GCC Secretary-General highlights bloc's significant anti-islamophobia moves

GCC countries are taking significant steps to counter Islamophobia, the bloc's secretary-general Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi has said.Speaking on the International Day to Combat Islamophobia (March 15 annually), Albudaiwi added the GCC approaches are based on Islamic values of love, tolerance, and understanding, which calls for peace and coexistence and respect for cultural and religious diversity.All joint GCC statements, at all levels, renew the call for consolidating the values of dialogue and respect between peoples and cultures, and rejecting everything that would spread hatred and extremism, Albudaiwi added.They also call for concerted international efforts to promote interfaith coexistence and condemn propaganda against Islam, Muslims, and Islamic civilization, and emphasize the importance of confronting all manifestations of hatred, intolerance, negative stereotyping, and the distortion of the image of religions, the Secretary General added.He pointed to the efforts being made by the GCC states in this area, including the proposal to establish the GCC Scientific Observatory to Combat Extremism, through the Committee of Their Excellencies and Highnesses the Ministers Responsible for Islamic Affairs and Endowments in the GCC states.