Markaz ul Islam Hosted Successful Islamic Awareness Day

(Kiran Malik Khan/Fort McMurray) Markaz ul Islam, the Islamic Centre of Fort McMurray’s Islamic Awareness Day was a phenomenal success thanks to hundreds of residents who were in attendance. The event was held in MacIsland, and saw Nexen Field House abuzz with guests including MLA Tany Yao, and Mayor Don Scott, who were eager to learn about Muslim contributions to society through the 32 projects on display. These ranged in topic from Muslims in Sports, Women’s Rights in Islam, to the ever popular coffee – discovered by a Muslim – From Bean to Cup, and Science in Quran. The free family event also had cultural food for sale, henna tattoos, face painting for children, calligraphy, and an opportunity for women to try on the Hijab, the Islamic headscarf.
“It was heartwarming to see so many people in attendance and give such overwhelming support. This could not be possible without the incredible effort by all the participants, who worked on their projects and models over the past few months. There are no words to thank the army of volunteers, who gave so much of their time since November. There was a lot of effort put in by the organizing team, mentors, judges, and many event volunteers,” said Bushra Naseer, who oversees Markaz’s Sisters’ Committee.
“It was an all in one event where families learned about Islam and Muslim contributions to the world, had fun at the various booths, and ate delicious cultural food. The Imam was also there to answer any questions people had about Islam. The support and solidarity shown by the community at large was very encouraging especially after hearing about the massacre in New Zealand (on March 15). This just goes to show that humanity prevails and we all stand united in difficult times. Coming to an event like this helps people to learn and accept the values of a different faith, which in turn helps everyone to live in peace and harmony,” Naseer commented.
Naseem Abdo, also the project co-lead, and VP, Outreach for Markaz ul Islam echoed similar sentiments.