Honouring women regardless of religion, race, or language

Acceptance and solidarity were two themes on the menu at a women’s-only luncheon organized by the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC), in partnership with the Association Al-Arabiya, last Friday in celebration of the upcoming International Women’s Day on March 8.

Held at the Nuits de Mosaїques restaurant in Cartierville, the event was attended by women of all colours and backgrounds, all coming together to celebrate each other’s differences and common threads. “The Canadian Islamic Congress wanted to organize this day to honour women,” said Najat Boughaba, the CIC’s Quebec spokeswoman and animator of the event. “The objective is really to meet and talk.”

And that is exactly what took place throughout this afternoon of good food and great conversation. After introducing the guests – which included municipal, provincial, and federal politicians, activists, volunteers, artists, and other community figures – Boughaba recapped some of the events that took place over the last year, including HEMA Quebec blood drives, Black History Month celebrations, the Bouchard-Taylor Commission on reasonable accommodation, and a memorable February 2007 visit to Herouxville – the small Quebec town that adopted a controversial code of conduct some deemed racist and targeting the Muslim faith – in order to bridge their ideas and learn from each other.

While last Friday’s event was in celebration of all women, the question of the veil, which was put in the spotlight after Herouxville and the Bouchard-Taylor Commission, did come up. “I know the woman who wears a veil has difficulties,” said Samira Laouni, CIC Quebec project manager. “But all women from all walks of life, from everywhere, have problems. It doesn’t matter; political beliefs, colour, religion, nationality. We are all women and we have to rise above all of that…I personally am ready to work together with everyone to do so.”

Bloc Quebecois MP for Ahuntsic, Maria Mourani, also took the opportunity to say a few words and addressed the issue of stereotypes. “The image of a Muslim woman has become that of ‘the victim.’ We have to break these general stereotypes. It’s up to us to change these things. We need to get other cultures to understand us, and work to understand them,” Mourani said, adding there is still work to be done to achieve equality between men and women.

In addition to the presentations and dialogue that took place throughout the lunch, many guests also took the opportunity to have their hands decorated by a henna artist, admire traditional costumes from across the Arab world during a fashion show, and dance and laugh with friends, both old and new. “I think what we’re doing today is very important,” said Souad Bounakhla of the Association Al-Arabiya. “We and the CIC wanted to work together. We are both concerned with women’s issues and it is always good to work with groups who have the same goals.” “It’s really to show that we are here, and that we are implicated in women’s issues, and that we are working towards improvement,” Boughaba concluded.