Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights and International Humanitarian and Social Affairs Ahmed Ihab Gamal Eddin participated in the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom or Belief that kicked off via video-conferencing on Monday.

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo inaugurated the two-day Warsaw conference that saw the participation of some 40 countries.

Gamal Eddin delivered Egypt’s speech at the event on behalf of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, noting that the conference is held at a delicate time that is witnessing an escalation of hate speech against Islam and its symbols in a way that contributes to fanning the flames of strife.

He asserted Egypt’s condemnation of all acts of violence, reiterating the importance of governments’ fight against hate speech in all its forms.

Gamal Eddin noted that Cairo supports freedom of opinion and expression, which he said has to be exercised in a balanced way to avoid irresponsible behavior that may entail discrimination against others.

In this regard, the Egyptian official reaffirmed the importance of coordinated international action with a view to confronting the causes of extremism, and taking action against those who extend a helping hand to extremists.

He also called for combating Islamophobia, describing it as one of the most visible forms of discrimination.