against Islamophobia should politi-
cally, legally and economically be
maintained on national and interna-
tional grounds; systematically and
strategically on educational grounds
through professional instruments.
Systematic information studies to-
wards systematic disinformation
and manipulation activities should
be strengthened.
Therefore socio-economic develop-
ment progresses and development
plans of the Islamic counties have a
vital significance.
Our Conference condemns all
kinds of anti-Islamic and Islamo-
phobic publications, policies and
events; regretfully condemns the
persons and institutes using the
Muslims as the instruments of po-
litical and economical interest. Our
Conference believes that Islamopho-
bia strengthens the ‘war of civiliza-
tions’, ‘war inside the civilization’,
‘war of religions’ and similar cata-
strophic scenarios and thinks that
all the measures must be taken for
a strong presence of the Muslims.
At this point, our conference desires
to address at the political environs,
representatives of non-governmental
organizations, media organs, inter-
national institutions, governments
and international public opinion
with the following title:

Islamic World should increase the

feelings of cooperation and solidar-
ity and put “proper presentation”
and “effective representation” into
practice. They should courageously
make self-criticism if necessary and
should bravely discuss not the val-
ues they believe in but the failure in
the practice and presentation of the
values to their own people and oth-
ers. Muslim nations made political
and sociological progresses when-
ever they live in accordance with
the values of Islam and fell back
whenever they got away from the
values of Islam. The main causes of
Islamic world’s having a life stand-
ard below the world standards are
their indifference to the facts of Is-
lam and not reflecting the essence
and real aspects of it to their lives.
Especially socio-economic under-
developments of Islamic countries
do the groundwork for misconcep-
tion and misperception of Islam
and Muslims. And this case provides
opportunity for Islamophobic poli-
cies, publications, and approaches.

www.theunity.org
45
 ISTANBUL DECLARATION
1. Combating Islamophobia is to
be one of the main duties of all the
people of this world, all the institu-
tions of human rights and all the
just governments.
2. The national and interna-
tional decision making mechanisms
must know that their political plans
based on Islamophobia and anti-
Islamism will result in nothing but
driving our planet through a sphere
of chaos.
3. The media organs of Islamo-
phobia, the institutions applying
discrimination against Muslims,
the organizations acting in Islam-
ophobic manners are to be boy-
cotted.
4. All kinds of lobby activities
must be carried out against the de-
cisions, policies and the laws taken
and will be taken by the national
and international decision making
mechanisms and law-makers using
the instrument of Islamophobia.
5. The products stirring up and
spreading Islamophobia must be
consistently boycotted.
6. In combating Islamopho-
bia, the products of multimedia
must be used more effectively, suf-
ficient funds must be saved and the
most appropriate projects must be
applied.
46 www.theunity.org
7. We have to be the people of
action, not the people of reaction.
We have to plan and apply two
sided proactive education activities
targeting both insiders and outsid-
ers to remove the prejudices and
misunderstandings.
8. New institutes raising special-
ized people must be founded and
supported for stopping Islamopho-
bia from being a dark cause and a
dirty key opening the evil doors.
9. In combating Islamophobia,
the Organization of Islamic Confer-
ence (OIC) must work much more
effectively through the political en-
virons. The leading countries of the
Islamic world must act according to
their responsibilities.
10. Islamic NGOs must persist-
ently and vigorously take necessary
precautions on civil basis. A Monitor-
ing Centre Committee must be estab-
lished under the body of The Union of
NGOs of The Islamic World (UNIW)
and this committee must warn and
inform international decision making
mechanisms, press organs and world
public with periodic reports.
11. Finally our conference se-
verely condemns the occupations
of Iraq, Palestine, Kashmir and
Caucasus at first and other unjust
occupations and reject any type of
global policy based on this axis.
 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA ORGANISED BY
The conference addressed the roots
of Islamophobia, which can manifest
itself directly in verbal or physical at-
tacks on Muslims but also indirectly in
negative images of Muslims presented
by the media.
A delegation from the European
Muslim Union, Malik Sezgin from Co-
logne and Abdurrahman Zenichowski
from Potsdam, Germany, participated
in this event, which also gave opportu-
nity to inform about the general work
and recent activities of EMU. The
Honorary President of EMU, Prof.
Dr. Nevzat Yalcintas participated at
the conference on the first day.
The Secretary General of the
UNIW, Necmi Sadikoglu stated that
his team had been working on this
project for nearly a year and ex-
plained the intention in organizing
a conference on Islamophobia as to
discuss the concept of Islamophobia
with all its aspects and finding a way
out of this problem to contribute to
world peace, to gather experts on the
subject from both academic circles
and the civil society, to scrutinize the
subject from the political, social and
financial viewpoints, to examine the
reasons and results, to define the per-
petrators and victims and to present
solutions to Islamophobia.
Sadikoglu said that UNIW wants
to contribute to the prevention of
individual and institutional Islamo-
phobia cases, publications and regu-
lations by the means the law offers
and to create a common sensitivity
in the international public opinion by
contributing to lay down regulations
on international and national norms
of justice. He also said that after the
conference, UNIW wants to establish
a Monitoring Centre which will moni-
tor and inform concerned institutions
THE UNION OF NGOS OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD
about Islamophobic publications,
broadcasts, events, or politics tak-
ing place in the world. Sadikoglu said
Islamophobia is not only a cause of
discrimination against Muslims but
also an open threat to world peace.
He added, “With this conference, we
are aiming to increase the sensitivity
of domestic and foreign media and to
determine the methods to combat this
phenomenon.”
Around one hundred academics,
scholars, and NGO representatives
from the Muslim World participated
in the conference delivering around
sixty papers discussing issues sur-
rounding the status of Muslims in dif-
ferent regions of the world and sug-
gesting solutions for the problem of
pervasive misconceptions about Islam
and widespread anti-Muslim senti-
ment known as Islamophobia. Over
a thousand academicians, journalists
and NGO representatives followed the
conference during the two days.
The main subjects discussed during
the two conference days, in the deliv-
ered talks as well as in parallel sessions
were: The Causes of Islamophobia;
Islamophobia in the World; Islamo-
phobia and Human Rights; Solutions
in Combating Islamophobia.
There was also agreement that in-
ternational mechanisms both on the
state and civil society level need to be
set up to combat successfully the phe-
nomenon of Islamophobia. One such
mechanism will be the Monitoring
Centre of UNIW.
www.theunity.org
47
 CONFERENCE IN
PICTURES

PHOTO CREDITS © MUSTAFA YILMAZ, M. AKIF GULER

INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA

49
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA

50
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 51
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 INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
ISLAMOPHOBIA

52
www.islamophobiaconference.org
 53
www.islamophobiaconference.org
UNIW COMMISSIONS BEING CONSTITUTED
The commissions are being consti-
tuted in order to work according to
the internal regulations accepted in
the second Ordinary General Assem-
bly of the Union of NGOs of the Is-
lamic World (UNIW), on 7th Decem-
ber, 2007.
It was decided that the commis-
sions would present their programs in
UNIW Council Meeting which would
be held in Kuwait and they would
start their activities after approval of
the Union.
The foundations and countries
where UNIW Commissions and Chair-
manships exist are as follows:
1- ) Commission for Culture and
Education- SUDAN “Munazzamat al
Da’wa al-Islamiia”- Islamic Govern-
mental Organization
2-) Commission for Human Rights
THE SECRETARY GENERAL’S CONGRATULATION
MESSAGE TO OIC SECRETARY GENERAL
Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu,
the Secretary General of the Or-
ganization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC), was re-elected as OIC Secretary
General for a second five-year term of
office at the summit conference held
in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, on March
13-14.
Ihsanoglu who has still one-year-
term of office is expected to serve
in the same position for the next six
54 www.theunity.org
and Freedom- BAHREIN “Jamiyyat
al-Islah” (Al Islah Society)
3-) Commission for Financial and
Administrative Affairs- TURKEY
“Turkiye Gonullu Tesekkuller Vakfı”
(The Foundation of Volunteer Organi-
zations of Turkey)
4-) Commission for Woman, Fam-
ily and Youth-INDONESIA “Komite
Kemanussian Indonesia”(Indonesian
Humanitarian Comittee)
5-) Commission for Social and Hu-
man Affairs Solidarity- MALAYSIA
Global Peace Mission
6-) Commission for Re-
search and Development (R&D)-
EGYPT “Al Markaz Al-Arabi Lil
Dırasaat”(Arabian Research center)
years.
Necmi SADIKOGLU, the Secre-
tary General of the Union of NGOs
of the Islamic World (UNIW), sent a
written message to Prof. Dr. Ekmeled-
din Ihsanoglu to congratulate him on
his re-election and expressed his wish-
es for successful activities in the next
term and stated his desire for coherent
and coordinative cooperation between
UNIW and OIC.

Dr. Adhykasa Dault, the Minister
of Youth and Sports of Indonesia,
who was in Istanbul as the guest of
the Union of NGOs of the Islamic
World, met the UNIW members.
UNIW Members and representa-
tives of some non-governmental or-
ganizations attended the meeting
held at the headquarters of the Hu-
manitarian Aid Organization (IHH)
in Fatih.
Delivering the opening speech at
the meeting, Necmi Sadikoglu, the
Secretary General of UNIW gave in-
formation about the foundation and
activities of UNIW and the conse-
quences of the Council Meeting of
UNIW held in Jakarta.
Explaining the situation of the Is-
lamic World in brief, Sadikoglu stated
that the unity of the Islamic World is
The Union of NGOs of the Is-
lamic World (UNIW) issued a press
statement regarding the latest Israeli
bloody attacks on Gaza.
Israel has begun genocide and at-
tempted to occupy Gaza. Tens of Pal-
estinians, regardless of being civilians
(babies and children), have been mar-
tyred just after the illegal and inhu-
mane embargo.
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS OF
INDONESIA MEETS WITH THE UNIW MEMBERS
the only way for the solution of the
problems.
Giving some information about
geographic and demographic struc-
ture of Indonesia, the guest Minister
Dr Adhyska noted the major reason
for the unity of such a huge country
after all was Islam.
The Minister Dault emphasized
that the youth population of Indo-
nesia was 80 million whereas its total
population was 230 million and re-
marked that it was necessary to dwell
on student exchange projects between
Turkey and Indonesia in order to
make contributions to the develop-
ment of the Indonesian youth and
added that especially the perspectives
of the students who would study his-
tory and philosophy in Turkey would
improve.
THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE MUST BE STOPPED
Israel performed the bloodiest mas-
sacre of the last forty years in March
1, 2008, targeting even the govern-
ment building in Gaza. The interna-
tional powers’ passive policy towards
this horrifying massacre is more re-
gretful than the crime itself.
Unfortunately Muslim world
are merely spectators to this atroc-
ity. Israel takes courage from Muslim
www.theunity.org
55
 countries’ insensitivity, and has been We do summon non-governmental
increasing her violence day by day. organizations for an urgent action to
Israel has been implementing illegal unveil Israel’s plans and to help on
and unjust plans step by step like the monetary, spiritual, worldly manner
occupation of Palestinian territory, in order to increase public awareness.
isolation of West Bank and Gaza, try-
ing to pull down Masjid al-Aqsa, im- We call mass media to show neces-
prisonment of thousands of innocent sary sensitivity for Palestinian issue
people including Palestinian deputies, and to reflect the tragedy in Palestine
imposing embargo on Gaza. Israel im- to the world unbiased and clearly.
poses her attitudes and conduct mis- Humanity has been taking one of
chievously to humanity, particularly the most important examinations. If
to the Muslim world. Hence, Muslim this situation remains unchanged, fu-
countries have to put all of their po- ture generations will remember it very
tential powers and resources in action regretfully and ashamedly today’s
before it’s too late. people who are indifferent to Israel’s
The meeting of the United Na- atrocity.
tions’ urgent assembly and call Israel Finally, we call Muslim World to
for halting this slaughter was record- take action and pray for Gaza, al-
ed in history as inapplicable, ignored, Quds, Masjid al-Aqsa which was our
and inefficient decree. first qiblah.
For this situation, Muslim world Respectfully declared by,
has to take an immediate action
against the bloodiest massacre of the Necmi SADIKOGLU,
human history. Secretary General
The Union of NGOs of the Islamic
In this context, the Organization World (UNIW)
of the Islamic Conference (OIC) ur-
gently has to assemble, put Gaza on
the agenda, assign an efficient and
sustainable action plan and strictly
implement it.
On the other hand, the state of
Egypt has to open Gaza crossing bor-
der and allow transfers of all kinds of
relief, assistance and support to Gaza.
Palestinians must not allow any
kind of sedition and disturbance to
infiltrate into them. Authorities must
abstain from all sorts of policies which
can show weakness and bring damage
to the Palestinian integrity.
We call all Muslims to declare
mobilization for Palestinian people,
Gaza, Masjid al-Aqsa and al-Quds
(Jerusalem).

56 www.theunity.org

The representatives of non-gov-
ernmental organizations in Istanbul
gathered upon the call of Humanitar-
ian Relief Foundation (IHH) at the
headquarters of IHH in order to de-
termine an extensive and effective ac-
tion plan for the Palestinians.
As a consequence of consultations
the joint action plan to be implement-
ed in the next term were agreed upon
by consensus.
Commencing with the presentation
of Ahmet Emin Dag, Member of the
Board of IHH, in which he assessed
the recent developments in Gaza in
terms of Israel and Palestine along
with its economic and demographic
situation, the consultation meeting
went on with the speech of Bülent
Yıldırım, the President of IHH.
Emphasizing that there was a great
expectation from Turkey, Yıldırım
stated that in order to promote sensi-
tivity for Palestinians in Turkish pub-
lic opinion, it was essential to run ex-
tensive campaigns appealing to every
fraction.
Yıldırım also noted that it was nec-
essary to decipher Zionism and to con-
tinue mainly politic and humanitar-
ian and all kinds of aid increasingly at
all costs and added that the campaign
titled as “not verbally but urgently”
which they started was still carrying
on and they were expecting supports
URGENT MEETING OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
FOR PALESTINE
from all organizations. Yıldırım called
for the assist of all non-governmental
organizations to the children of the
martyred Palestinians and remarked
that notably effective meetings and
many more activities could be done
for them.
In his speech Necmi Sadikoglu,
the Secretary General of UNIW high-
lighted that it was essential to give re-
liable information to media constant-
ly in order to sensitize it and enlighten
the public opinion on the issue.
Implying that it was necessary to
impose pressure on Egypt to convince
it to open the Border Gate of Rafah,
the Secretary General noted that the
attitude of the Turkish Republic to-
wards Palestine had been successful
and restrained Israel to a large ex-
tent.
The Deputy Secretary General of
UNIW, Lawyer Ali Kurt maintained
that researches and studies concern-
ing Palestine are very precious and
UNIW will support the researches to
be conducted in Ottoman Achieves to
disclose land registers of the Palestin-
ians.
In the other speeches delivered at
the meeting it was indicated that the
winners of recent incidents were the
Palestinians despite their 120 martyrs
and deep sorrows and they won a his-
toric victory against the Israelis and
the Jerusalem issue has been a sig-
nificant matter in uniting the Islamic
World. The action plan to be followed
in the next term was accepted with
unanimity at the end of the meeting.
www.theunity.org
57
CONSULTATION MEETING ON FAMILY
IN DIYARBAKIR
The first project meeting initiated
by Nimet Çubukçu, ministry of state,
in order to reinforce Turkish fam-
ily concept, was held (from February
29 to March 2) in Diyarbakır. Sengül
Yigit, the Secretary General of the
Association of Istanbul Woman and
Woman institutions, participated in
the meeting on behalf of the Union
of Non-Governmental Organizations
of the Islamic World (UNIW).
Nimet Çubukçu, Ministry of
State, Dr Ayse Gürcan , Director Gen-
eral of Family and Social Research
General Directorate of Prime Minis-
try; Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, Governor of
Diyarbakır; Ihsan Aslan, Parliamen-
tarian of Diyarbakır, Sengül Yigit, the
Secretary General and representatives
of some non-governmental organiza-
tions from Siirt, Batman, Mardin,
Sanlıurfa, Diyarbakır participated in
consultation meeting on non-govern-
mental organizations in familial serv-
ices. In the session chaired by Sengül
Yigit, after protocol speeches had
been made, some achievement stories,
representatives from non-governmen-
tal organizations were listened in the
first day.
Nimet Çubukçu, Ministry of State,
stated that family is the source of var-
ious problems such as from destitute
children, the handicapped, nursing of
elder, to familial problems and added
that all the solutions are family-orient-
ed. Project for the destitute children,
“Return to the home” Project for
the children who stay in state-owned
nurseries and nursing services elder
people at home continue regularly.
58 www.theunity.org
She also said “We are trying to sup-
port the families which have problems
by giving a hand not only in financial
aid but also in social service. We have
determined the families under risk
within the scope of our project. We
gave support to the children without
adopting a protection resolution. The
children would be easily exposed to
abuse in the future.”
Dr. Ayse Gürcan, Director General
of Family and Social Research Gener-
al Directorate of Prime Ministry, said:
“We will continue the meetings which
were devised for reinforcing Turkish
family concept in Antalya, Konya,
Bursa and Istanbul. We want to hold
the meeting in Diyarbakır because
Diyarbakır is one of the important
cities in our cultural mosaic and pio-
neers of change and transformation.
Synergy which will begin here will
also spread to the other regions.”
Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, Governor of
Diyarbakır, said: “The more a fam-
ily is given adequate care and enough
support is given to its every individual
and its parents in their development,
the more important services can be
possible for social welfare, peace and
comfort.”
In the second day of the consulta-
tion meeting, the importance of edu-
cation of family and non-governmen-
tal organizations, marriage school
programmes, education of instructors
in family education and NGOs’ prob-
lems were discussed.

Association for the Inspection and
Certification of Food and Supplies
(GIMDES) held the 1st International
Halal Food Conference in Istanbul, Fe-
shane on Monday, February 24, 2008.
In this UNIW-supported Confer-
ence, GIMDES introduced its Halal
Food Certification Project on which it
had been working for three years to the
public opinion and called for solidarity
for its activities.
Secretary General of UNIW, Necmi
Sadıkoglu said, “Moral side of the sub-
ject should be the most important part
we lay stress on, let alone the large mar-
ket portion and charm of Halal Food
Sector. For this reason, this activity of
GIMDES is praiseworthy.”
In the first session of the confer-
ence chaired by Prof. Dr. Mustafa
NUTKU, under the title of “General
Overview of Halal Food” Prof. Dr.
Ahmet AKGÜNDÜZ, Oguz SATICI
and Mohammad Mazhar HUSSAINI;
in the second session chaired by Prof.
Dr.Ahmet AKGUNDUZ under the ti-
tle of “Certification & Jurisprudence
Aspect” Dr. Ahmad H. SAKR, Dr. Me-
hmet ÇELEN, Dr. Ir. H.M. Nadratuz-
zaman HOSEN; in the last session
chaired by Dr. Mehmet ÇELEN under
the title “Scientific Approaches” R.PH
Volkan GULER, MS. Food Engineer
Ayhan KENTBUGA, Prof. Dr. Mus-
tafa NUTKU made their speeches.
After the International Halal Food
Conference held in Feshane/ Istanbul in
February 24, 2008, the following final
announcement was issued; Interna-
tional Halal Food Conference reached
the expected goals. The following re-
INTERNATIONAL HALAL FOOD CONFERENCE
SUPPORTED BY UNIW ENDS
sults have been obtained from the pre-
sented papers;
1. The need for Halal-certificated
products in Turkey is confirmed by
various international specialists.
2. It was stressed that Turkey should
pioneer in this subject because of its ge-
ographical, demographic and strategic
position.
3. Certification of Halal Food will
make a great contribution to Turkey’s
economy.
4. Since the need for Halal Certifi-
cate is accepted by public opinion, the
certification procedure has to be started
by our organization.
5. Since the market demand for Ha-
lal Certificated Products is increasing
day by day, the transition to the halal
certificated products should be main-
tained immediately by Turkish manu-
facturers.
6. The consumers should be made
conscious of consuming Halal certifi-
cated products and it should be assured
that they can inspect the manufacturer
on the matter of Halal certificate.
7. It is stressed that the procedure of
Halal certification is not limited to food
products but it also includes cosmetics,
medicine and such other sectors.
8. In these days when United Na-
tions took Halal Food in its Codex and
Organization of the Islamic Conference
plans to start certification process in its
member countries, related official or-
ganizations in our country have to con-
clude applications as soon as possible.
www.theunity.org
59
THE SECRETARY GENERAL TO GO TO REFAH TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR PALESTINE
Today Necmi Sadikoglu, the Sec-
retary General of UNIW, is going to
Egypt with a committee of thirteen
people. Tomorrow, after visiting Turk-
ish and Palestine Embassy in Cairo,
respectively they are going to visit the
Nasır and Haram hospitals, and have
a talk with Dr. Beha Ebu Zeyd.
They are going to visit Dr. Cemal
Abdusselam, the President of the
Egyptian Doctors’ Union and the Un-
dersecretary of the Ministry of Health
of Egypt, and go to Arish district to
meet the governor of the district.
After going to Refah border gate,
the committee is going to make a press
statement in order to provide support
for Palestine. In this place, Necmi
Sadikoglu, the Secretary General of
UNIW, is going to read the text of
support for Palestinians.
CALL FOR EMERGENCY AID FOR PALESTINE
A thirteen-people committee in-
cluding Necmi Sadikoglu, the Sec-
retary General of UNIW, visited
wounded people at Nasr and Haram
hospitals in Cairo, the capital of the
Egypt, in the first day of the visit.
They made some contacts in order to
provide the necessary treatment in
Turkey for the wounded Palestinians.
The committee visiting the region
is as follows: Necmi Sadikoglu (Sec-
60 www.theunity.org
The following day, the committee
is going to return to Turkey.
Necmi Sadikoglu, the Secretary
General of UNIW, is going to be ac-
companied by Cemal Yılmazdemir,
Samsun parliamentarian; Mehmet
Nil Hıdır, Mugla parliamentarian;
Fevzi Sanverdi, Hatay parliamen-
tarian; Necati Ceylan, the Chairman
of the Foundation of Volunteer Or-
ganizations of Turkey (TGTV); Sadi
Çarsancaklı, Member of Board of
Trustees of Mazlumder; Ilker Inanç
Balkan, Member of Board of Direc-
tors of “Yeryüzü Doktorları”; Münir
SAHIN, Secretary General of Pales-
tine Friendship Association; Tahsin
Mısırlı, Chairman of Palestine Soli-
darity Association.
retary General of UNIW), Cemal
Yılmaz Demir (Samsun Deputy), Me-
hmet Nil Hıdır (Mugla Deputy) Fevzi
Sanverdi, (Hatay Deputy), Mehmet
Emin Dag (IHH’s Representative of
Middle East), Yasar Kutluay, (Chair-
man of Health Unit of IHH), Adem
Demir (IHH Representative in Charge
of Press), Dr. Saban Coskun (IHH
volunteer), Tahsin Mısırlı (Chairman
of Palestine Solidarity Association
(FIDER)), Necati Ceylan (Chairman
of the Foundation of Volunteer Or-
ganizations of Turkey (TGTV)), Sadi
Çarsancaklı (Member of Board of
Trustees of Mazlumder), Ilker Inanç
Balkan (Member of Board of Direc-
tors of “Doctors Worldwide”) Münir
SAHIN (Secretary General of Pales-
tine Friendship Association).
The Turkish deputies and rep-
resentatives of NGOs visited the
wounded at the hospital of Nasr and
hospital of Haram in the first day.
They also visited the Embassy of
Turkey and Palestine. Then they made
some contacts so as to provide the
necessary treatment in Turkey for the
wounded Palestinians. They talked to
Dr. Cemal Abdusselam the Undersec-
retary of the Ministry of Health and
the Chairman of the Arab Doctors’
Association in concern with the issue.
Zuhair Salim, the General Direc-
tor of Arab Orient Centre(http://www.
asharqalarabi.org.uk/) centred in Lon-
don, visited UNIW and gave informa-
tion about their activities.
Salim had a contact with Ali Kurt,
the Deputy Secretary General and
UNIW’s Representative of Turkey,
and explained their activities concern-
ing the human rights issues in Syria
and the challenges they faced there
and asked for help from UNIW.
The Deputy Secretary General
of UNIW, Ali Kurt stated that they
would be pleased to hear any progress
regarding the human rights in Syria;
After these contacts, the commit-
tee is expected go to Arish region near
Gaza. After visiting wounded Pal-
estinians at Arish hospital, they will
go to Rafah border. They will hold a
press conference to the Turkish and
World public opinions to give infor-
mation about what is happening in
the region. The committee is planning
to come back to Turkey with the Pal-
estinian wounded people.
Necmi Sadikoglu, the Secretary
General of UNIW, called all member
organizations and our people for an
emergency aid for people of Gaza. He
stated that all activities have to be ap-
propriate in order to be efficient and
sustainable, and he added that a new
and confirmed list of requirements
should be obtained.
ZUHAIR SALIM VISITS UNIW
however, he also noted that it should
be in a peaceful way and with no exter-
nal intervention.
Remarking that they would provide
any support on that issue, Ali Kurt ex-
pressed that Turkish-Syrian relations
were developing substantially and this
positive process would reflect on all the
problems of the region.
Mr. Bülent Yıldırım, (IHH Chair-
man), Mr. Gazi Mısırlı (Board Member
of MUSIAD), Mr. Cihangir Isbilir (The
General Coordinator of UNIW) and
Deputy Co-ordinator Besim Perolli
were also present at the talk.
www.theunity.org
61
UNIW COUNCIL TO GATHER IN KUWAIT ON MAY
The Union of Non-Governmental
Organizations of the Islamic World
(UNIW) will gather in Kuwait on April
27-29.
The UNIW Council being gathered
in Istanbul, Jakarta, Khartoum, Rot-
terdam, and again in Istanbul respec-
tively, consists of representatives elect-
ed from 20 different countries.
The activity program of the Com-
THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF UNIW IS IN THE
TRADE CHAMBER OF ISTANBUL
The Secretary General of UNIW
Necmi Sadikoglu visited Murat
Yalçıntas, the president of the Trade
Chamber of Istanbul (ITO) with a del-
egation in the headquarters of ITO.
Secretary General Necmi Sadikoglu
gave information about the purpose
of foundation, works and targets of
UNIW. The President of ITO Murat
Yalçıntas stated that he congratu-
lated the foundation of the organiza-
tion and he was very hopeful that this
union would be very influential as it
was on the international basis; he was
honoured by this visit. And he said
that although ITO was an official in-
stitution, they regarded ITO as a non-
governmental organization and they
would make all the contributions they
could to the UNIW’s activities.
The Secretary General who is
at the same time The Chairman of
62 www.theunity.org
missions approved in the 2nd General
Assembly, new member accessions to
UNIW, members of the Committee on
the Struggle Against Discrimination
and their working principles, and basic
issues of the Islamic World and region-
al and international projects prepared
by the members of UNIW are among
the main topics to be discussed at the
meeting chaired by Necmi SADIKOG-
LU, the Secretary General of UNIW.
Board of Directors in The Foundation
of Volunteer Organizations of Turkey
(TGTV) gave information about the
campaign that they launched for the
disaster victims in Kashmir and Paki-
stan called “ Are you ready for winter?
They are not! ”. After the president
Murat Yalcintas had mentioned about
the aid activities that they did in Pa-
kistan, he promised to give all the nec-
essary supports in order to make the
campaign supported and known.
In the meeting, it was decided
to prepare some common projects
among UNIW, TGTV and ITO. Some
members from chairman of board of
directors of ITO and authorities from
UNIW, TGTV participated the meet-
ing.
For the structure and activities of
ITO visit; www.ito.org.tr

1st World Congress of Muslim Phi-
lanthropists under the theme “Facing
Challenges and Finding Solutions” was
held in Istanbul on March 22-24 2008
with the participation of famous and
influential philanthropists and repre-
sentatives of NGOs from all over the
world. Cihangir Isbilir, General Coordi-
nator, participated in the congress on
behalf of UNIW.
Mr. Isbilir gave information about
UNIW, and had some important con-
tacts regarding next term activities of
UNIW.
In the premiere night dinner of the
congress, after having a talk with the
Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and Ekmeleddin Ihsanog-
lu, the Secretary General of the Or-
ganization of the Islamic Conference,
Cihangir Isbilir asked the participants
to support the ‘solidarity and coordi-
nation approach’ that UNIW wants to
develop. Tariq H. Chaeema, the found-
er of the Congress, stated that UNIW
was a very important organization
and they would like to cooperate with
UNIW.
The congress threw some very fa-
mous figures together such as Shahid
Malik, who became the first Muslim
Minister of England, as well as the
Minister of International Develop-
ment; Ibrahim Rassol, the Prime Min-
ister of South Africa Western Cape;
Hamza Yusuf Hanson, and the found-
er of the USA-centred Institute of Za-
ytuna; and Sheikh Aisha Al-Thani, the
Qatar Prince and the founder of Doha
Academy,.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF
MUSLIM PHILANTHROPISTS HELD IN ISTANBUL
In the opening speech, Ekmeled-
din Ihsanoglu, the Secretary General
of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference, stated that Islamic relief
and humanitarian organizations had
encountered obstacles and many diffi-
culties and they had to prepare a road
map so as to overcome these difficulties
and obstacles.
He also added that humanitarian
activities took an important place in
OIC’s activities. OIC had started lim-
ited but successful campaigns. Some
relieves and aid campaigns in Afghani-
stan, Bosnia, Indonesia, Nigeria, and
Gaza could be mentioned as good ex-
amples.
Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad
Al-Thani, the Chairman of “Reach out
Asia Association” conducting activi-
ties in Qatar stated that since delivery
of relief and aid sometimes were not
conducted properly, expected objec-
tives were not attained.
“These activities should be put to-
gether, should be combined.”
Ibrahim Rassol, the Prime Minister
of South Africa Western Cape, stat-
ing that poverty was not an exception,
poverty was an inherent quality of glo-
balization. “Qualified people have im-
migrated to developed countries from
now on. We face inequality and short-
age in the global commerce.” He added
that we had to form a new paradigm
and first of all shouldn’t support vio-
lence and crime.
Ali Bardakoglu, the Chairman of
the Presidency of Religious Affairs,
www.theunity.org
63
 stated that if what has been happening
in the world was assessed carefully and
sensitively, it would be seen that great
anguish had been suffered and man-
kind made the world very chaotic. “We
were sent to this world with two bless-
ings: First one is bearing love, affection,
humanness, the feeling of helping each
other in our hearts”. He also said that
the reason why mankind could not use
these virtues is that he cannot tran-
scend his own boundaries. “If we know
ourselves, the world, the existence, the
Almighty Allah, it would be enough.
All are an interrelated whole.”
Other subjects which were dealt
within the scope of the congress are
as follows: “the rise of social justice”,
“general view to humane crisis in the
world”, “an important example in hu-
mane crisis: refugees”, “giving in hard
times: providing legitimacy in a rap-
idly changing political atmosphere”,
“humane development index: a close
glance to the inequality in the Mus-
lim world”, “faith and philanthropy:
relationship between benevolence and
religion”, “going beyond boundaries
for common denominator: coopera-
tion that can’t be limited by cultures
and religions”, “new mission of aid in
a changing sociology of Turkey, phi-
lanthropists’ attempts”, “from phi-
lanthropy to change: philanthropists’
efforts in the Arabic world”, “on the
scale changing problems, new interpre-
tation of philanthropy”.
At the end of the first day of the
congress, Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, Ibrahim Rassol (the
Prime Minister of South Africa West-
ern Cape), Nimet Çubukçu (Minister
of State), Shahid Malik (the minister
of International Development), Prof.
Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu (the secre-
tary general of Organization of the
Islamic Conference), Muammer Güler,
(the Governor of Istanbul), Kadir
64 www.theunity.org
Topbas, (the Mayor of Istanbul met-
ropolitan), Sheikha Aisha Al- Thani as
well as academicians, businessmen and
philanthropists attended the premiere
night dinner of the congress of inter-
national philanthropists.
In the premiere night dinner of the
congress, Prime Minister Recep Tayy-
ip Erdogan said that because of prob-
lems stemming from changing ecologi-
cal conditions, inequalities in income
distribution and injustice in the world,
millions of people lived in more diffi-
cult conditions. Having underlined the
importance of hosting the congress for
Istanbul, he said that it was the right
decision to choose Istanbul, for Istan-
bul had been the host of many ancient
civilizations.
We were proud of calling for the
determination of cooperation to give
a helping hand for all people regard-
less of their beliefs and homes and all
kinds of differences. Pointing out that
he was very happy to see the efficient
participation of NGOs of Turkey in
this organization aimed at providing
cooperation and coordination among
world NGOs, he added “Holding this
congress in Istanbul is very meaning-
ful as Istanbul is a waqf city bearing
the historical root of benevolence and
philanthropy.
Waqfs, either in Turkey or Otto-
man territories, had been the protector
of the poor and the destitute for 960
years, and now they are still the protec-
tors of them. This tradition has been
going on in these lands for centuries.
The first important waqf was built
in Pasinler in 1048 under the Seljuk’s
rule. This system was initiated exactly
960 years ago in order to take care of
the stranded and to feed the poor.”
See also: www.thewcmp.org

Necmi Sadikoglu, the Secretary
General of the Union of Non-Govern-
mental Organizations of Islamic World
(UNIW), issued a message for the
Mawlud al-Nabi, the birthday of our
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Stating that this sacred day is of
great importance for humanity and ap-
preciating the significance of the day is
vital especially for the Islamic world,
Mr. Sadikoglu underlined that Muslims
have to strive with the sense of respon-
sibility in order to draw a lesson from
the negative publications about our
Prophet (PBUH) in European press
and in order to present him to the world
properly.
Necmi Sadikoglu said that our
prophet’s message is full of glad tid-
ings containing formulas of happiness
in both the world and the hereafter. His
title “Mercy for the Universe“ should be
understood thoroughly.
Mr. Sadikoglu called the Islamic
World to pray in such an important
day. He noted that we have to strive
more systematically and vigorously in
order to stop violations, oppressions,
unjust occupations and discriminations
against Islamic World, regarding this
day as a milestone.
Mr. Sadikoglu emphasized that the
only remedy for the problems that hu-
manity faces today is to hold on to our
Prophet’s (PBUH) message tightly. He
added that if mankind does not want to
encounter further disasters, his message
must be paid attention. If the Islamic
World desires to have a dignified and
MAWLUD AL-NABI MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY GENERAL
honourable future, they have to show
necessary respect for him.
Mr. Sadikoglu made the follow-
ing statements afterwards: “As the su-
preme miracle of our Prophet (PBUH)
is Qur’an, the supreme miracle of the
Qur’an is our Prophet (PBUH).
He (PBUH) is the perfect model for
us. He is the pre-eminent and unsur-
passed man of the mankind in respect to
faith, prayer, honesty, reliability, mod-
esty, affection, compassion, generosity,
thrift, dignity, bravery, intelligence and
even beauty in facial appearance.
Yet more, everybody, both his en-
emies and friends, agree with the idea
that He (PBUH) is the best in every
kind of attributes and qualities.
He educated and trained the igno-
rant society of his time in such a way
that, in less than a hundred years, they
spread the lights of the Qur’an from
France to China and they became the
leaders and educators of great civiliza-
tions of that time and they taught them
the true civilization and humanity.
He realized revolutions that tran-
scended his time just in twenty-three
years’ time, and brought the prescrip-
tion of true happiness both in this world
and in the hereafter. He is the master
of the minds. He is the teacher of the
souls. He is the beloved of the hearts.
He is the Messenger of Allah that we
love much more than our souls.
www.theunity.org
65
SECRETARY GENERAL SPEAKS AT HABER7 TV
Necmi Sadikoglu, the Secretary
General of the Union of Non-Govern-
mental Organizations of the Islamic
World (UNIW), took part in the pro-
gramme “Today (Bugün)” prepared
and presented by Ersoy Dede in Hab-
er7 TV.
Necmi Sadikoglu conveyed his
opinions on several topics such as the
lawsuit demanding closure of “Ak Par-
ty” (Justice and Development Party),
the fifth anniversary of the American-
led invasion of Iraq and finally gave
information about UNIW’s activities.
Necmi Sadikoglu denoted that the
lawsuit against Ak Party (Justice and
Development Party) is outdated and
they had difficulty in explaining this
matter to the Islamic World and under-
lined that the indictment also insulted
the social values and was written in an
Islamophobic approach.
UNIW STATEMENT ON THE LAWSUIT
DEMANDING CLOSURE OF AK PARTY
The Union Non-Governmental
Organizations of the Islamic World
(UNIW) held a press conference on
the lawsuit brought against Ak Parti
(Justice and Development Party).
Necmi Sadikoglu (Secretary General),
Mr. Ali Kurt (Representative of Tur-
key) and Cihangir Isbilir (General
Coordinator) attended the meeting
which was organised by the non-gov-
ernmental organizations of Turkey,
under the leadership of The Founda-
tion of Volunteer Organizations of
66 www.theunity.org
Calling attention to the Interna-
tional Conference on Islamophobia held
by UNIW in December 8-9, the Secre-
tary General said “It has been clearly
understood that we must combat the
Islamophobia in our midst first“.
Stating that the occurrence of the
current situation in Turkey which co-
incided with the fifth anniversary of
the Iraqi invasion is quite bothersome,
Sadikoglu expressed that the USA lost
in all terms, and that the region suf-
fered dreadfully. He also added that
Russia grew stronger due to this fact,
which caused a change of balance in
the region.
Sadikoglu noted that all the events
during this period revealed the strong
need for the unity, cooperation and sol-
idarity within the Islamic World. De-
spite everything, we must be hopeful.
Turkey (TGTV). UNIW made the fol-
lowing statement on the topic:
Unfair lawsuit means a blow to the stability and
peace!
“The unfair and unjust lawsuit
against the government, which had
been brought by the Chief Prosecutor
of the Supreme Court of Appeal, is
such a freak that would go down in the
darkest and the ill-fated pages of the
history. This anachronistic and back-
ward attempt which undermined the
public conscience both tarnished the
image of justice in the public opinion,
and heavily damaged the respectabil-
ity of Turkey around the world. This
case is a filthy blow to the peace, har-
mony and the sound climate of eco-
nomic and political stability of the
country.
The support, by some circles, to
the baseless and ridiculous law indict-
ment, and the acclamation of this his-
torical scandal by some sections of the
society is an apparent indicator of the
weakness and the foulness of the poli-
tics. This judicial catastrophe shall be
remembered by the history, our people
and the international community, and
the future generations shall judge this
attempt and the supporters, shame-
fully.
Turkey and the World undergo a
great change. This unjust lawsuit is
the fruit of a concept which insists
remaining unaware of this change
and which desires to put its old habits
into practice again. The appearance
of this concept undermined the pub-
Muhammed Naim Akbeek, the
Representative of Syria and the Coun-
cil Member of the Union of NGOs of
the Islamic World (UNIW), paid a vis-
it to UNIW’s headquarters.
After giving information to Necmi
Sadikoglu about the Association of
Recovering the Turk-Arab Heritage,
which is now about to be founded in
Syria, Akbeek stated that this associa-
lic trust in justice, especially the trust
in the constitutional institutions. It
caused great incurable damage to the
mechanism of justice. It is the high
time to sentence these concepts to the
non-existence.
We, as the Union of Non-Govern-
mental Organizations of the Islamic
World, call the constitutional institu-
tions to do their part to remove the
unjust and unfair barricades aimed
to obstruct Turkey. We call our peo-
ple to common sense. We call NGOs
to give voice to their reactions. We
call the media to broadcast sensitively
and effectively. We also call the politi-
cal parties to move together in order
to protect and promote the constitu-
tional order. We call the government,
the ruling party and the 71 people,
who are the subjects of this case, to
act with commonsense and boldness.
Respectfully announced by UNIW
MUHAMMED NAIM AKBEEK VISITS TURKEY
tion would contribute to the develop-
ing Turk-Arab relations and invited
UNIW Council to the inaugural of the
association.
Necmi Sadikoglu, the Secretary
General, expressed that the association
to be formed on this purpose would be
of great use and as UNIW, they would
support this effort.
www.theunity.org
67
UNIW MEMBERS ATTEND OIC’S FIRST CONFERENCE OF
HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS IN DAKAR
The First Conference of Humani-
tarian Organizations in the OIC Mem-
ber States gathered in the resort of
Sally Portudal in the Republic of Sen-
egal on March 7-9.
Fauwaz Hasbullah, the Chief Ex-
ecutive Officer GPM and IHH Member
of Executive Board Murat Yasa at-
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS MUST NOT TOLERATE ANTI-ISLAMISM
The Secretary General of UNIW,
Necmi Sadikoglu, has released the fol-
lowing statement regarding the recent
Anti-Islamist events occurred in Eu-
rope:
The trend of Anti-Islamism, which
was initiated by the publication of
some humiliating caricatures about
Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in
Denmark and in some other European
countries, has gained momentum re-
cently.
In March, extremist right-wing
politician Geert Wilder’s film “Fitna”,
which heavily included insults to the
Holy Qur’an and to the Islamic val-
ues, was demanded by some to be
broadcast in Dutch TV channels;
but it was rejected. However, it was
broadcast on internet sites, which was
received by Muslims with grief.
According to the news in the me-
dia, on April 20, a cartoon film that
includes insults to Prophet Muham-
68 www.theunity.org
tended the conference.
Fauwaz Hasbullah from Global
Peace Mission gave a report to UNIW
on the First Conference of Humanitar-
ian Organizations in the OIC Member
States held by OIC and gave informa-
tion about the conference.
mad shall be put on the market in the
Netherlands. Besides, in Germany, an
adaptation of the book “The Satanic
Verses” by Salman Rushdie was put
on the stage. Permission for such at-
tempts and allowing them provoke
marginal circles. Thus, a 17-year-old
Turkish boy was killed by an extreme-
racist group.
Such newly attempts that shall do
harm world peace have no humanis-
tic reasons. Humiliation of the values
that are held in high esteem by people
cannot be justified by the freedom of
speech or copyright or sense of art.
Freedom of speech and disseminat-
ing ideas do not amount to the right
to insult. It cannot be expected from
anyone to receive the humiliation of
sacred values indulgently.
In this context, at first the Dutch
Government and all the European
governments should not give permis-
son to such publications, broadcasts
and policies; and they should imme-
diately take the necessary regulations
that shall regard the Islamophobic
acts and incidents as a crime. Broad-
casts, attitudes and policies that may
instigate Anti-Islamism or Islamo-
phobia should be considered crime like
Anti-Semitism. Otherwise, marginal
extremist-racist groups that are after
discrimination may be strengthened.
This poses a danger to the social sta-
bility and peace. Islamophobia is an
obvious infringement of human rights
and is a perilous discrimination.
In spite of these facts, this should
The Union of NGOs of the Islamic
World has held its 1st Consultation
Meeting with Turkish Members in the
conference hall of Insan ve Medeni-
yet Hareketi (Human and Civilization
Movement) which is in Eyup, Istanbul
on April 5, 2008.
The Secretary General Mr. Necmi
Sadikoglu gave information in the
meeting, which was highly attended by
the Turkish Members, about the found-
ing process of the Union, the activities
within three years and the forthcoming
projects. Mr. Sadikoglu took attention
to the prior aim that is geographic and
demographic representation. He also
underlined the following main topics:
Accrediting mechanisms, active lobby
initiatives, presenting the Islamic cul-
ture and civilization, finding solutions
to the global problems with the light of
our own values.
The President of the Foundation
be born in the mind that the reason
why Muslim public opinion have not
overreacted to these aforementioned
broadcasts, policies and events is that
they have a common sense stemming
from their belief. Nevertheless, it does
not mean that they shall never react.
It should be ensured that Muslim pub-
lic opinion react to these all the Anti-
Islamist broadcasts, policies and acts
through peaceful means.
Once again, we call all the Europe-
an governments to use their common
sense and heed, and to revise their at-
titudes in order to build social peace.
UNIW TURKISH MEMBERS 1ST CONSULTATION MEETING HELD
of Volunteer Organizations of Turkey
(TGTV) Mr. Necati Ceylan has high-
lighted the importance of UNIW. He
also said that within the Union there is
a great expectation from Turkey. Dep-
uty Secretary General and the Repre-
sentative of Turkey Mr. Ali Kurt in-
formed the attendees about the UNIW
commissions and the operating styles
of commissions. He additionally said
that UNIW would gain more active
initiatives with the help of these com-
missions.
The representative members of
organizations also asked about the
UNIW commissions and they ex-
pressed their feelings and expectations
about UNIW. Abdullah Ustaosmaoglu
from Bayrampasa Yesil Cami Vakfı
(Foundation of Bayrampasa Green
Mosque) finalized the meeting with a
satisfying prayer. It was announced
that these meetings would be held bi-
monthly.
www.theunity.org
69
LEBANON NGOS VISIT UNIW AND APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP
Directors of the Lebanon-centred
Foundation of Humanitarian Relief
For A Developed Society and Founda-
tion for The Improvement of Palestin-
ian and Lebanese Families, Wissam
Taha and Talal Hussein Mustafa visited
UNIW and applied for membership.
Wissam Taha, the Fund Raising
Director of Foundation For The Im-
provement of Palestinian and Lebanese
Families, expressed that their field of
activity was mostly the families in Pal-
estine. They focuse on improving the
fatherless and abandoned families and
their rehabilitation.
They demanded support for all kinds
of projects on this area. Talal Hussein
Mustafa, the Head of Board of Direc-
tors of Algawth, underlined that their
foundation worked in order to solve the
problems of Palestinians living in Pal-
estinian refugee camps in Lebanon and
that they provided service for all kinds
of needs from health to education, from
construction to food aid.
CHAIRMAN OF IRAQI STUDENTS & YOUTH LEAGUE
VISIT UNIW
Kreem Kh. Elewi, Chairman of Ira-
qi Youth & Students Association, visit-
ed UNIW. Elewi, who met the General
Coordinator Cihangir Isbilir, stated that
they wanted to be member of UNIW.
They told that they produced
projects for Iraqi youth who were af-
fected by the occupation and unfavo-
rable situations in Iraq and expressed
that in order to perform these projects
they wanted to be in cooperation with
UNIW.
70 www.theunity.org
The Lebanese directors of the foun-
dation, who negotiated with Cihangir
Isbilir, the General Coordinator of
UNIW, stated that they would like to
be members of the Union since they be-
lieved that UNIW is going to perform
many good services in the upcoming
time period. Cihangir Isbilir said that
UNIW is about to take action as well as
continue its settlement period with 110
members from 30 countries and that
UNIW will perform more effective co-
ordination activities thanks to the pro-
vision of geographic and demographic
representation day by day.
Isbilir, who emphasized that the
split of the Islamic World should come
to an end and the greatest duty to
achieve this is of the non-governmental
organizations, stated that there could
be favourable and successful services by
establishing collective project and effec-
tive consultation mechanisms. Besim
Perolli, the Deputy General Coordina-
tor of UNIW, was also present at the
meeting.
Mr. Isbilir, General Coordinator of
UNIW, said that the problems in Iraq
are always on their agenda; especially
the disputes and domestic conflicts make
the Islamic World very upset. And they
hope that after the resolution of these
disputes and getting life normal in Iraq,
the cooperation between UNIW and as-
sociations in Iraq will be improved.
Detailed information about Iraqi
Students & Youth Leage can be ob-
tained at www.alrabita.net

Lawyer Ali Kurt, the Turkish
Representative of the Union of Non-
Governmental Organizations of the
Islamic World (UNIW), made a visit
to Musa Kulaklıkaya, the President of
the Turkish International Cooperation
and Development Agency (TIKA), on
April 10, Thursday.
Congratulating the President
Kulaklıkaya on his taking office on De-
cember 30 2007, Ali Kurt gave infor-
mation about the activities of UNIW
and expressed that they should devel-
op cooperation and common projects
between UNIW and TIKA.
Mr. Kurt underlined that they were
ready, with all their members, for help-
ing TIKA in every project they would
carry out. TIKA President Musa
Kulaklıkaya expressed his gladness
for the visitation and stated that they
were also ready for every kind of coop-
eration with UNIW in the forthcom-
ing cycle. He also noted that the non-
governmental organizations with high
quality of organization and improved
capacity were active in foreign terri-
tories and intercommunal cooperation
became more vital at the present time.
Cihangir Isbilir, the General Coordina-
tor of UNIW, was also present at the
meeting.
The Turkish International Coopera-
tion and Development Agency (TIKA)
was formed under the ordinance of Act
480 as an organization linked to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on a
Cabinet decision on January 24, 1992.
(www.tika.gov.tr)
The roles and responsibilities of
UNIW REPRESENTATIVE OF TURKEY VISITS TIKA PRESIDENT
TIKA include:
1. Providing economic, commercial,
technical, social, cultural and educa-
tional cooperation to developing coun-
tries via projects aimed at assisting the
development of these countries.
2. Defining economic, commercial,
technical, social, cultural and educa-
tional cooperation and assistance areas
by taking the development objectives
and needs of developing nations into
consideration and developing the re-
quired projects or securing the devel-
opment of these projects by private
sector organisations.
3. Establishment of government
organisations in developing countries,
preparation of legislation, training of
civil servants, provision of assistance
required during the transition to a free-
market economy in the areas of bank-
ing, insurance, international trade,
finance and taxation, deployment of
experts to these countries, provision of
work experience and education to em-
ployees from these countries as well as
undertaking coordination required for
the allocation of grants to these em-
ployees.
4. Undertaking the required or-
ganisation for overseas cooperation
programs in education and culture in
cooperation and coordination with
Turkish Cultural Centres.
5. Providing cooperation to other
Non-Governmental Organisations in
line with TIKA’s main roles and re-
sponsibilities.
www.theunity.org
71
UNIW SECRETARY GENERAL DELIVERS A SPEECH AT
ISTANBUL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ICOC)

Necmi Sadikoglu, the Secretary It is a country that the political con-

General of UNIW, delivered a speech at
the april session of the ordinary general sequences of both positive and negative
assembly of Istanbul Chamber of Com-
merce (ICOC) (www.ito.org.tr), presided situations are always above the expect-
by Muharrem Keçeli.
Commenting on the the recent polit- ed level. The impact of the unfavoura-
ical issues in Turkey and the reflections
in the Islamic world, “Turkey, the coun- ble conditions cause imponderably high
try which adopts both the democratiza-
tion and westernization most intensely and irretrievably deep damage” stated
and the spokesman of the east in the
west. Sadikoglu.

UNIW REPRESENTATIVE OF TURKEY VISITS DR. ADNAN

ERTEM, PRIME MINISTRY DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY

Lawyer Ali Kurt, the Turkish Rep-
resentative of the Union of Non-Gov-
ernmental Organizations of the Islamic
World (UNIW), paid a visit to Dr. Ad-
nan Ertem, the Turkish Prime Ministry
Deputy Undersecretary, on April 10,
Thursday and congratulated him on his
new assignment on November 2007.
After giving information about the
International Conference on Islamo-
phobia held by UNIW most recently,
to Mr. Ertem, who previously served
as Istanbul District Manager of Foun-
dations, Mr. Kurt stated that UNIW is
an organization which doesn’t have any
alternative and gathered the non-gov-
ernmental organizations of the Islamic
World under the same umbrella.
Dr. Adnan Ertem wished them suc-
cess in their activities and said that they
would give support to UNIW to the end
as they did before. Cihangir Isbilir, the
General Coordinator of UNIW, was also
present at the meeting.
In the period when he served in Is-
tanbul District Office of Foundations,
Adnan Ertem had taken charge in the
restoration of a number of historical
artifacts, as well as preserving many
premises belonging to foundations and
saving them from marauding. Mr. Er-
tem was born in Mercan District of
Erzincan, in 1965 and graduated from
Faculty of Political Sciences, Depart-
ment of Public Administration of Is-
tanbul University.

72 www.theunity.org

The Union of NGOs of the Islamic
World called all the Islamic countries
and its members for urgent aid to Pal-
estinian brothers who are pushed to
poverty and hunger by Israel.
Necmi Sadikoglu the Secretary
General said that they had regular in-
formation from Husam Kareem about
the region and that there were 120
patients with chronic renal-deficien-
cy and these patients were trying to
survive in hard conditions. He added
that they were planning to send four
kidney machines to the district.
In addition, IHH, a member of the
Union, started a big charity campaign
for Palestinian people .The campaign
URGENT CALL FOR HELP TO PALESTINE
was introduced to the public and the
press at a meeting with mayors from
Palestine.
The Secretary General of the Un-
ion and a lot of NGO representatives
attended the meeting.
Adli RS Yasih, the mayor of the
Nablu Metropolitan Municipality
made a speech and said that the whole
Palestinian people suffered from the
occupation and the wall of shame ex-
cluding Palestinian people because of
the embargo imposed on them .They
face hunger and deaths in great num-
bers .Their situation is too pathetic to
describe.
www.theunity.org
73
ASSEMBLY OF ISTANBUL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The speech delivered by Necmi Sadikoglu, Secretary General of UNIW
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished members of the as-
sembly,
I extend my respectful greetings
to each of all you.
Dear friends,
I wish I could deliver a precursory
and a cheering speech today.
I wish I could present you a bun-
dle of great achievements of our
country today.
I wish I could mention our steps
towards economic, political and so-
cial developments as well as our
projects today.
Unfortunately, the chaotic condi-
tions, under which our country is,
damaged the atmosphere of stabil-
ity and weakened our hopes for the
future.
We earnestly desire that this tur-
bulence is not a long-lasting one.
With its substantial history, dy-
namic population and rich cultural
accumulation, Turkey boosts and
provides security not only to its
community, but also to the whole Is-
lamic World.
As Turkey sets an example of in-
spiration by its War of Independ-
ence; thanks to the steps towards
development and democracy, it gave
hope to the whole Islamic world, it
74 www.theunity.org
built unshakable bridges between
the West and the East.
However; today, we regrettably
see the legal system, the source of
the atmosphere of peace, is incrimi-
nated and became political.
The August Assembly, the stage
of public-will, is put under the care
of a guardian by the closure case.
Today’s executive power, having
an exceptional success among the
Republican governments, shall face
the edge of the closure case’s sword
at every step it may take.
Every section of the society is un-
easy due to this situation and is also
pessimistic.
The recent blocking conditions
and the step towards guardianship
as well as the governmental and ex-
ecutional crisis have obstructed and
blocked Turkey and tarnished its im-
age, and laid groundwork for every
kind of problems that may shatter
the determination of the country.
It is possible to evade from this
out-of-date, anachronic and humili-
ating position, even though it caused
great irretrievable damage.
Dear friends,
I would like to briefly discuss the
implications of the recent develop-
ments occurring in our country in
the Islamic world.
 The foundation of ‘The Union of
Non-Governmental Organizations
of the Islamic World’ (UNIW), the
Chairman of which is me, gained
its formality as an international as-
sociation with the resolution of the
Council of Ministers in December
2005.
With the term “Islamic World”,
we not only indicate the Islamic
countries, but also the whole world
where Muslims live.
Since then, we have been receiv-
ing numerous membership applica-
tions from Indonesia and the USA to
the Caucasia and Burkina Faso.
We were able to establish a giant
network with 110 members from 50
countries. Our union is expanding
day by day, and it is becoming an
effective and efficient coordination
system. We are on the verge of be-
ginning a period of action with this
acceleration, while continuing the
restructuring process.
What made us powerful while we
exert these efforts are our historical
richness and cultural values, as well
as the stability and the self- respect-
ing multi-dimensional foreign policy
strategies of our country.
Today, we receive many questions
posed by the same countries and by
all our members.
The recent events in our coun-
try disappointed our citizens as well
as the countries and the peoples on
which Turkey has a cultural impact
and geostrategic effect.
In Turkey, which is the Spokes-
man of the East in the West, and
the country which adopts both the
democratization and westernization
most intensely, the political conse-
quences of both positive and nega-
tive situations are experienced above
the expected level.
The impact of the unfavourable
conditions causes imponderably high
and irretrievably deep damage.
Valuable friends,
In spite of the unfavourable con-
ditions, we desire that the common
sense prevails in our country, which
left hard times behind.
I wish that today’s atmosphere of
tension and chaos would be a propel-
ling factor for democratization and
development.
I wish our country and our citi-
zens would attain a level exceeding
even the living standards of the de-
veloped countries and the right to
live decently. I wish the law would
win and the justice would prevail.
I extend my respectful greetings
with these sentiments and thoughts.
www.theunity.org
75
UNIW IN THE
PRESS
ISLAMOPHOBIA SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS CRIME
International Islamophobia Con-
ference held by The Union of NGOs of
the Islamic World (UNIW) has ended.
In the final announcement of the
conference that commenced yester-
day at Grand Cevahir Hotel with the
participations of academic circles and
experts from non-governmental organ-
izations, it is notified that “Islamopho-
bia should be considered as crime like
Anti-Semitism, laws should be made
and decisions should be taken against
Islamophobia by international law
mechanisms.”
In the final announcement, it is im-
plied that the world is deliberately being
turned into a place where fear is domi-
nant, security crisis is prevalent and the
custom of living together is diminished
and also remarked that these days Is-
lamophobia is the biggest betrayal to
the world peace as we need multicultur-
alism, pluralism, and custom of living
together more than anytime.
It is remarked in the announcement
that “Therefore Islamophobia should be
considered as crime like Anti-Semitism,
laws should be made and decisions
should be taken against Islamophobia
by international law mechanisms and
stated that media organs are the most
effective means in the formation and
spread of Islamophobia.
In the announcement emphasizing
that the combat against Islomopho-
bia should carry on systematically and
strategically at political, legal, eco-
nomic, national and international level
with professional instruments based
on education and media and it is also
noted that especially underdeveloped
Islamic countries causes misunder-
standing and misconception of Islam
and Muslim.
78 www.theunity.org
A CALL TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND
PUBLIC OPINION
The announcement has made a call
to political circles, governments, repre-
sentatives of NGOs, religious leaders,
media organs, international organiza-
tions, and the public opinion as: “Deal-
ing with Islamophobia should be main
task of everyone, every organization
and government for the world peace.”
National and international deci-
sion making mechanisms should know
that their political plans based on anti-
Islamism would have no result other
than leading the world to disaster.
Any type of lobby activities should
be followed persistently in order to
make National and international de-
cision making mechanisms and law-
makers’ take decisions and make laws
against Islamophobia and put them
into practice or oppose to resolved Is-
lamophobic law, decision and policies in
practice. The multi-media instruments
fuelling and increasing Islamophobia
should consistently be boycotted.
In order to deal with Islamophobia,
multi-media instruments should be used
more efficiently, adequate funds should
be allocated, and the most convenient
projects should be implemented. In
order to eliminate misunderstandings
and misconceptions about Islam and
Muslims with actionnaire and proac-
tive actions and conceptions rather
than reactionnaire and passive actions
and conceptions, extroverted and intro-
verted double sided educational activi-
ties should be put in practice. Therefore
especially political, intellectual and reli-
gious leadership are of high significance.
In order not to allow Islomophobia to
be a new instrument of cruelty against
Muslims and a new dirty key opening
the dark doors, institutions capable of
training staff expert on the issue should
be established and supported.

“International Islamophobia Con-
ference” organized by UNIW has
finished. In conclusion report of the
conference, it is mentioned that the
world is trying to be made consciously
and deliberately a place that fears are
dominating and has only one culture
and has a security crisis and members
want that Islamophobia must be ac-
cepted an offense like Anti-Semitism.
“International Islamophobia Con-
ference” organized by The Union Of
NGOs of the Islamic World (IDSB)
has finished.
In conclusion report of the confer-
ence, which has started yesterday and
at Grand Cevahir Hotel and Congress
Center and gathered experts from ac-
ademic community and civil commu-
nity, it is requested that Islamophobia
must be accepted an offense like Anti-
Semitism and national and interna-
tional laws must be created in the law
area against to Islamophobia.
In conclusion report of the confer-
ence, it is mentioned that the world
is trying to be made consciously and
deliberately a place that fears are
dominating and which has only one
culture and that has a security crisis.
However, Islamophobia will be the
biggest betrayal to world peace which
requires multicultural, multinational
and understanding of living together.
“For these reasons Islamophobia
must be accepted an offense like Anti-
Semitism and national and interna-
tional laws must be created in the law
area against to Islamophobia.” It is
also mentioned in this conference re-
port that Media Corporations are the
most effective way in order to spread
Islamophobia. It is also stressed that
ISLAMOPHOBIA MUST BE ACCEPTED AS AN OFFENSE
struggle for Anti-Islamophobia must
be maintained in both national and in-
ternational areas politically, economi-
cally and legally by using media and
education based professional vehicles.
Islam countries’ less-development of
socioeconomic level causes people to
misunderstand Islam and Muslims.
CALL FOR THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
AND PUBLIC OPINION
In report, political circles, gov-
ernments, representatives of NGOs,
all spiritual leaders, media establish-
ments, international institutions and
public opinion are called for “To fight
against Islamophobia should be one
of the main duties of everyone, every
institution and every government.
National and international de-
cision making mechanisms should
know that their political plans based
on Islamophobia and anti-Islamism
would result no benefits except than
dragging the world into disasters. Is-
lamophobic media institutions and
the establishments that treat Muslims
discriminatively and show Islamopho-
bic actions should be boycotted.
We should lobby insistently in the
direction that the national and inter-
national decision making mechanisms
and law makers to make laws against
Islamophobia, to take decision and
apply these decisions or we should
lobby against current Islamophobic
laws, decisions and policies. The mul-
timedia products that incite dissemi-
nate Islamophobia should be protest-
ed insistently.
In order to struggle against Islam-
ophobia, multimedia tools should be
used more efficiently, to achieve this,
necessary funds should be allocated
www.theunity.org
79
 and the most appropriate projects
should be implemented. In order to
prevent the misunderstandings and
misperceptions concerning Islam, ac-
tionary but not reactionary, proactive
but not passive actions and expres-
sions; two sided, inward and outward
education programs should be planned
and applied. For this reason, political,
TURKEY PREVENTS EUROPE’S FEAR
Mr. William Baker, the Chairman of
the Union of American Christians and
Muslims, who participated in the first
ever ‘International Islamophobia Con-
ference’ organized in Istanbul, stated
that Turkey is the only country that
will remove fear of Islam in the West-
ern World .
The first ‘International Islamopho-
bia Conference’ organized by ‘the Un-
ion of non-Governmental
Organizations of Islamic World’ in
Istanbul, ended yesterday.
By making such an extensive par-
ticipated organization in which the
concept of Islamophobia that deeply
threatens the World of Islam, is to be
discussed first time ever, Turkey once
again put forth its leading position in
Islamic World. The importance of Tur-
key being a neighbor country to Eu-
rope and also being a nation with good
qualities for struggling with the fear of
Islamophobia, increased once more.
In his statements to Yeni Safak,
Mr. William Baker,the Chairman of
the Union of American Christians
and Muslims, said that Turkey would
make great contribution for removing
the fear of Islam in the West and also,
Turkey would be the best country for
struggling with the fear of Islam.
Islam is not a threat
80 www.theunity.org
intellectual and spiritual leadership is
particularly important. In order not
to let the Islamophobia be a new ve-
hicle for oppression to Muslims and
a new and dirty key to open the dark
doors, the institutions which will train
the experts on those matters should
be founded or supported.”
Prof. Dr. Mr.Tarik Said Ramadan,
a well known Islamic scholar living in
Switzerland, stated as :
‘The EU Membership of Turkey
will contribute to introduction of Is-
lam and removing the misunderstand-
ings in the West.’
This conference could not be organ-
ized in another country-
Mr.Anwar Ibrahim, the former Dep-
uty Prime Minister of Malaysia said :
‘Is it possible to organize such a confer-
ence and to make debates about equal-
ity and democracy in a Muslim country
other than Turkey? It is definitely im-
possible. You could do it in Turkey.’
The World is pointing out you-
Mr. William Baker said : ‘Once,
there was a Islamophobia in Turkey,
but not now. Today, Turkey is moving
ahead once again with her President
and Prime Minister. This conference
is the sign of those progresses. This
conference proves that people are not
afraid of Islam, now.
I appreciate the new government.
In the world, all the people are pointing
out Turkey and they say that Turkey
is achieving. Turkey would resist if her
sovereignty is in danger. The govern-
ment says that they would their best
for their country and their nation.’
 ISLAMOPHOBIA MUST BE ACCEPTED AN OFFENSE LIKE ANTI-SEMITISM
“International Islamophobia Con-
ference” organized by IDSB has fin-
ished. In the conclusion report of the
conference, it is mentioned that the
world is trying to be made consciously
and deliberately a place where fears
are dominating and that has only one
culture and has a security crisis and
members want that Islamophobia
must be accepted an offense like Anti-
Semitism.
“International Islamophobia Con-
ference” organized by The Union of
NGOs of the Islamic World (IDSB)
has finished.
In the conclusion report of the
conference, which has started yester-
day and at Grand Cevahir Hotel and
Congress Center and gathered experts
from academic community and civil
community, it is requested that Islam-
ophobia must be accepted an offense
like Anti-Semitism and national and
international laws must be created in
the law area against to Islamophobia.
In the conclusion report of the
Ihsanoglu defined the Islamopho-
bia as an illness.
It was informed that Anti-Islam-
ism and Islamophobia are becoming
a dangerous sickness and threatening
the world peace.
International Conference on Islam-
ophobia started in Istanbul.
At the conference that was organ-
ised by The Union of NGOs of the Is-
lamic World, Islamophobia and the ne-
cessities of that issue were discussed.
conference, it is mentioned that the
world is trying to be made consciously
and deliberately a place where fears
are dominating and that has only one
culture and has a security crisis. How-
ever, Islamophobia will be the biggest
betrayal to world peace which requires
multicultural, multinational and un-
derstanding of living together.
“For these reasons Islamophobia
must be accepted an offense like Anti-
Semitism and national and interna-
tional laws must be created in the law
area against to Islamophobia.” It is
also mentioned in this report that Me-
dia Corporations are the most effective
way in order to spread Islamophobia.
It is also stressed that struggle for An-
ti-Islamophobia must be maintained
in both national and international are-
as politically, economically and legally
by using media and education based
professional vehicles. Islam countries’
less-development of socioeconomic
level causes people to misunderstand
Islam and Muslims.
ISLAMOPHOBIA CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL
Islamophobia, namely fear of Is-
lam was defined as “misunderstanding
Islam, seeing Islam as a danger, seeing
Islam as an enemy, behaving to Islam-
ism differently, the problems that we
saw at Western World”. Describing
Islamophobia as an ailment, The Sec-
retary General of the Organization of
the Islamic Conference, Prof. Ekmeled-
din Ihsanoglu emphasized the enmity
of Islam was increasing following the
September 11 attacks.
www.theunity.org
81
UNIW’S SADIKOGLU: EUROPEAN STATES MUST NOT TOLERATE ANTI-ISLAM ACTIVITIES
Union of NGOs of the Islamic
World (UNIW) Secretary-General
Necmi Sadıkoglu has commented on
recent anti-Islam activities in Europe,
saying European governments must
not tolerate such things.
Sadıkoglu warned that anti-Islam
activities across Europe are gaining
momentum and called upon Europe-
an governments to take the necessary
steps to stop their further spread, in a
written statement released last Friday.
“The anti-Islam trend that was
initiated by the publication of carica-
tures of the Prophet Mohammed in
Denmark as well as some other Euro-
pean countries gained momentum fol-
lowing the broadcasting of extremist
right-wing politician Geert Wilder’s
film ‘Fitna,’ which insults the Quran
and Islamic values on Internet sites,
although Dutch TV stations refused to
broadcast it,” Sadıkoglu stated.
UNION OF NGOS OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD (UNIW):
EUROPEAN STATES MUST NOT TOLERATE ANTI-ISLAM ACTIVITIES
Union of NGOs of the Islamic
World (UNIW) Secretary-General
Necmi Sadıkoglu has commented on
recent anti-Islam activities in Europe,
saying European governments must
not tolerate such things.
Sadıkoglu warned that anti-Islam
activities across Europe are gaining
momentum and called upon Europe-
an governments to take the necessary
steps to stop their further spread, in a
written statement released last Friday.
“The anti-Islam trend that was initiat-
82 www.theunity.org
Sadıkoglu also noted that such at-
tempts would harm world peace, add-
ing that the denigration of values held
in high esteem by certain groups can-
not be justified by freedom of speech
as the latter does not provide the right
to insult.
“The Dutch government and all
the European governments should not
allow such publications and policies,
and they should immediately take the
necessary measures and make regula-
tions that treat Islamophobic acts as
crimes, like anti-Semitism.
Otherwise, marginal extremist-
racist groups may grow stronger,”
Sadıkoglu said. Stating that Islamo-
phobia is an obvious infringement on
human rights and leads to dangerous
forms of discrimination, Sadıkoglu
called on European governments to
use their common sense and to change
their attitudes in order to build social
peace.
ed by the publication of caricatures of
the Prophet Mohammed in Denmark
as well as some other European coun-
tries gained momentum following the
broadcasting of extremist right-wing
politician Geert Wilder’s film ‘Fitna,’
which insults the Quran and Islamic
values on Internet sites, although
Dutch TV stations refused to broad-
cast it,” Sadıkoglu stated.
Sadıkoglu also noted that such at-
tempts would harm world peace, add-
ing that the denigration of values held
in high esteem by certain groups can-
not be justified by freedom of speech
as the latter does not provide the right
to insult. “The Dutch government and
all the European governments should
not allow such publications and poli-
cies, and they should immediately take
the necessary measures and make regu-
lations that treat Islamophobic acts as
crimes, like anti-Semitism. Otherwise,
The Secretary General of UNIW,
Necmi Sadıkoglu warns the European
governments on the aggravation of
the Anti-Islamism.
Sunday, 06 April 2008 21:41
Regarding the recent Anti-Islam-
ist events occurred in Europe,The
Secretary General of UNIW, Necmi
Sadıkoglu, has released a statement.
Here is his statement:
“The trend of Anti-Islamism,
which was initiated by the publication
of some humiliating caricatures about
Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in
Denmark and in some other Europe-
an countries, has gained momentum
recently. In March, extremest right-
wing politician Geert Wilder’s film
“Fitna”, which heavily included in-
sults to the Holy Qur’an and to the Is-
lamic values, was demanded by some
to be broadcast in Dutch TV chan-
nels; but it was rejected. However, it
was broadcast on internet sites, which
was received by Muslims with grief.
According to the news in the me-
dia, on April 20, a cartoon film that
includes insults to Prophet Muham-
mad shall be put on the market in the
marginal extremist-racist groups may
grow stronger,” Sadıkoglu said. Stat-
ing that Islamophobia is an obvious in-
fringement on human rights and leads
to dangerous forms of discrimination,
Sadıkoglu called on European govern-
ments to use their common sense and
to change their attitudes in order to
build social peace.
EUROPE MUSN’T AGGRAVE ANTI-ISLAMISM
Netherlands. Besides, in Germany,
an adaptation of the book “The Sa-
tanic Verses” by Salman Rushdie was
put on the stage. Permissing such at-
tempts and allowing them provokes
marginal circles. Thus, a 17-year-old
Turkish boy was killed by an extreme-
racist group.
Such newly attempts that shall do
harm world peace have no humanis-
tic reasons. Humiliation of the values
that are held in high esteem by people
cannot be justified by the freedom of
speech or copyright or sense of art.
Freedom of speech and disseminat-
ing ideas do not amount to the right
to insult. It cannot be expected from
anyone to receive the humiliation of
sacred values indulgently.
In this context, at first the Dutch
Government and all the European
governments should not give permis-
son to such publications, broadcasts
and policies; and they should imme-
diately take the necessary regulations
that shall regard the Islamophobic
acts and incidents as a crime. Broad-
casts, attidutes and policies that may
instigate Anti-Islamism or Islamo-
phobia should be considered crime like
www.theunity.org
83
 Anti-Semitism. Otherwise, marginal
extremist-racist groups that are after
discrimination may be strengthened.
This poses a danger to the social
stability and peace. Islamophobia is
an obvious infringement of human
rights and is a perilous discrimina-
tion.
In spite of these facts, this should
be born in the mind that the reason
why Muslim public opinion have not
overreacted to these aforementioned
ISLAMOPHOBIA THE CONTINUATION OF THE CRUSADES
British writer Karen Armstrong
said that Islamophobia is a continua-
tion of the Crusades.
International Conference on Islam-
ophobia began with the participation
of a lot of scholars, intellectuals, poli-
ticians and the presidents of NGOs in
Grand Cevahir Hotel.
In conference, which will continue
tomorrow, a Western centred clear
discrimination, Islamophobia, and its
reflections will be discussed. Necmi
Sadikoglu, The president of UNIW
said that Islamophobia is a clear dis-
crimination.
Sadikoglu stated that Islamopho-
bia must be banned by law just like
anti-semitism and governments must
be sensitive in this subject regarding it
as a big problem for peace.
ISLAMOPHOBIA: POLITICAL PROPAGANDA
OF THE USA
Necati Ceylan, The president of
the Foundation of Volunteer Organi-
zations of Turkiye said that Islamo-
phobia, which is a continuation of
ethnocentrism originating from racist
84 www.theunity.org
broadcasts, policies and events is that
they have a common sense stemming
from their belief. Nevertheless, it does
not mean that they shall never react.
It should be ensured that Muslim pub-
lic opinion react to these all the Anti-
Islamist broadcasts, policies and acts
through peaceful means.”
Once again, We call all the Europe-
an governments to use their common
sense and heed, and to revise their at-
tidutes in order to build social peace.
attitudes, was revived again as a USA
centred mechanism, because of the
USA’s “being unable to exist without
artificial enemies” and to persuade its
own public opinion, it is developed and
marketed to the world by the USA.
Ceylan said that European coun-
tries also participated to the founda-
tion of this trap standing by the USA
to have their share from communion in
point
Islam was propagandized as the
biggest threat for the West and Mus-
lims were shown as potential enemies.
In our country, Islamophobic events
occur sometimes and some programs
are broadcast relevant to this subject.
Some Muslims trying to accomplish
their religious duties experience hin-
drances and they are taunted in our
country.
The restriction of headscarf is one
of the clearest examples of Islamo-
phobic restrictions. Media runs up Is-
lamophobia by making distortional
news about Muslims. However, Islam
is main characteristics and identity of
our country. Holding on to Islam must
be our hallmark. Anti Islamism is a
political and ideological attitude. On
the contrary, Islam is love, peace, civi-
lization and mercy.
THE WEST PRODUCES ISLAMOPHOBIA BY MEANS
OF ARTIFICIAL FEARS
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary
General of the Organization of Islam-
ic Conference (OIC), said that Islamo-
phobia will constitute a serious treat to
world peace and stability, and create
threats to all public from all religions
and culture unless we are opposed to it.
Islamophobia has lots of reasons and
its roots dates back to historical en-
mity. The report of intergovernmental
and governmental organisations indi-
cates that Islamophobia made progress
more dominantly and more commonly
than racial segregation.
The insistent “bad introduction”
of Islam and Muslims by Some west-
ern media organization remains as
the most strong and continual source
of the prejudice against Muslims. It is
very rare to live a day without hearing
a headline focusing particularly on vio-
lence events which occur in either Iraq,
Palestine, Afghanistan or another
place in which Muslims involved.
Naturally, this kind events figured
in such a way enforce the prejudice
engraved widely to European com-
mon subconscious. Some Western
academicians try to establish unreal
information, which are not related to
the truth, under the cloak of their aca-
demic studies.
WE ARE SUSPICIOUS OF THE CALLS FOR DIALOGUE
Ihsanoglu, taking attention that
there are doubts about the sincerity of
the West in its calls for the dialogue,
said “since the outbreak of the cari-
cature crisis, international arena has
made an excessive call for a dialogue.
Some countries, where insulting inci-
dents occurred, and some organiza-
tions called for the dialogue between
the West and the Islamic world.
We supported these calls heartily
and responded to the dialog wishes.
But we stop for a while and ask: Are
different things intended by means of
a dialogue? If these dialogues aim to
rectify the past mistakes, then the dia-
logue should follow a certain path.
These countries should establish an
inner dialogue among different frac-
tions in their societies in order to clear
up their stance. The problem is in the
boundaries of these countries. It is
not in the other side of the dialogue
call. On the other hand, Islamic world
should run the serious works in order
to remove Islamophobia. The absolute
necessity to defend us against these at-
tacks increases as the days pass by.”
THE WEST WANTS TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE
OF CONFLICT
And Enver Ibrahim, the ex-Deputy
Prime Minister of Malaysia, said that
the West tries to create an atmosphere
of conflict. Ibrahim told that western
countries cannot understand that Is-
lam contains peace, reconciliation and
justice messages and so this situation
causes Islamophobia. “Neither West
can understand our language, nor we
do their language” Mr. Ibrahim told
that the occupation of Iraq, attacks
to Palestine and slaughter of innocent
people in Afghanistan show the level
that the Islamophobia has reached.
Ibrahim, declaring that the Islamo-
phobia is an imaginary fear, said “We
should begin to act against this chal-
lenge. Muslims should correct them-
selves and get rid of this inferiority
complex.” Ibrahim, saying that the
fear of Islam did not emerge due to the
9/11attack, stated that it was a fear in
the depth of European mentality and
reminding the news whether the Tur-
key transforms into Malaysia, he said
“Turkey and Malaysia should not be
compared, Turkey is a model country
in terms of economics and politics, it
follows a way far from Malaysia.”
www.theunity.org
85
FEAR OF ISLAM IN DEPTH
At the conference to be held on 8-9
December in Istanbul with the partic-
ipation of about a hundred scholars,
intellectuals and non-governmental
organizations, the fear of Islam is go-
ing to be discussed.
The Union of NGOs of the Islamic
World (UNIW), whose Secretary Gen-
eral is Necmi Sadıkoglu, is going to
hold an International conference on
“Islamophobia” on 8-9 December in
Istanbul at Grand Cevahir Hotel Con-
vention Centre. The opening speech
of the conference is expected to be de-
livered by The Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.
The conference at which the causes
and solutions of Islamophobia that
has been rising especially since Sep-
tember 11 and defined as a type of
discrimination and characterized as
the sources of anti-Islamist policy,
publications and activities targeting
at Muslims is going to last two days.
More than a hundred and fifty
scholars, academics and representa-
tives from all around the world are go-
ing to attend the conference. Prof. Dr.
Ekmeleddin IHSANOGLU (The Sec-
retary General of the Organization of
Islamic Conference), will also deliver a
speech in opening session and around
60 papers be presented at the confer-
ence and over 100 academics, jour-
nalists, and representatives of NGOs
from home and abroad are expected
to follow it.
Stating that they have been work-
ing on the project for the whole year
Necmi Sadıkoglu, The Secretary Gen-
eral of NGOs of the Islamic World
(UNIW) has explained their objec-
tives in organizing a conference on Is-
86 www.theunity.org
lamophobia as: “To generate projects
directed at solutions and to make
contributions to the world peace by
giving way to the handling of the
concept of Islamophobia at all points
that is a clear discrimination, to gath-
er experts on the issue from academic
environment and non-governmental
civil organizations circle, to give the
issue political, social and economic
dimensions, to discuss causes and con-
sequences, perpetrators and objects
of Islamophobia, to establish a Moni-
toring Centre/Committee that will of-
fer reports and solutions to academic
environments and decision making
mechanisms”.
Noting that they are willing to
prevent personal and institutional
incidents, publications and regula-
tions through legal means by enabling
necessary regulations according to in-
ternational and national legal norms,
and to create a broad sensitivity about
Islamophobia in international pub-
lic opinion, Sadıkoglu remarked that
they are going to establish a Monitor-
ing Centre/Committee under the body
of the union after the conference that
will regularly offer reports on Islamo-
phobic publications, incidents and
policies all around the world to related
organizations.
Along with western intellectuals
such as Prof. Dr. Norman Finkelstein,
who is of Jewish origin and criticizes
Israel and its global policies and well-
known with the book, “The Holocaust
Industry”, the author of the book
“Islamic Threat Myth” Prof. Dr. John
L. Esposito who assesses Eastern-
Western Relations objectively, French
intellectual Dr. Vinsent Geisser who
has prepared a very comprehensive
report on discrimination against Mus-
lims in Europe, Karen Amstrong, Su-
sana Mangana, William Baker, Eric
K. Nisbet some significant scholars,
intellectuals and politicians from Is-
lamic World like Tarık Ramazan, Fe-
hmi Huveydi, Enver İbrahim (Former
Vice Prime Minister of Malaysia),
Ahmed Von Denfer, Louay Safi, Prof.
Dr. Anis Ahmad, Mounsef Marzuqi,
İqbal Yunus, Dr. Ahmet Bakcan, Dr.
Merve Kavakçı and from Turkey Fe-
Islamic Horizons, the monthly
publication of the Islamic Society of
North America, mentioned about the
International Conference on Islamo-
phobia in its last issue. The role of
Islamic scholars in the prevention of
Islamophobia was emphasized in the
article by Dr. Iqbal Unus.
Islamic Horizons, a magazine sold
for 4$ and published by ISNA which
has been carrying out non-govern-
mental activities for over forty years,
mentioned about the International
Conference on Islamophobia held by
The Union of NGOs of the Islamic
World (UNIW) on December 9-10,
2007 at Istanbul Grand Cevahir Con-
vention Center.
Stating the great significance of Is-
lamic scholars in the prevention of Is-
lamophobia, which has been increas-
ing for the last few years in an unjust
way and felt especially in the USA,
Unus said that Islamophobia essen-
tially originated from those who were
afraid that their financial hegemony
hmi Koru, Dr. İbrahim Kalın, Prof.
Dr. Numan Kurtulmus, Prof. Dr.
Mümtazer Türköne, Prof. Dr. Ömer
Faruk Harman, Prof. Dr. Mehmet
Görmez, Doç. Dr. Yusuf Kaplan, Ali
Kurt, Yasin Aktay, Fatma Benli, Doç.
Dr. Fethi Güngör and many more aca-
demics are going to present papers at
the conference.
For more details on the conference
visit www. islamophobiaconference.
org
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMOPHOBIA
and mental structure would end.
Referring to the origins of modern
Islamophobia and Karen Armstrong’s
opposition to the term “Muslim ter-
rorist”, the magazine stated that
conference gathered many scholars,
academicians, authors, thinkers, rep-
resentatives of NGOs from 36 differ-
ent countries and was very successful.
The magazine quoted from state-
ments made by Necmi Sadıkoglu, the
Secretary General of UNIW, about
the intended goal of the conference
and the significance of it for the world
peace. Islamic Horizons also men-
tioned the speech by Dr. Louay Safi
from ISNA Leadership Development
Center in detail and reported that
Prof Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the
Secretary General of Organization of
Islamic Conference, and other distin-
guished guests participated the con-
ference.
www.theunity.org
87