By Yusuf Hatip 

BRUSSELS 

In the wake of growing racism across Europe, a project to counter islamophobia was launched in the European Parliament on Wednesday. 

Experts and academics from across Europe gathered at the parliament for the launch of the two-year Counter-Islamophobia Kit (CIK) project funded by the European Commission's Directorate of Justice.

They called on member states and policymakers to play a more active role in the fight against Islamophobia and strengthen legal procedures on the issue.  

The project reviews dominant anti-Muslim narratives and compares counter-narratives in eight EU members states of France, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Portugal, Greece, and the U.K.

It outlines 10 counter-narratives that must be prioritized in Europe:

- Challenging and contextualizing constructions of Muslim ‘threat’

- Building inclusive nations: challenging exclusive and discriminatory national projects 

- Cultural compatibility and conviviality: challenging the narrative separation of cultural and ethnic groups 

- Elaborating plurality: challenging narratives of Muslim singularity 

- Challenging narratives of sexism 

- Building inclusive futures 

- Deracializing the state: challenging institutional narratives 

- Emphasizing humanity and Muslim normalization: challenging narratives of division 

- Creating Muslim space(s)

- Challenging distorted representation: verity and voice