Remembering the Quebec City Mosque: The Green Square Campaign

This message is being shared on behalf of Nikki Samuel, director, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Please direct any questions to Shauna Moore, advisor, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Five years ago, on January 29, the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City was subject to a tragic, hateful, and Islamophobic crime which resulted in the deaths of six members of the community and the injury of many more.

Last year, the Federal Government designated January 29 as a National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, to honour the victims and express solidarity with the survivors.

 The Green Square campaign

To mark this day, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) has created the Green Square campaign as a way to take collective action to disrupt anti-Muslim hate and remember those who lost their lives in the deadly mosque attack. The green square represents the green carpets of the Quebec City mosque, where the victims last stood to pray.

Taking place in the week leading up to the 29, there are many ways you can participate, including wearing a green square and using the hashtags #GreenSquareCampaign and #WeRememberJan29 on social media, to share why the Green Square campaign is important and what action you want to see to make Canada a safer place for all Canadians. A full list of ways you can get involved can be found online.

Reminder: Second session of DC’s deconstructing anti-Muslim hate workshop
As a reminder, the second virtual workshop on deconstructing anti-Muslim hate is taking place on Wednesday, January 19 from noon to 1 p.m. and will focus on the practical ways to respond to Islamophobia.

Hosted by Durham College’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the event is open to employees, students and the broader community, and is being facilitated by Aasiyah Khan, manager, Education Programs with the National Council of Canadian Muslims.

Session two registration is still open. Please sign-up to attend online. A link to join will be provided prior to the event.

Student supports
As we approach the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia it is important to be mindful that this time can be increasingly difficult for members of the DC community. A list of counselling services and/or supports for students is available online. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance.