On 14 October 2026, Forest Heights Collegiate Institute (FHCI) in Kitchener hosted an Islamic Heritage Month celebration for secondary schools across the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). Over 240 secondary students and staff from 16 high schools spent the day learning about the contributions of Muslims to science, scholarship and culture.
Mansoora Ahmad Sahiba, a WRDSB teacher and staff advisor to the Muslim Students Association (MSA), organised the celebration, with MSA students assisting throughout the day.
The programme
Aizaz Khan Sahib opened with the keynote address. He traced the scientific, mathematical and philosophical achievements of Islamic civilisation and the ways they still shape the modern world.
Students then brought four figures from the Golden Age of Islam to the stage. They portrayed the surgeon Al-Zahrawi, the chemist Jabir ibn Hayyan, Fatima al-Fihri, founder of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, and Zubeda Al Mansour (also known as Zubaidah bint Ja’far, wife of Harun al-Rashid and granddaughter of the Khalifa al-Mansur), whose patronage brought water to Mecca and to the pilgrim road leading to it.
Guest speaker Omar Qureshi, a graduate of FHCI, spoke about leadership, personal integrity and growing up as a young Muslim in Canada today. A theatrical adaptation of One Thousand and One Nights followed, celebrating one of the great storytelling traditions of the Islamic world.
Between sessions, students moved through hands-on displays, cultural exhibits and interactive booths. The most popular was the “Sounds of Sakina” station, inspired by the “Disconnect to Connect” initiative of MTA Canada, which offered a quiet space for reflection and mindfulness.
Response from the board
The day drew warm responses from students, staff and board leadership. In follow-up correspondence, senior board officials expressed appreciation for the thoughtful planning and meaningful way the event honoured Muslim identity. They also highlighted the enthusiasm and joy of the students who participated.
For Muslim students, the day offered a powerful opportunity to see their faith and history represented with care and respect among peers from diverse backgrounds. These meaningful encounters, where students learn about Islam directly from their Muslim peers, are among the most effective ways to challenge misconceptions, foster understanding, and counter Islamophobia.
On 22 June 2026, the WRDSB published its own feature on the event. The board reported that participants found the day inspiring and educational, and valued seeing their own identities and histories reflected on stage.
With thanks
The event was made possible by Mansoora Ahmad Sahiba, who organised it from start to finish; MSA students, who were helpers; Aizaz Khan Sahib, for his keynote; the Islamic Heritage Committee of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Canada (AMJC), which provided curated displays on Islamic achievements and heritage; and MTA Canada, which supported the “Sounds of Sakina” booth.
