The fear of Canadian Muslim youth being ‘radicalized’ and carrying out attacks on home turf became reality after the recent events Ottawa and Quebec.
To combat that looming threat, the Abbotsford chapter of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at is hosting an event on Monday (Nov. 24) to “take a stand against youth radicalization and the extremist influence that ISIS can have on our youth.”
The event is part of a nationwide campaign called Stop The CrISIS that kicked off earlier this month in Ontario and includes 35 events across Canada. The event in Abbotsford will feature a keynote speaker, multimedia presentations and Q&A with a panel of Islamic scholars, organizers say.
“On Canadian soil we have never experienced anything like this,” said Ali Mirza, of Abbotsford’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, about the recent homegrown attacks in Ottawa and Quebec.
“The kids who are being influenced [in Canada by extremists] — and of course in a manner that is anti-Canadian — need to be informed.”
Rizwan Peerzada, president of Abbotsford’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, noted that while fighting youth radicalization and promoting unity is the primary focus of the event, organizers would also like to share some Islamic teachings.
“This is not what real Islam is,” Rizwan said about radical groups such as ISIS.
The Stop The CrISIS event takes place Monday (Nov. 24), from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Abbotsford Arts Center Banquet Hall, 2329 Crescent Way. Admission is free.