MADRID, 13 September 2007 - High-level officials from the 56 OSCE participating States will gather next month in Cordoba, Spain, to discuss how best to fight intolerance and discrimination against Muslims.

Sessions at the 9-10 October meeting will focus on the roots of discrimination against Muslims, its consequences and the role of the media. How education can contribute to reducing intolerance and good practices also will be discussed.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, will chair the meeting, to be held in the Cordoba Conference Centre (Palacio de Congresos de Cordoba).

Minister Moratinos has described intolerance against Muslims as an increasingly alarming problem, and the OSCE has in several decisions and declarations expressed concern about and condemned discrimination against Muslims.

Non-governmental organizations are set to participate in a preparatory meeting in the city of Jaen to be held on 8 October as well as in the Cordoba meeting.

Encouraging participation in pluralistic societies is one of the priorities set by the 2007 Spanish OSCE Chairmanship.

The OSCE held a Conference on Anti-Semitism and on Other Forms of Intolerance in 2005 in Cordoba, and has since held several meetings on intolerance, including the High-Level Conference on Combating Discrimination and Promoting Mutual Respect and Understanding, which was held in June in Bucharest.

The entire meeting is open to media.

Journalists interested in covering the conference are requested to complete the media accreditation form available on OSCE Chairmanship Conference on Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims Accreditation forms must be submitted by 28 September.