A national mobile exhibition that aims to stop Islamophobia has arrived in Saskatchewan.
The travelling display is a campaign by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at community and it aims to educate non-Muslims about the sect.
Brian Harris heard that the truck would be in town, so he made his way to the corner of Scarth Street and Victoria Avenue to see what it was all about.
“I learned a little bit about this particular Muslim group and they seem to be about love,” Harris said.
Harris said people should be careful of what they are influenced by, particularly in “the media.”
“There seems to be this tendency to equate Islam with bad things and that’s just not true,” he said.
He left with a book in hand and planned to read more about the group.
The trailer full of volunteers has been stopping in communities across Canada in an attempt to spread a positive message about Islam and clear up misconceptions about the faith.
The van departed from Halifax on July 10 and arrived in Regina on Tuesday morning.
Zeeshan Ahmed, the imam for the Regina chapter of the organization, told CBC’s The Afternoon Edition anyone with questions is encouraged to visit the trailer.
“We want to clear this misconception; [to say] that Islam is no longer going to be hijacked by extremists,” Ahmed said. “True Muslims that are peaceful by heart will actually spread the message of peace to our fellow Canadians and our fellow neighbours.”
The trailer will move from Victoria park to the front of the Cornwall Centre from noon to 6 p.m.
“Without any hesitations, they can ask us any questions about Islam, about women’s issues in Islam, about jihad,” he said.
Ahmed was born and raised in Toronto, and said he transferred to Regina only a week ago. Despite his fresh arrival in the Queen City, he already wanted to thank the community.