Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 16/10/2023
The Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) preparatory to the 12th session of the Standing Committee on Information and Cultural Affairs (COMIAC) was launched this morning, 16 October 2023, in Dakar, Republic of Senegal, under the theme "The role of Muslim youth in promoting Islamic values of peace, solidarity and tolerance".
Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet, the Representative of the OIC Secretary-General, addressed the meeting recalling COMIAC's objectives and priorities in terms of cultural diversity and its role in bringing peoples closer together, intercultural dialogue and strengthening cooperation between media institutions within the OIC.
He also reiterated OIC's firm condemnation of the serious and unprecedented aggression against civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip and throughout Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory.
Furthermore, he emphasized the need to combat Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment, such as the burning of copies of the Holy Qur’an under the guise of freedom of expression.
For his part, H.E. Pierre Faye, Representative of Senegal, host country of the 12th session of COMIAC, expressed Senegal's pride and honor to host the meeting. He stressed the importance of COMIAC's role in strengthening solidarity, promoting shared values and protecting Islamic cultural heritage. He also drew attention to the challenges facing the Islamic world, such as Islamophobia and the burning of the Holy Qur’an, noting that violent extremism cannot be associated with Islam. He underscored the importance of building lasting peace in the world, in general, and in the Islamic world, in particular.
The Senior Officials Meeting is entrusted with examining the documents to be submitted to the COMIAC Ministerial Session, scheduled for 17-18 October 2023.
