Remarks delivered by H.E. Ambassador Eglantina Gjermeni, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Albania,

on the occasion of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia

 Meeting 1558 of the OSCE Permanent Council, 19 March 2026, Vienna

Thank you, Mr. Chair,

Albania thanks Türkiye for raising this important and timely topic under today’s current issues.

We welcome and take note also of the statement by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, the Director of ODIHR, and the Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims on the occasion of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

It is alarming that, as ODIHR findings show, intolerance and hatred against Muslims remain widespread to this day, harming not only the Muslim communities, but social cohesion and security as a whole. Such phenomena must have no longer place in our societies and Albania stands unequivocally against them.

We continue to support both national and international efforts to combat all forms of religious hatred and to uphold freedom of religion or belief, a cornerstone of human dignity and a fundamental human right.

These issues were at the heart of the Human Rights 30 Forum held in Tirana last year. This event led to the Tirana Framework for Combating Intolerance, aiming to promote concrete approaches to preventing intolerance through education, dialogue, research, and community engagement.

As a member of the Human Rights Council, Albania remains engaged in advancing the implementation of Resolution 16/18 on combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatisation of, and discrimination, incitement to violence, and violence against persons based on religion or belief.

Mr. Chair, colleagues,

From the Helsinki Final Act to the Copenhagen Document and numerous Ministerial Council decisions, we, participating States, have undertaken to fight prejudice, intolerance and discrimination against Muslims and to advance freedom of religion or belief for everyone. These principles demand ongoing vigilance and collective action.

As Chair of the OSCE Human Dimension Committee and, drawing on its own history of interreligious harmony, tolerance and peaceful co-existence, Albania remains committed to reinforce efforts to that end.

We look forward to our joint discussion at the Human Dimension Committee meeting in the end of June, dedicated to tolerance and non-discrimination, with special focus on religious tolerance.

Thank you!