SHOTLIST ANTALYA, TÜRKİYE (APRIL 12, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARION LALISSE, EUROPEAN UNION (EU) COMMISSION COORDINATOR FOR COMBATING ANTI-MUSLIM HATRED, SAYING: "It looks an impressive forum. And, I'm looking forward to meeting many people, journalists, but also appears, who are working on combating anti-Muslim hatred, throughout the world. Yes. Indeed. So anti-Muslim hatred or racism or Islamophobia, as you mentioned, are seemingly on the rise, in a number of member states. We know that since 7th of October in particular, anti-Muslim hate crime has increased, for instance, by 140% in Germany from 2022 to 2023. Why is that? I think that we have, unfortunately, a normalization of anti-Muslim narrative and, narrative that is in the media, in the social media doesn't remain only words. Obviously, you can have your views about religion, about politics, but you cannot inside to hatred against a group of individuals who are fully parts of Europe, integral components of our society..." “We need to have more diversity among journalists, also in the management of media, not only in the journalists themselves, but in the executive boards to make sure that there is a coverage reflecting the vast majority of Muslims.." “Definitely, those acts are very detrimental to Europe, and they don't reflect our values, the values on which the EU was built..." “We are happy to see that they (these countries) implement our framework decision on combating xenophobia and racism, including religious intolerance..."ANTALYA, TÜRKİYE - APRIL 12: The European Commission's coordinator on combating anti-Muslim hatred said on Saturday that racism and Islamophobia are seemingly on the rise in a number of member states. “We know that since the 7th of October (2023), in particular, anti-Muslim hate crime has increased, for instance, by 140% in Germany,” Marion Lalisse told Anadolu during Türkiye’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum, referring to the day Palestinian group Hamas carried out an attack, followed immediately by Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which over the last year-and-a-half has killed over 50,000 people and left most of Gaza in ruins. Lalisse added: “Obviously, you can have views about religions, about politics, but you cannot incite to hatred against a group of individuals who are fully parts of Europe, integral components of our society." “I think that we have, unfortunately, a normalization of anti-Muslim narrative, and narrative that is in the media, in the social media, doesn't remain only words,” she said. “We need to have more diversity among journalists, also in the management of media, not only in the journalists themselves, but in the executive boards to make sure that there is a coverage reflecting the vast majority of Muslims,” she explained. “Definitely, those acts are very detrimental to Europe, and they don't reflect our values, the values on which the EU was built,” she said. Lalisse expressed happiness to see some member states take measures, mentioning Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. “We are happy to see that they (these countries) implement our framework decision on combating xenophobia and racism, including religious intolerance,” she added.