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Rising Islamophobia prompts urgent calls for a Canada where everyone belongs

Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia to present at free CMHR event

A group of smiling Muslim women in a circle with linked hands. Partially obscured.

Photo: Courtesy of Office of Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia

News release details

This week will mark four years since Salman Afzaal, 46, his 44‐year‐old wife, Madiha Salman, their 15‐year‐old daughter, Yumna, and her 74‐year‐old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed after they were deliberately hit by a vehicle in a hate‐motivated attack. The couple's nine‐year‐old son, Fayez, was seriously hurt but survived. The solemn anniversary on June 6 continues to resonate deeply with communities across Canada.

On June 10, Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, will make a special presentation at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) on how Islamophobia continues to manifest in Canada and affect all Canadians.

“Muslims are sometimes caught between being perceived as a threat or as representing a problem to solve," said Amira Elghawaby at the time of her appointment in 2023. She wants to change that perception and shift the national conversation so that Muslims are seen as a part of — not apart from — Canadian identity.

After Elghawaby’s keynote address, she will sit down in conversation with CMHR CEO, Isha Khan on our collective role in combatting Islamophobia.

“True transformation rarely comes from top‐down policies alone; instead, it is the everyday actions we take in our communities that can help change lives and foster deeper pride and belonging among all Canadians.” — From The Canadian Guide to Understanding and Combatting Islamophobia

This free event is for anyone who wants to understand the causes and impact of Islamophobia, and how to combat it in Canada.

WHAT: A Canada Where We All Belong: Our Collective Role in Combatting Islamophobia

WHEN: Tuesday, June 10. Doors at 6 p.m., program from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

WHERE: Bonnie & John Buhler Hall, Level 1, CMHR

COST: Free with registration

About Amira Elghawaby 

As Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby advises the Government of Canada on how to enhance efforts to fight bias, discrimination and hate against Muslim communities, and promote awareness of the diverse and intersectional identities of Muslims in Canada. A journalist and human rights expert, her extensive experience supporting initiatives to counter hate and promote inclusion include serving as a past founding board member of the Canadian Anti‐Hate Network and a past board member at the Silk Road Institute.

Media contacts

Amanda Gaudes (she/her)

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