At High-level Event Marking International Day to Combat Islamophobia, Secretary-General Calls for Equality, Dignity for All

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres' remarks to the high-level event on the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, in New York today:

We mark the International Day to Combat Islamophobia as the world approaches the end of the holy month of Ramadan. This is a time devoted to solidarity and compassion - a time to reach out, especially to those in need.

And today, many communities are hurting. Conflict and instability are raging around the world, affecting countless people, but including many Muslims. Civilians are suffering. Lives are being lost. Families are being torn apart.

And far beyond the front lines, millions of Muslims around the world carry that pain with them - worrying about loved ones, watching the news with dread and wondering what tomorrow will bring for their communities and their future.

Against this backdrop, our commitment to dignity, equality and human rights has never been more urgent.

The world's nearly 2 billion Muslims come from every corner of the globe. They are citizens. Many are migrants, women and men, young people full of hope and elders full of wisdom. Their cultures, languages and traditions reflect the extraordinary diversity of humanity itself.

Yet for far too many Muslims, daily life can be shaped by exclusion. We are facing a rising tide of anti-Muslim bigotry and hate.

The bias can be overt: institutional discrimination, socioeconomic marginalization, sweeping immigration restrictions and unwarranted surveillance and profiling.

But the bias can also be subtle. In opportunities quietly denied, assumptions left unchallenged, questions weighted down by suspicion.

These everyday experiences rarely make the headlines or statistics. But over time, they shape lives, erode trust, and send a clear message about who is seen as belonging and who is not.

These realities are driven - and dangerously amplified - by anti-Muslim rhetoric, misinformation and outright hate.

When discriminatory narratives are echoed by those in positions of authority, prejudice becomes normalized. When stereotypes are left unchallenged, they harden into policy. And when fear is allowed to guide decision-making, injustice follows.

Online and offline, toxic narratives portray entire communities through the lens of hostility and blame.

The consequences are painfully real: Harassment and intimidation. Vandalism and threats. Attacks on individuals and on mosques.

This is an assault on Muslims, and it is an assault on the values that underpin peaceful, inclusive societies everywhere.

Governments have a clear responsibility. Laws and policies must safeguard equality, not entrench prejudice. Security measures must protect people and respect human rights, not stigmatize entire communities.

Technology companies have a responsibility. Online spaces should bring people together, not drive them apart. They must do far more to identify, prevent and address hate speech and harassment.

And all of us have a responsibility, too. We must speak out - clearly and consistently - against bigotry, xenophobia and discrimination wherever they appear.

Silence in the face of hatred only allows it to spread.

Real change requires sustained political will, inclusive leadership, and a commitment to listen to all voices across diverse communities.

This is why I appointed the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as the United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.

This will strengthen coordination, deepen partnerships and enhance our collective response.

As Ramadan draws to a close, Muslims around the world reaffirm values that also form the foundation of the Charter of the United Nations: Empathy for the vulnerable, generosity toward neighbours and responsibility towards the wider community.

These universal principles must guide our global response to hatred and division.

On this International Day to Combat Islamophobia, let us recommit to the equality, human rights and dignity of every person, everywhere. Let us reject the narratives of fear and exclusion. And let us work together to eradicate the rising tide of anti-Muslim hatred and bigotry, and build a world rooted in respect, inclusion, justice and peace.

Ramadan Kareem.