JEDDAH: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called on the international community to take concrete measures to promote a culture of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect. The OIC took part in the inaugural session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities. The event was virtually organized by the UN on Monday. The OIC urged the participants to make efforts to build trust among people to ensure safe societies. It also called on the international community to ensure protection of places of worship. The OIC expressed its concern over the growing Islamophobia on social media platforms and hate speech targeting Muslim communities and other minorities. It called for the need to address the root causes of this hatred and to take effective measures to counter intolerance toward Muslims and other minorities in different parts of the world. The forum aims to explore and identify appropriate response to the dissemination of hate speech against certain communities.