Support announced for Canadian Muslim youth

With the support of Government of Canada, Muslim youth will now have the opportunity to be part of two projects that are designed to deal with issues related to discrimination and promote cross-cultural understanding among all.

With the support of Government of Canada, Muslim youth will now have the opportunity to be part of two projects that are designed to deal with issues related to discrimination and promote cross-cultural understanding among all.

Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney announced the two projects along with Helena Guergis, Minister of State (Status of Women). Canadian Council of Muslim Women is assigned the task to coordinate the projects.

A project called “MY CANADA” will receive a grant of $441,000 from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The project will provide Muslim youths throughout Canada the opportunity to take part in several activities like multi-faith sessions for youths, which will include Muslims and well as non-Muslims, in schools and community centers and it will teach the way to peace building and inter-cultural dialogue and skills that would avoid conflicts.

Minister Kenney said that the project showcases the significance of promoting common understanding and common respect among all, which are the base to achieve peace and stability not only in Canada but throughout the world. He said that the project will also provide the Muslim community an opportunity to share their experience with discrimination with people from other religious communities.

$314,000 will be provided by Status of Women Canada for a project which is named “Being a Canadian Muslim Woman in the 21st Century”. The project would call for young Muslim women in Canada to come forward to lead and participate in workshops with their educators and non-Muslims and will help them discuss discrimination, violence and human rights with their peers.

Minister Guergis said that this government is committed towards making sure that women get the opportunity to participate in the social, economic and democratic life of Canada. With the help of this project, Muslim girls will be able to learn some valuable leadership skills and will get to know about their rights on gender and racial equality, which will make sure they are better prepared to tackle potential violence in their lives, the minister added.

Alia Hogben, Executive Director of the Canadian Council for Muslim Women, said that everyone in the organization is grateful for the funding that would ultimately help Canadian Muslim youths in developing their sense of identity and belonging. This desired result would be achieved by the involvement of Muslim youths in their local communities along with youths of different religions and cultural backgrounds.