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Rabat – The Islamic Union in Brussels launched the campaign in the cities of Antwerp, Charleroi, Genk, Liege, and Namur.
In Brussels only, approximately 50 young Muslim volunteers took part in the campaign by having conversations with as many as 10,000 people.
Omer Sikier, who handles the Islamic Union’s external relations, told Anadolu press that the aim is to combat prejudices against Islam and fight Islamophobic tendencies.
Sikier stressed that prejudices and Islamophobia come from ignorance of the religion.
Similar campaigns have taken place in cities across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Canada, and Australia.
Volunteers have distributed a total of 210,000 flyers and many red roses to people in Europe throughout the campaigns. Muslims hope to dispel prejudices with the red roses.
The campaign comes two months after a group of Belgian students mocked Islam by wearing Muslim clothes and military uniforms with fake suicide belts as part of a week of celebrations in which one day highlighted Saudi Arabia and Islam.
The students were filmed performing Muslim prayers with a fake imam and shouting “Allahu Akbar.” Videos and photos of the practice were shared online.
The video angered the Muslim community and even non-Muslims who blamed the school for tolerating such acts.
An independent MP of the Brussels Regional Parliament, Mahinur Ozdemir, also strongly criticized the school event.
