As I write these lines, I am in Europe, where I travel every year to visit my family. I must say that never before, on my previous trips to the Old Continent, have I been asked so often whether Argentina is truly a racist society. This sort of conversation came as such a surprise and was so unexpected for me that I even had to “update” myself on social media to understand the context of the debate.

Of course, to deny the existence of racism and discrimination entirely within a population is tantamount to rejecting human nature. I believe we all agree that creating a society free from hatred, resentment and discrimination is something we all yearn for, regardless of religion, ideology or political preference. But there is a sad reality: there is no such paradise on this earth, or at least not yet anywhere on our planet. I would go so far as to claim that it is inherent in human nature to harbour prejudices against ‘the other’ and against the unknown. The famous words of Albert Einstein – perhaps the most important scientist of the last century – resonate with me at this moment: “It is easier to split the nucleus of an atom than to break a prejudice.”

In fact, although we live in a globalised world, we still face great distances in our relationship with one another. One of the oldest obstacles to our peaceful coexistence is the fabricated misinformation about “the other.” It is the same battlefield as always, but now we use social media as a new weapon to attack and to cause harm to each other. I am convinced that it was no coincidence that Pope Leo, in his first message to journalists, asked them to “disarm their words.” Similarly, the spiritual Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, had launched a decade ago the campaign “Muslims For Peace” in order to replace the existing invisible walls by new bridges.

Coming back to Argentina, I feel it is vital in this discussion on racism to distinguish between the reaction of a footballer, a supporter or any individual person and the social reality at ground level. The aim of this reflection is to share my own experience as a foreigner and, at the same time, to highlight the dangers of generalising isolated incidents which are then used as an argument to attack an entire people or community. In my own case, as a Muslim who was born and has lived my whole life in the West, this challenge of breaking down preconceptions and fighting against all forms of stigmatisation is already part of my DNA.

I have been living here with my wife for 10 years now, and we have two Argentine children. We are happy in this country. Personally, we have never experienced discrimination or rejection for being foreigners or for being Muslims. Quite the opposite: we have already ‘become Argentine’ and feel an integral part of society.

In fact, I believe that Argentina is a fine example of interfaith coexistence and a melting pot of different communities and waves of migration. This nation has always been characterised by its embrace of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity. On the other hand, it is true that there are certain misunderstandings and misperceptions about Islam that stem from ignorance. In this regard, the role of ‘fake news’ circulating on social media is a cause for concern, not only against Muslims but also against other communities. A simple tweet or a particular choice of words in a statement can have a profound impact and cause irreparable harm to another person’s life. For this reason, Islam guarantees freedom of expression and opinion, but teaches that every right is, at the same time, a huge responsibility. Freedom cannot be used as an open licence to attack, desecrate or cause harm, especially when it comes to minorities within a society.

In conclusion, taking a stand against all forms of racism, discrimination and xenophobia must be our shared responsibility as the human family. The root of the disease that poisons harmonious coexistence in our pluralistic societies is hatred. If this seed of hatred is allowed to grow, without being detected in time, it eventually becomes a tree of aggression and violence, whose branches manifest themselves sometimes as Islamophobia, at other times as anti-Semitism, anti-Christian sentiment or various forms of discrimination.

Meanwhile, the motto of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, to which I belong – “Love for all, hatred for none” – which encapsulates all the precepts of Islam, could serve as a recipe for any society where social peace is under threat.