Islamophobia Awareness Month 2022 - Statement from Islington Council and local mosques

In November, the council will celebrate the unique achievements and contributions that our Muslim community members have made and continue to make in Islington. The council and partners stand in solidarity with Muslims against Islamophobia and hate crimes. The theme for Islamophobia Awareness Month in 2022 is tackling denial.  

Cllr Roulin Khondoker (Executive Member for Equalities, Culture and Inclusion) and Cllr John Woolf (Executive Member for Community Safety), in a joint statement, said: “We stand together with our Muslim community against hate, as we work together towards a more equal Islington. 

“Islamophobia has no place in Islington. The diversity of our borough is its strength, and we welcome all our residents, from all backgrounds, to celebrate our Muslim communities this month, and sign our Hate Crime Pledge.” 

The council is keen to widen engagement with the public on understanding and tackling Islamophobia especially from Muslim communities. This helps inform how the council can support the Muslim community and create safer spaces for all. It will also inform how islamophobia and hate crime is tackled. The council encourages all residents to get involved in events and be a part of shaping the local community support for all.  

Muslim community members make enormous contributions to life in the UK and within Islington, from setting up food banks, welcoming and supporting refugees from across the world, feeding our homeless, and supporting our most vulnerable residents.  

The council is holding an evening of celebration at Islington Town Hall on Wednesday 23 November, 6 – 7.30PM. The event will raise awareness of Islamophobia, understand the lived experience of it, and celebrate the contributions of our Muslim communities. There will be guest speakers, refreshments and an exhibition exploring Islamophobia and the extensive positive contributions of British Muslims to society. Book your space on Eventbrite.  

On Sunday 27 November, residents can join AbdulMaalik Tailor, Britain's first professionally qualified Muslim tour guide, and Jo Corrall, an Islington Nature Conservation Officer on a guided walk of Gillespie Park to hear about how Islam talks about nature and protecting our environment. Book your free place on EventBrite.  

Join Islington Faiths Forum, Islington Council and Muslim women from the local community to discuss the impact of Islamophobia on women on Tuesday 29 November. This event will create a safe space for women’s voices to be heard. During the event we will be discussing allyship, lived experiences and ways we can come together to create a fairer and more equal society. Book your free place on EventBrite.  

All events are free and open to all, regardless of your faith or beliefs.  

The council and its partners are committed to challenging inequality wherever we find it. We will confront the realities of discrimination and injustice, and help people overcome the multiple barriers they face, as we create a more equal Islington for all. 

Please stand with us against hate crime by signing the Islington Hate Crime Pledge and by encouraging others to take a stand against hate crime too. 

Notes to editors

Mohammed Kozbar, chair of the Finsbury Park Mosque, was interviewed for the IslingtonLife blog about what the mosque has done to welcome Afghan refugees to Islington.