Daniyah Yaqoob, Press & Media Department, Lajna Imaillah Canada
On 25 February 2024, Lajna Imaillah Canada hosted a national Voices for Peace event at the Tahir Hall Community Centre, bringing together 171 Ahmadi women for a dialogue on the present humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The event began with the recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by the opening remarks from Sadr Lajna Imaillah Canada, Nadia Mahmood Sahiba. An introduction to the panel, which included Ms SandraLaya Ruch, Ms Anna Lippman, Khulood Odeh Sahiba and Leen Odeh Sahiba. The moderator for the event was Shazer Ahmad Sahiba.
Before the start of the discussion, guests learned about the background of the ongoing crisis in Gaza through a short documentary situating the current atrocities in a 75-year-old context. The discussion then started with the panellists sharing their first-hand experiences of having lived in Palestine and Israel. They discussed the result of Israeli oppression of Palestinian communities. Additionally, the panel spoke of the double standards in the coverage and handling of the crisis in Gaza, and how these double standards are deeply rooted in Western complicity towards Israel’s aggressions.
The discussion then led to the guidance of Khilafat on world peace and achieving absolute justice. A clip of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, speaking about the need for peace during one of his sermons was shared with the guests, who listened to it attentively.
The event concluded with an open mic session, where attendees were invited to share their own personal experiences or ask any questions they had for the panel.
Each guest was given a gift bag that included a copy of the book World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace.
Following the event, many guests expressed their gratitude for finally having a platform to come together to engage in a respectful dialogue.