First ever Canada Day celebration at Windsor mosque aims to unite, organizers say

First ever Canada Day celebration at Windsor mosque aims to unite, organizers say

Hundreds braved the heat to celebrate Canada's birthday and build bridges

Burgers were sizzling, prayer was observed, and cheers were heard at Baitul Ehsan mosque's first ever Canada Day celebration.

Though Environment Canada had issued an orange heat warning for Windsor-Essex Wednesday, hundreds of neighbours flocked to the Head Avenue mosque to enjoy a free barbecue meal, play games and tour the facility.

Event organizers say the turnout serves as a powerful reflection of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community's deep ties to the country.

"We are as Canadian as anyone can be," said Kashif Saeed, president of the mosque's local chapter. "Come talk to us. Come visit our mosque. It's always open to you."

The mosque openly invited city residents to the event as an opportunity to "strengthen friendships, foster understanding, and build lasting connections" between people of diverse backgrounds, organizers said in a news release.

Saeed said a traditional holiday barbecue remains an effective way to create dialogue.

"Best way to make new friends is with food," he said. "So we invited our neighbours. We invited different businesses, people who don't know about Muslims, trying to bring them closer to us."

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He added, "We already have a lot of differences, but let's focus on the commonalities that we have and try to bridge the gaps that different faiths or misconceptions bring."

Omar Shahid, the mosque's public outreach coordinator, said the Canada Day festivities provide a way to learn about one another.

"We can sit for two hour and focus on the differences and never see each other again, or we can sit for two hours, focus on the commonalities and have a lifetime friendship," said Shahid.

"One of the main goals is to build bridges. Canada Day is a very good way to build bridges with the wider community, with the broader community in Canada, in Windsor especially."

Some members of the congregation, such as Ibrahim Ahmad, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Student's Association, say the holiday serves as a reminder of the safety and freedom Canada provides.

"In a lot of other countries, because we are Ahmadiyya Muslims, we face persecution. So that's one thing that Canada is so great in that we have the freedom to do whatever we want ... to believe what I believe in and also have the ability to learn from others," said Ahmad.

A large number of event goers donned red and white despite the high humidity.

Ahmad said it's indicative of the national pride found locally.

"Windsor is one of the most multicultural cities in Canada, and everyone can come together and everyone has an open mind to learning from each other and to celebrating Canada."

Justin Escoto is a reporter at CBC Windsor. He is a graduate of Carleton University, and previously worked at the Canadian Press and the Charlatan. He enjoys covering music, history, and pro wrestling. You can reach him at justin.escoto@cbc.ca.