Toronto Launches Campaign to Fight Rising Islamophobia
The campaign, developed with guidance from a Community Advisory Council and the National Council of Canadian Muslims, aims to raise awareness about the realities of Islamophobia in our community and to remind Torontonians that everyone deserves respect and dignity regardless of their faith or culture.
The ‘Toronto For All’ campaign highlights the presence and impact of Islamophobia in the city and urges Torontonians to confront and eliminate it. The campaign features transit shelter ads, social media posts and a website that showcase the diversity and richness of Muslim communities in Toronto.
The City worked closely with the National Council of Canadian Muslims and a Community Advisory Council composed of diverse Muslim community members, educators and leaders to create a meaningful and impactful design concept. The final campaign design emphasizes the need for Torontonians to accept without exceptions, celebrating and respecting the faith and cultural practices of Muslims in Toronto.
This is the 13th ‘Toronto For All’ campaign launched by the City in partnership with community partners and organizations.
Aasiyah Khan, Director of Education Programs at the National Council of Canadian Muslims, shared her hopes for the campaign: “Experiences of Islamophobia are not a rare occurrence for Muslims in Toronto and across Canada. We are thrilled to stand with the City of Toronto as we launch a campaign that we hope will encourage reflection and inspire people to work together to push back against Islamophobia and all forms of hate and racism.”
Islamophobia can take various forms, such as hate crimes, vandalism, harassment, discrimination, or stereotypes. Islamophobia in Canada has increased in recent years, especially after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and other incidents of violence involving Muslims around the world.
In one of the deadliest attacks, four members of a Muslim family were killed and a nine-year-old boy was injured in a hit-and-run attack in London, Ontario, in 2021. The attacker was charged with terrorism and hate-motivated murder. The incident was widely condemned as an act of Islamophobia.
Source: toronto.ca
