World Hijab Day aims to educate others and end prejudice surrounding Muslim people
Women all over the world are invited to experience the Hijab on Wednesday thanks to a global movement started by a Muslim woman living in New York.
Muslim women are hoping Wednesday, Feb. 1 which is World Hijab day, will help others understand the meaning behind the headscarf.
The Sisters of Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) are teaching others how to wrap a Hijab and they’re inviting Canadian women from all cultures and religions to try one. Ammara Syeda said it’s an opportunity to learn.
“You can try a hijab. You can ask us any questions that you might not ask someone on the street who’s wearing a hijab because you might feel a bit hesitant to do that. So this is a safe space to ask any questions about the hijab and try it on for yourself to find out what you look like, what it feels like,” Syeda said.
The Hijab is a visible symbol of the Islamic religion and the hope is this initiative will help end prejudice against Muslims.
The Islamic Circle of North America said the best way to address Islamophobia is through education like World Hijab Day. The Government of Canada is taking steps toward education as well by appointing it’s first ever representative for combatting Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby.
“It’s really about coming together, promising solutions and ensuring that a Canadian Muslim anywhere in this country can feel safe,” Elghawaby said.
“She’s in one of the highest offices in Canada and she’s working to combat Islamophobia and she wears a Hijab. That has never limited her opportunities,” Syeda said.
According to The Sisters of Islamic Circle of North America, representation is important and non-Muslim women can help make Muslims feel safe by taking a photo in a Hijab and posting it online for everyone to see.
People can visit www.towardspeace.org to find out how to can get a free Hijab in your city.
In Regina, the ICNA Sisters are giving away twenty free Hijabs on World Hijab Day and will also teach you how to put it on.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 Investigates | How did a healthy teen die at a minor hockey camp?
The parents of young Ontario hockey player Ben Teague have been searching for answers since he died while at a team retreat in 2019. The mystery about what happened and the code of silence in hockey culture is explored in CTV W5's 'What Happened to Ben,' on CTVNews.ca and W5's official YouTube channel.

China's Xi meeting Putin in boost for isolated Russia leader
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is due to meet with Vladimir Putin in a political boost for the isolated Russian president after the International Criminal Court charged him with war crimes in Ukraine.
Trump's call for protests gets muted reaction by supporters
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's calls for protests ahead of his anticipated indictment in New York have generated mostly muted reactions from supporters, with even some of his most ardent loyalists dismissing the idea as a waste of time or a law enforcement trap.
Woman suing Tim Hortons for $500K after hot tea spill left her 'disfigured'
An Ontario woman has launched a lawsuit seeking $500,000 from Tim Hortons after she suffered major burns from an alleged ‘superheated’ tea. The company has denied all allegations and said she was ‘the author of her own misfortune.'
LIVE @ 8 A.M. | Police give update on Old Montreal fire that left 1 dead, 6 missing
Police are giving an update on last week's fire in Old Montreal that killed at least one person and left six missing. Fire services began partially dismantling the building over the weekend, uncovering one body Sunday evening. Several units in the building were unauthorized short-term rentals, or Airbnbs.
Air passenger complaints triple in one year to pass 42,000 as backlog grows
The number of air passenger complaints to Canada's transport regulator is soaring, more than tripling to 42,000 over the past year.
Trails of human bacteria from sneezing and coughing preserved on Mount Everest: study
Even at one of the tallest natural peaks on Earth, humans have left their mark in a trail of bacteria as researchers have found germs from coughing and sneezing that have been potentially preserved for centuries on Mount Everest.
Credit Suisse, UBS shares plunge after takeover announcement
Shares of Credit Suisse plunged 63 per cent in early trading Monday after the announcement that banking giant UBS would buy its troubled rival for almost US$3.25 billion in a deal orchestrated by regulators to stave off further market-shaking turmoil in the global banking system.
Poilievre calling for national standardized test to license doctors, nurses trained outside of Canada
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for a national standardized testing process to be created in order to speed up the licensing process for doctors and nurses who are either immigrants or were trained abroad.