Jan
Never Forgotten: Green Square Campaign Marking The Ninth Anniversary of the Quebec Mosque Attack
Written by National Council of Canadian MuslimsAsalamu alaikum / peace be upon you,
Almost exactly nine years ago , six Muslim worshippers walked into the Quebec City Mosque for maghrib prayer.
None of them walked out. Their last moments redefined the Muslim community’s relationship to Canada.
Hatred cut down their bodies and injured many more.
But their spirits endure—to us, to all those willing to stand against violent Islamophobia, they are Never Forgotten.
This January, we again call to memory their martyrdom by commencing the Green Square Campaign—green for the green carpets stained with blood nine years ago; green also because we pray that their souls will be raised to the green gardens of Paradise.
Across this country, national and local monuments will also glow green, a sign that we cannot forget, that actions begins with remembrance.
Memory demands that we reckon with the truth: Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism have spiked in the past few years. From the Quebec City Mosque shooting to the 2021 London terror attack, many have lost their lives to violent hate.
We must act. Memory demands that we act.
Today, at the beginning of Green Square Campaign 2026, we ask that you do the following:
First, keep the community, including those who have perished at the hands of hate, in your prayers.
Second, order—for free—your green squares now, for you, your family, your neighbours, and your colleagues to wear on your lapels throughout this month. Urge your elected officials to wear it in solidarity.
You can make your order here: nccm.ca/greensquarecampaign
Third, ask your government officials to light your local monuments in green on January 29th. This marks collective memory and calls us all to action.
The road ahead has never been easy. But we do not fear the future. We mourn the past, but only as a way to be present now, in each moment, to renew our intentions in the ongoing fight against Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, and hate.
We need you.
Wasalam,
