I’m thrilled to share my recent participation in a groundbreaking event on February 7, 2024: The Conference Against Islamophobic Discourse on the Net – #STOPISLAMOFOBIA. This event was hosted by the Audiovisual Content Observatory, a Consolidated Research Unit of the University of Salamanca, and the national ISHADE project. Led by Professor Carlos Arcila, and supported by the Pluralism and Coexistence Foundation, this initiative aims to develop and evaluate an automatic detector of Islamophobic hate speech in Spanish.

The conference was a hybrid event, accessible both in-person at the Social Sciences Faculty’s Board Room at the University of Salamanca and online. It served as a vital platform for raising awareness about the dangers of Islamophobic discourse proliferating across the internet.

The event’s agenda was rich with insightful discussions, starting with an introduction to the #StopIslamofobia initiative and the ISHADE project . This was followed by two roundtable discussions: «#DeconstruyendoLaIslamofobia,» focusing on conceptualizing and deconstructing Islamophobia, and «#CombatiendoLaIslamofobia,» which tackled strategies to combat and counteract Islamophobia both individually and institutionally.

The discussions were led by distinguished speakers, including Pilar Garrido Clemente, Ghufran Khir Allah, Pedro Rojo Pérez, and Chaimaa Boukharsa, moderated by Carlos Arcila Calderón and Javier Amores. Their insights into Arabist issues, the roots and motivations behind Islamophobic discourse, and strategies for fighting Islamophobia were enlightening and inspiring.

This event was a significant step forward in the fight against Islamophobia, offering a comprehensive look at the issue from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Being part of this initiative was an honor, contributing to a critical conversation about tolerance, understanding, and coexistence in our increasingly interconnected world.