TRT World Forum probes rise of xenophobia, Islamophobia

By Ugur Cil

ISTANBUL (AA) - Experts at the TRT World Forum in Istanbul Thursday spoke about the increase in xenophobia and Islamophobia around the world, and how these issues were being politicized to split communities apart.

TRT World’s first international forum in Istanbul aims to create an international platform where global issues are discussed and thoroughly analyzed.

Under the theme of "Inspiring Change in an Age of Uncertainty", the TRT World Forum session on Thursday held a panel titled "Capitalizing on Fear: The Politicization of Xenophobia and Islamophobia."

Former U.K. State Minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi shared her experience from a counter-terrorism meeting when someone there asked her how could they fight against terrorism when the enemy “is at the table”.

Despite living in the U.K. for 60 years, they were implying that I did not belong there and they do not trust me. For them, I was the enemy within, Warsi added.

Online movement “More in Common” Co-founder Brendan Cox said: "Dehumanizing, ignoring one's humanity, neighbor murdering their neighbor are issues that begin to affect the center of politics.”

Cox also said: "When attacks in the U.S. are examined, we can see that it resulted from far-right, not from extreme Islamism."

Farid Hafez, lecturer and researcher at University of Salzburg, pointed out a “structural issue” beneath Islamophobia.

"I prefer to look at Islamophobia through colonialism perspective to see the bigger picture," Hafez said.

Head of Egyptian Revolutionary Council Maha Azzam said "a negative perspective" was being created on Islam and political Islam.