Today, on National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, we remember and mourn the lives lost, express solidarity with survivors and commit to fighting Islamophobia in all its forms.
Eight years ago, a gunman opened fire on the Quebec City Mosque, killing six, injuring nineteen and altering the lives of countless others forever. This attack serves as a painful reminder of where unchecked discrimination, violence and hatred can lead.
Islamophobia is a troubling daily reality for many Muslims in Canada. According to the Office of the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Canada has the highest number of deadly targeted attacks on Muslims of G7 countries in the world.1 This is unacceptable. We must and can do better.
Prejudice is often rooted in fear. It’s a fear of the unknown; of those who speak, look, worship, or live differently. Which is why education is such a powerful tool against Islamophobia and all forms of discrimination.
As a university community focused on education I encourage you to take a moment to learn more about allyship and how to identify and dismantle hatred. The Office of Diversity and Human Rights has a list of resources available on building equitable and inclusive environments on our website, including our eBook Building Community: Introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and our EDI Workshop Wednesday trainings on campus. The Government of Canada also has some great resources on combatting Islamophobia.
As we mourn those lives lost today and commit to creating a better tomorrow, let us come together in our common humanity and remember that our strength lies in our ability to understand and embrace one another. It’s up to all of us to build a U of G that is safe, successful and inclusive.
Sincerely,
Indira Naidoo-Harris
Associate Vice-President, Diversity and Human Rights