Impressive North American Response

Islamic education campaign demystifies faith

Updated Tue. Feb. 14 2006 2:40 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

An influential Muslim group has launched a North America-wide campaign to educate people about their faith, as a means to address the violence and anger that has erupted over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

"This campaign is to encourage better understanding of Islam and the Muslim people," said Sarah Elgazzar, a spokesperson for the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, at a news conference in Ottawa.

She made the announcement with Riad Saloojee, executive director of the organization.

The campaign will be a joint effort with the U.S. Council on American-Islamic Relations.

It will be a two-pronged approach. The group will provide a DVD or book that explores the life of the Prophet Muhammed and the Muslim faith, to those who wish to have it.

The second part of the campaign will include public screenings of the film as well as open houses at mosques.

"We're looking to increase knowledge of Islam and of Muslims in general, and that includes the Prophet Muhammad, a very central figure in Islamic creed. So what we're looking to do is stimulate some positive dialogue about this because I think it's been centered quite negatively on some of the violent images we've seen," Elgazzar said.

She described the campaign as one of the "biggest learning initiatives in the world."

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