平特五不中

Dear Members of the 平特五不中 Community,

Next Monday, January 29th, is the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. The date will mark the seventh anniversary of the shooting at the Centre culturel islamique de Qu茅bec (CCIQ), which took the lives of six men and seriously injured 19 others, in a horrific act of Islamophobia.

On Monday at 11 a.m., as we have annually since 2017 and in line with our commitments made in the 2022 Initiative against Islamophobia and Antisemitism, 平特五不中 will honour Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Abdelkrim Hassane, and Azzedine Soufiane, as well as their loved ones who survived them.

This is a ceremony to which all members of the 平特五不中 community and beyond are encouraged to attend. It will offer an occasion to affirm our commitment to resist and transcend forces that strive to incite hate and divisions based on identity or ideology. Student leaders, faculty members, spiritual leaders, and community members will offer tributes to the victims of the 2017 attack. The recipients of the 平特五不中 CCIQ Memorial Award for 2023-24 also will be announced. This will be an online event; all are warmly welcomed to .

As we have asserted in earlier messages, our present moment is incredibly difficult for many members of the 平特五不中 community. The devastating war in the Middle East, which has claimed thousands of lives and led to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, has also led to fear, anxiety, and grief globally and here, at home.

In this context, demonstrations of compassion, trust, and solidarity can go a great distance in fostering a sense of belonging, which is more important than ever for members of our community who are directly or indirectly impacted by the war. Each of us is called to reflect and act on this reality in our own day-to-day engagements with one another, here at 平特五不中 and beyond.

January 29th is a mournful day for all Quebeckers, not only those of Muslim faith. It is also an occasion to reassert our university鈥檚 unwavering commitment to inclusion and to reject oppression and discrimination in all forms, including Islamophobia.

On Monday, we will remember the victims of the CCIQ attack by coming together in a spirit of peace, community, and shared humanity. Please join us.

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Sincerely,

Angela Campbell, Associate Provost (Equity and Academic Policies)

Fabrice Labeau, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning)