Virtual History of Toronto’s First Mosque – a great resource says Minister of Education
(November 10, 2009) – The online archive and virtual museum of Toronto’s first mosque will be a great educational resource said Kathleen Wynne, Ontario’s Minister of Education.
Minister Wynne was speaking earlier today at the launch of Mosqueone.com, an oral history project of the Dundas Street Mosque, the first mosque in the Toronto.
“As Minister of Education, I can tell you that this will be a great resource for School Boards,” she said.
Mosqueone.com contains full transcripts of interviews with eight pioneers, plus video clips, photographs, legal documents, and other academic work pertaining to this mosque.
The project highlights the important role the mosque played in the orientation and integration of Muslims into Toronto’s civic life.
It is an important resource for those wishing further to study immigration, diversity, the religious history of Toronto, and the formation of Canadian Muslim identity.
“These stories have to be told and people need to know about Muslim contributions,” Wynne told the audience.
“I am willing to be a champion of this resource,” she added. “You have taken the step to make it easier for us.”
The Mosqueone.com is the inaugural project of the Tessellate Institute, and was funded by the Olive Tree Foundation, and co-sponsored by the International Development and Relief Foundation.
The Tessellate Institute (TTI) is a private, not-for-profit, non-partisan research institute that aims to provide Canadian policymakers and the general public academically-rigorous research about policy relevant issues, particularly on topics pertaining to ethnic and religious minorities.
The launch event which brought together a number of original members of the Dundas Street Mosque, as well as, community leaders, academics and students was hosted by the Muslim Student’s Association at the University of Toronto, whose own history is related to the founding of the Dundas St. Mosque.
To visit the archive and virtual museum of the Dundas Street Mosque, go to www.Mosqueone.com
