The anniversary of a massacre at a mosque in Quebec City will be marked by four days of events aimed at creating a dialogue.
Six men were killed and 19 others wounded in a shooting that was quickly denounced by most Quebecers and Canadians. Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the mosque days later for a candlelight vigil.
Next Monday, Jan. 29, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Philippe Couillard, and Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume will be speaking at a ceremony next to the mosque in the neighbourhood of Ste. Foy.
People are invited to bring flowers and candles to a vigil, which will take place outdoors close to the mosque.
In the year since the shooting, many groups that believe Muslims and Islam are a threat to Western society have become emboldened and held multiple protests and rallies in Quebec City.
There has also been an increase in crimes against Muslims and mosques in Quebec City, and on Monday Labeaume debated whether or not Quebec City police should form a new unit to investigate hate crimes.
The rise of anti-Islamists has angered many who say Jan. 29 should be recognized as a day of action against Islamophobia -- but that idea isn't supported by Labeaume.
He said Monday there should not be a distinction between racist and anti-Islamic action.
"The racism in this country is against Jews, Islam, Indians. Go to Winnipeg, go to Calgary, go to Vancouver and tell me what you saw there. There's a lot of racism against Indians... So racism is racism," said Labeaume.
In the days preceding the anniversary there will be workshops about Islam, along with an open prayer session at the Quebec City mosque.
There will also be events held at Laval University with the theme of "living together with our differences," organized by Quebec's anti-radicalization centre.
Following the seminar, there will be a special prayer at the mosque Friday evening open only to the Muslim community, but the service will be broadcast online.
On Saturday afternoon, Universite Laval will screen a French-language documentary called, "Your Last Steps in the Mosque."
Two days before the anniversary, families of shooting victims plan to speak to the public and the media en masse to express their gratitude to Quebecers.
Labeaume said the idea is to create a place where people can learn about Quebec City's Muslim community and get over their fears.
-With files from The Canadian Press
