2024-01-29 09:00
By Emily RafuseAccessibility and Human Rights Intern, 5th year English Major, Acadia University Student
Today is the National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia and we can remember and honour the victims and survivors of the attack AND act on the Islamophobia that is rising throughout the country.
On January 29, 2017, Ibrahima Barry, 39, Mamadou Tanou Barry, 42, Khaled Belkacemi, 60, Aboubaker Thabti, 44, Abdelkrim Hassane, 41, and Azzedine Soufiane, 57, lost their lives in a horrific attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre in Sainte-Foy, Québec. In 2021, the federal government officially declared today the National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia,
Last week, the Green Square Campaign took place, and it may be over, but you can still show your support with a green square. The green square represents the “green carpets of the Québec City Mosque, where the victims last stood to pray” and it also “symbolizes the fact that the deceased are, God willing, in a green garden, in a better place since they left us that night” (National Council of Canadian Muslims 2024). The green square also represents solidarity with the victims and survivors of the 2017 mosque attack and taking a stand against Islamophobia.
The United Nations defines Islamophobia as “Islamophobia is a fear, prejudice and hatred of Muslims that leads to provocation, hostility, and intolerance by means of threatening, harassment, abuse, incitement and intimidation of Muslims and non-Muslims, both in the online and offline world. Motivated by institutional, ideological, political, and religious hostility that transcends into structural and cultural racism, it targets the symbols and markers of being a Muslim.” (United Nations 2024). Islamophobia does not just apply to acts of extreme violence, it shows up in our communities as discrimination based on religion, skin color, wearing hijabs or veils, and, like antisemitism, it is a form of racism.
To mark today, read up on the attack that led to the recognition of this day, learn the victims' names and the impact that the attack has had since then. You can watch monument lightings across the country, here, and you can learn more about the National Council of Canadian Muslims and their programs, services, and training opportunities, here. Recognizing this day is not just about remembering those who were injured or whose lives were taken in the 2017 attack on the mosque, it is also about combatting Islamophobia in our communities and across the country.
Free online training: registerDate: February 5, 2024Time: 5:00 PM - 6:15 PM ASTHosted by Right to Be
This 75-minute interactive training will teach you Right To Be's 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology. We'll start by talking about the types of disrespect that Muslims and those who are perceived to be Muslim are facing right now — from microaggressions to violence — using a tool we call the "spectrum of disrespect." You'll learn what to look for and the positive impact that bystander intervention has on individuals and communities. We'll talk through five strategies for intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct, and how to prioritize your own safety while intervening. We'll have time at the end for practice, and you'll leave feeling more confident intervening the next time you see Islamophobic and xenophobic harassment online or in person.
Employees (staff, faculty, admin)
Students
Everyone
To share a concern, engage in a discussion of harassment or discrimination that you have witnessed, or been harmed by, or ask questions about Acadia’s Policy Against Harassment and Discrimination please contact the Human Rights and Equity Office at equity@acadiau.ca. We also encourage you to read and review the Policy (PDF).
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Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee31 University AveWolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 2R6edicommittee@acadiau.ca
