Abdulrrahim Youssef Mendi, Professor at Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities: Intellectual security is a fundamental pillar in protecting societies from ideological deviation and extremist currents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adama Dieng, Former UN Under-Secretary-General and Advisor to the Muslim Council of Elders: Intellectual security is the foundation of peaceful societies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As part of its cultural and intellectual program during the 34th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the Muslim Council of Elders\u2019 pavilion hosted a seminar titled \u201cIntellectual Security: Confronting Hate Speech and Islamophobia.\u201d The session featured Professor Abdulrrahim Youssef Mendi from Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities and Mr. Adama Dieng, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and advisor to the Muslim Council of Elders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the outset of the seminar, Professor Abdulrrahim Mendi underscored the importance of intellectual security as a cornerstone for safeguarding societies against ideological deviation and extremist currents. He explained that intellectual security is not merely about combating extremism and hate, but rather about fostering a resilient mindset capable of resisting manipulation and the lure of deviant ideologies. He warned that hate speech and Islamophobia pose a direct threat to social peace, noting that ignorance, fanaticism, and misunderstanding are among the key drivers of such phenomena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professor Mendi stressed that hatred should not be met with hatred, but with dialogue, education, and the cultivation of mutual respect. He affirmed that human dignity is only complete when paired with the recognition of others\u2019 dignity. He further noted that the United Arab Emirates has set an inspiring example in promoting a culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For his part, Mr. Adama Dieng commended the efforts of the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, for their work in countering hate speech, radicalization, discrimination, and Islamophobia. He emphasized that \u201cintellectual security forms the bedrock of peaceful societies and is essential in countering the rising tide of hate speech in today\u2019s world.\u201d He noted that international law still lacks a precise definition of hate speech, even though the concept of discrimination is well-established. He called for the enrichment of cultural awareness and the protection of cultural heritage in an age marked by rapid technological advances and the risks posed by online content and social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Dieng called upon followers of all faiths to study the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), particularly the Constitution of Medina, which serves as a historic model for safeguarding minority rights and upholding the principles of pluralism and justice. He affirmed that \u201cdiversity is a foundational element of human existence, as stated in the Glorious Qur\u2019an,\u201d and reiterated that the Document on Human Fraternity, launched from Abu Dhabi in 2019 by His Eminence the Grand Imam Al-Tayeb and His Holiness Pope Francis, stands as a universal charter for fostering dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Muslim Council of Elders\u2019 pavilion at the 2025 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair features more than 250 diverse intellectual and cultural publications, including a selection of the latest releases from Al-Hokama Publishing. These works address some of the most pressing intellectual and cultural issues of our time and reflect the Council\u2019s mission to promote peace, foster dialogue, and instill the values of tolerance and human fraternity. The Council\u2019s pavilion is located in Hall 10, booth 10C35.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Abdulrrahim Youssef Mendi, Professor at Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities: Intellectual security is a fundamental pillar in protecting societies from ideological deviation and extremist currents. Adama Dieng, Former UN Under-Secretary-General and Advisor to the Muslim Council of Elders: Intellectual security is the foundation of peaceful societies. As part of its cultural and intellectual program […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3537,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n