Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahu Wa Barakatuhu.
About 4 years ago, the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec (CCIQ) was attacked by a gunman who killed 6 Muslim Canadians and severely injured many others while they were peacefully praying Isha. This brutal Islamophobic attack traumatized not only its immediate victims but also the entire nation and world community.
Since then, MANAL and many other Canadian Muslim organizations work and collaborate to address and eliminate Islamophobia in Canada. Our efforts so far included offering our testimony before the House of Commons to help formulate what needs to be done. We also collaborated with allies in our City and Province, organizing local partnerships and events.
This year, due to ongoing pandemic, we won't be able to organize in person events to mark the 4th anniversary of Quebec Mosque shooting. However, this doesn't mean that we will forget this tragic moment in our history or lose momentum in our efforts.
The following is a highlight of some initiatives that we are taking part in this year as we commemorate the 4th anniversary of Quebec Mosque shooting:
- Last week, together with over 70 Canadian Muslim organizations, we sent a joint letter to our Prime Minister for the designation of January 29 as a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia in Canada.
- To raise awareness about Quebec Mosque shooting, we are again joining and promoting the national "Green Square Campaign" which involves publicly wearing a small felt green square through the last week of January (NCCM – National Council of Canadian Muslims | Green Square Campaign)
- This Friday, on January 29, 2021, at 8 pm on NL time, we will be joining an online national vigil and webinar that will be hosted by the CCIQ and NCCM. It is a free public event that will be live broadcasted via NCCM's Facebook page and anyone would be able to watch it on or off FB. (CCIQ’s January 29th Vigil and Webinar)
We encourage all our community members to actively participate in the Green Square Campaign and also to tune in on the evening of January 29 to join the national online vigil & webinar.
Jazakumullahu Khairan,
MANAL Executive Committee