For immediate release
Press Release April 5, 2023
Contact details:
info@worldhijabday.org
World to Celebrate International Muslim History Month in May
World Hijab Day Organization (WHD) is celebrating its 3rd year of ‘International Muslim History Month,’ for the month of May 2023. International Muslim History Month (IMHM) has already been recognized by New York State since 2021!
Founded in 2021 by Nazma Khan, the CEO and founder of World Hijab Day Organization, the mission of this initiative is to dismantle Islamophobia globally by learning more about and celebrating rich Muslim history. Worldwide, Islamophobia is at an all-time high from the public sector to the private sector and systematically apparent in the government sector.
- According to the American Muslim Poll 2020, 60% to 62 % of Muslims face discrimination in the United States of America. This number has been consistent for the last five years. [1]
- The 2020 Annual Report of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) revealed that 61% of Muslim students have experienced religious-based bullying. Additionally, 33% of Muslim students have altered their appearance, behavior or names to hide the fact that they are Muslims. [2]
- A EU Minorities and Discrimination Survey found that on average one in three Muslim respondents faced discrimination and prejudice in 2017 and 27% fell victim to a racist crime. [3]
WHD Organization holds the opinion that education and awareness are the sources to dismantling hate. The goal of this global initiative is to have the world come together to learn more about and celebrate the incredible accomplishments and contributions of Muslim men and women throughout history to promote diversity, inclusion, and unity.
To that end, we will present month-long awareness through various platforms that will fulfill the following learning objectives:
- Discover the history and background of various Muslim change-makers from the Golden Age to modern times.
- Recognize what specific inventions, progress and/or change these Muslims have provided.
- Illustrate the impact of these change-makers over time.
Our theme this year is Muslim Change Makers from Golden Age to Modern Times supported by the hashtags, #GetToKnowMuslims & #MuslimHistoryMonth.
10 Ways Individuals can Commemorate IMHM:
- Honor “International Muslim History Month” by posting the campaign poster on social media. To download the poster, visit: bit.ly/43bw4Wn. Include the following caption on social media: “May is International #MuslimHistoryMonth. I’m proud to honor this month by acknowledging and celebrating the incredible achievements and contributions of Muslim men and women throughout history. Join the conversation: #GetToKnowMuslims (copy/paste this post)”
- Reach out to government officials to request a Proclamation recognizing the month of May as International Muslim History Month. See more details at bit.ly/3sMhm8k
- Take a selfie in support of International Muslim History Month holding a visible sign with the following text: May is International #MuslimHistoryMonth (name, country). Share selfie on social with the hashtags #MuslimHistoryMonth & #GetToKnowMuslims. Tag IG/@MuslimHistoryMonth and Twitter/@MuslimHistoryM
- Say “Salam,” which means “Peace (be upon you)” to a Muslim.
- Post a selfie with a Muslim friend on social media with the hashtags #MuslimHistoryMonth and #GetToKnowMuslims.
- Support a Muslim business.
- Donate to a Muslim organization such as “World Hijab Day Organization” at bit.ly/3yXowbl to help dismantle discrimination against Muslim girls and women in hijab (headscarf).
- Read a biography of an influential Muslim figure and share that story with the people around you.
- Call out Muslim discrimination and prejudice in your community when you witness it.
- Engage in healthy conversations about Muslim history on social media with the hashtags #MuslimHistoryMonth and #GetToKnowMuslims.
👉Download graphic package here.
👉For Social Media Toolkit, click here.
👉For Community Guide for businesses, organizations and causes, click here.
👉Join Facebook event here.
Let’s dismantle Islamophobia globally by learning, honoring, and celebrating Muslim history!
For more information, visit https://muslimhistorymonth.org
For media inquiries, please contact us at info@worldhijabday.org
Reference:
[1] ISPU. (2021, February 5). American Muslim Poll 2020: Full Report. Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. https://www.ispu.org/american-muslim-poll-2020-full-report/
[2] CAIR Massachusetts (2020). 2020 Annual Report, Council on American-Islamic Relations Massachusetts. https://www.cairma.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CAIR-MA-2020-Annual-Report.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3bDAnWwc_LDTHEi1_txQAfUj-SJ6cTmltQBruwNxc1w0EfGf452Ysf8RA
[3] “Muslims in the EU: High levels of trust despite pervasive discrimination,” European Union Agency For Fundamental Rights, September 21, 2017. https://fra.europa.eu/en/news/2017/muslims-eu-high-levels-trust-despite-pervasive-discrimination
