Kazakhstan's capital city of Astana is hosting a conference titled "Common World: Progress through Diversity" with the participation of foreign ministers from the West and the Muslim world.

Turkey is represented at the conference by State Minister Mehmet Aydin.

The international conference in Astana began with the arrival of Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Speaking at the conference, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, said that "the dialog among civilizations must be carried to the political level. It is important for the civilizations to understand cultural, religious and ethnic differences."

Ihsanoglu stressed that Islamophobia, targeting Muslims, is on the rise in the world.

Islamophobia not only stands in front of the Muslims, but the whole humanity, Ihsanoglu said.

"Stability, peace and security in the world are inseparable from each other. In the long run, Islamophobia will continue in the world. Muslims are psychologically, economically and socially affected by Islamophobia. Such a dramatic situation should be described as a segregation based on race and religion," Ihsanoglu said.

The Astana conference aims to develop understanding between the West and the Muslim world. Among the topics to be discussed at the conference are strengthening tolerance in the world and developing cultural and economic cooperation.

AA