GWLIP Statement – Solidarity with the Muslim Community
February 10, 2017
It was with great sadness that we heard the news of the shooting of Muslims as they prayed in their Mosque, in Quebec City on Sunday, January 29. Yet, on Monday night, the Guelph community stood in solidarity with the Muslim Society of Guelph, and with others of all faiths, all over the country, to say that we do not accept this kind of hatred.
In Guelph, we are indeed fortunate to be members of an inclusive community where diversity is valued and where people come out by the hundreds to show support for our Muslim neighbours, colleagues, relatives, families and friends. Still, we must not take this solidarity and support for granted. This tragedy is our clarion call to build bridges between faiths to create a more inclusive community. Each of us individually, and collectively as a community, has to work to breathe openness and curiosity into our actions and words every day to create this kind of inclusive community.
The Guelph Muslim Society’s response to the Quebec City massacre came as a beacon of light. The Guelph community’s show of solidarity with the Muslim community was a testament to all that the Muslim Society of Guelph has done to reach out to other faiths, to open its doors, and to build bridges. Let us all follow their example by engaging in interreligious and intercultural dialogue to create a more inclusive community in which each and every one of us learn, survive and thrive.
Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership