Olive Tree Foundation funds project to tackle Islamophobia

(TORONTO – January 5, 2017): The Olive Tree Foundation has announced that a grant has been awarded to the Ottawa Muslim Association for the project, “Say Salaam Campaign – Conflict Mediation Techniques for Muslims”. The project will be developed by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).Islamophobic attacks can be disorienting, frightening and can sometimes escalate into violence. The Say Salaam Campaign will work with conflict mediation experts to develop an appropriate response framework that will aim to keep a targeted individual safe and equipped with tools, which allow them to walk away from a negative situation feeling empowered.The project will develop materials and videos describing various situations where the Say Salaam framework can be utilized. The aim is to empower Canadians with practical steps to respond to hate - how to safely intervene or safely respond and seek help.The conflict mediation framework will be shared widely with organizations and through community networks through a coordinated social and print media campaign."The Olive Tree Foundation is very pleased to fund the Say Salaam project," says Muneeb Nasir, President of the Olive Tree Foundation, in announcing the grant. "With the rise of Islamophobia and hate incidents, Canadian Muslims, as well as other marginalized and targeted communities, will benefit greatly from this project."“This idea emerged from within the community and we’re excited by this opportunity to develop it with the Ottawa Muslim Association,” said Amira Elghawaby, Communications Director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).  “We believe this project will provide a useful blueprint for both victims and bystanders in how to respond to hatred.”Hate crimes against Muslims in Canada have doubled over a three-year period, according to the most recent data. However, up to two-thirds of all hate crimes go unreported, according to Statistics Canada’s Criminal Victimization Survey and the federal Justice Department.Related Resources:NCCM Online Hate Crimes MapNCCM Community Safety GuideThe Olive Tree Foundation is a philanthropic foundation that promotes community development through the collection of endowed funds and charitable contributions to fund services for the long-term benefit of the community.The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) is an independent, non-partisan and non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the human rights and civil liberties of Canadian Muslims (and by extension of all Canadians), promoting their public interests, building mutual understanding and challenging Islamophobia and other forms of xenophobia.The Ottawa Muslim Association (OMA) is a grassroots charitable Muslim organization governed by the guidance provided in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah (teachings) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to serve Muslims in the greater Ottawa Community.