Muslim community joins Regina pride parade for 1st time

Regina held its annual Queen City Pride parade on Saturday, as the main event for pride week.

This year was special for some Muslim people in Regina, as it's the first timea group fromthe religious community marchedin the parade.

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Sabreena Haque, a Muslim woman who took part, said many who joined the parade felt it was time to show more visible solidarity, especially in the wake of the tragic shooting in Orlando at a gay bar earlier this month.

"We are a misunderstood community ourselves, and I think you know when things like Orlando happen and things that happen in other places, I think other people always see us as being this harsh group of people. That we have only one way of thinking," Haque said.

Haque said people were happy to see group marching, and said they're thankful for the opportunity to take part.

Zarqa Nawaz, a producerknown for her role on the CBC Television show Little Mosque on the Prairie, was marching in the parade, holding a sign with a quote from the Qur'an on it.

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Nawaz said the quote was about how people were created differently.

"The reason He has created us differently is so we can get to know each other and learn from each other," Nawaz said.

"Diversity is very important and it's the key to nationhood."

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