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Sunday 06 Dec 2015 - 11:41 Makkah mean time-24-2-1437
Image from CBC News
Saskatoon, Canada (IINA) - A group of Muslims and non-Muslims took to the streets of Saskatoon in Canada, Saturday to deliver a message of peaceful existence, in an effort to counter-balance the views of those who harass Muslims and link Islam to violence and terrorism, CBC News reported.
Co-organized by Mubarka Butt and Mohammed Abusha'r, the group dubbed their pop-up event 1001 Roses for Peace. During the event, they gave out white, red and pink roses to passersby at three different spots: Midtown Plaza, the Lawson Heights Mall and Centre Mall.
The group also provided a poster board and invited people to write their messages of peace.
"We are a part of this community," Butt said, noting that Muslims are connected to and care about their community.
The goal of the pop-up event was simple, she added.
"We want to get a positive message out and to help people recognize that Muslims are Canadians first," she said. "And they are equally against violence and hate crimes as other Canadians are."
Lisa Shepard was at Midtown Plaza to assist with handing out roses for her friend and others in the group. She said her friendship with Butt and other Muslims prompted her to support the cause.
"Muslims are peaceful, they care about this community and, they care about their families," Shepard said.
By midday Saturday at the Midtown Plaza, the group's poster board was nearly filled with positive messages.
Nathan Grayston, a Saskatoon-based filmmaker and two colleagues were with the group the entire day, collecting footage at all three spots. Grayston plans to create a five-minute video clip and publish it online, Saturday night.
Co-organizer of the pop-up event, Abusha'r said he feels Saskatoon is an open and welcoming community, but he's noticed strong and inaccurate portrayals of Islam in the media.
"The media doesn't present the real idea about us," he said. "And sometimes people pick the bad ideas about us, and the bad about Muslims and of course it affects us."
Abusha'r said he hopes people will get a fuller understanding of Muslims and Islam, beyond what they encounter in the media.
"As any people here, we love this country. We are related to this country, and we want to make peace and civil peace, and protect everything about it," he said. "I'm a Canadian and I love this country."
SM/IINA
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