“They are Us” was the bold claim made in the wake of the Christchurch mosque massacres of March 15, 2019.
But is this picture of inclusiveness real and how much do non-Muslim Kiwis know about what Muslims believe? What is it like for Muslim people living in New Zealand and here in Queenstown?
These are some of the questions for Catalyst Trust’s “They Are Us” in-depth discussion with members of our local Muslim community, keynote speaker Anjum Rahman and Queenstown’s new Imam on Friday, November 27.
Anjum Rahman (MNZM) is a founding member of the Islamic Women’s Council and in the wake of the March 15 attacks, she became a spokesperson for New Zealand’s Muslim community. In media interviews following the attack, she voiced frustration at the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service’s failure to take seriously concerns she and many others had been voicing about violence towards our Muslim community, Islamophobia and the rise of the alt-right.
In response to the mosque attacks, she established the Inclusive Aotearoa Collective to help combat discrimination. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the New Zealander of the Year Award.
The evening will include a meal hosted by our local Queenstown Muslim community, who will share their perspectives of what it is like to be Muslim in Queenstown, and in New Zealand. Discussion on Islam will be led by Queenstown’s new Imam, Shukri bin Halim.
Friday, November 27, 6-9 PM, St John’s Ambulance Hall, Frankton. Registration is required on Catalyst Trust’s Eventbrite page as numbers are limited, for catering purposes and for contact tracing. Updates will be notified to registrants and posted on our Facebook page. Please stay home if you feel sick. Please bring your own water bottle. Koha collected at the door will help towards meal costs.