It starts by welcoming strangers into a family's home, all with the aim of breaking down misconceptions about Muslims and Islam.
The two week "Meet a Muslim family campaign" is bringing families across the country together, including here in Ottawa.
The campaign has Canadian-Muslims meeting non-Muslims, and welcoming them into their homes, giving them a chance to get to know each other and dispel stereotypes about Islam.
Faheem Affan and his family are taking part in the campaign, hosting their neighbours for lunch along with a couple who signed up for the meeting online.
“Our motto is love for all, hatred for none,” said 14-year-old Eesha Affan. “We try to spread peace around the world. When we see all the terrorists on TV, killing innocent people, it upsets us as much as it upsets any other Canadians.”
The campaign comes in the wake of recent terror attacks in Canada and around the world.
Imam Imtiaz Ahmed, of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at Ottawa, helped to organize the campaign in Ottawa.
“It is ironic that the religion of Islam, which promotes peace, is being used by so-called Muslims or terrorist groups to promote violence and terrorism,” he said. “This is the message we have for our Canadian brothers and sisters: We are peaceful, and all Muslims are not terrorists, and we love Canada.”
There are more than one million Muslims in Canada, including an estimated 70,000 in Ottawa.
Eesha Affan says campaigns like this one could help fight radicalization, especially among young people.
“(Extremists) twist our beliefs in such a way that they are no longer true anymore,” she said. “Something like this that's countering that, that's showing kids that no, this is the real Islam, we live like you live, we spread peace, we spread love.”
The “Meet a Muslim Family” campaign continues until March 14.
