Need To Have Global Moderation Movement To Address Islamophobia - Global Compass

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Feb 7 (Bernama) -- There is a need to create a global moderation movement to promote moderation and address Islamophobia, said The Global Compass Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jean-Christophe Bas. Noting the importance of the Global Movement of Moderates Foundation (GMMF), Bas said the moderation movement should go beyond politicans and governments. "There is a need all around the world today to have people, organisations and individuals who would be willing to promote message of moderation, message of respect and message of tolerance," he said when delivering GMMF's Distinguished Lecture on 'The Rise of Islamophobia and The Conflict of European Identity' here Monday. Bas said that surveys in 2016 showed that the public perception of Islam in Europe was getting worse with 47 per cent of the French and 43 per cent of the Germans considered Islam as a threat. "This is why it is important to mobilise the organisation like GMMF and like minded organisations around the world to do what is needed like continous discourse and discussion between cultures." The Global Compass is an advocacy organisation in promoting innovative responses and policies to prevent radicalisation. Bas said today's reality is not so much about Islamophobia but about the fear of the terrorism and the radicalisation. "The terrorists are using the name of Islam but they are not really the proponents and the promoters of Islamic culture. "That is why I think that it is important for the Muslim population and the representatives of Muslim community to say that those terror attacks have nothing to do with Islam," he added. The idea of Global Movement of Moderates was first propagated by Prime Minister Najib Razak at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2010. The idea suggests in underpinning the fight against global terror there is a need to address its root causes which is the minds and heart of the people. (photoBERNAMA) --BERNAMA