Kids reflect as 7th anniversary of Quebec City mosque attack approaches

Jan. 29 is an important day in Canadian Muslim history.

As the seventh anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting approaches, and amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Montreal-area non-profit Hilm is helping Montreal children process their emotions.

They are doing this with age-specific dialogue with their students, arts and crafts, and storytelling.

Seven years ago, on Jan. 29, 2017, six Muslim men were murdered by a gunman inside a Quebec City mosque after evening prayer. Nineteen others were injured.

Following that tragedy came a shared sense of grief and an outpouring sentiment of solidarity from the broader community.

Children from the Hilm West Island Sunday school shared their thoughts as they processed their emotions.

“You can see the tie between Muslims being attacked, Islamophobia. Most Palestinians are Muslim, all the innocent children, the women, all the innocent people in Palestine,” said one child.

“It’s like when Jan. 29 comes around, it’s going to feel a lot more different than it normally does on another, let’s say, last year on Jan. 29, because there’s like two big events that are happening.”

Amid the Israel Hamas war, incidents of Islamophobia are on the rise and Muslims in Canada are feeling unsafe.

The National Council for Canadian Muslims (NCCM) came up with the green square campaign to honour the victims and survivors of the Quebec City mosque attack.

One high school student described what the campaign means to him. “The Green Square campaign is to commemorate the attack on the Quebec City mosque in 2017. The Green Square represents the carpets on which the victims last stood to pray.”

Another student got choked up as she reflected on what that anniversary symbolizes for her.

“It means a lot because six people, men, have died and I feel like that impacts a lot of Muslim lives, which is really important that we remember them,” she said.

After learning about the campaign, speaking about their emotions surrounding the Israel-Hamas war and the tragic anniversary, one student felt emboldened to share how he plans on honouring the lives that were lost.

“I’ll be wearing my green square so to obviously commemorate those who lost their lives. And for me, it’s just a representation of my faith and I would love it if people actually asked me what is the green square about so I can really help them learn a little bit more about Islam.”

Several of the children in the Hilm West Island Sunday school were very young when the attack took place, as one boy pointed out.

“I was in kindergarten when it happened and I don’t know much about it, but knowing that a mosque got attacked, even if I was young, it would have done a big impact on me. I’m a Muslim and whenever I hear that my Muslim brothers and sisters are being hurt, it hurts me more than almost anything.”