UPEI campus vigil condemns deadly mosque shootings

Students and faculty at UPEI gatheredTuesday to offersupport for victims and condemn the shootingsat two mosques last week in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 50people died.

The vigil was held at 12:45 at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre on campus and brought out dozens of people.

"I'm grateful that we have such a strong community on P.E.I. Of course I'm grieving and heartbroken over what has happened," said Nouhad Mourad, one of the vigil's organizers.

Support and community

Thevigil was organized by the UPEIMuslim Student Association in partnership with the school's International Student Services.

"At the beginning when I heard the news, I was really sad to see my brothers and sisters dyingeven though I don't know them,"said organizerTarteela Alkayyali.

The Muslim Student Association has received several messages from concerned Muslim studentsin the days following the attacks, asking for support, Alkayyali said.

"It's very important to make these students feel that they have someone to go to or talk to and that there's an organization that supports them."

It'sone of the reasons holding a vigil on campus wasimportant, she said.

"Today I feel more relieved and more happy to be in such a place like P.E.I. and UPEI," said Alkayyali. "People didn't make me or the students feel like they're different or that they're left out."

'Canada is not immune'

"We have a lot of support, we have a lot of love and community," said Mourad.

Students needing support are being encouraged to reach out to the student affairs office, the Muslim Student Association or the campus chaplaincy if they need to talk to someone, Mourad said.

"I think we need to tell young people to support each other ... to show more kindness, to show more love than ever at this time and shut down any kind of intolerance," Mourad said.

"Canada is not immune to these violences," she said.

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