User Story

By Dawn Ford

I didn't pay much attention to the young man as he knelt on his prayer shawl beneath a campus spruce tree. He was still and seemed at peace. It felt good just knowing that.

I continued walking along side our Iraqi guests who had come to Edmonton and the University of Alberta as part of a UNESCO-funded teacher-training program. After decades of war that left their education system devastated and resulted in the killing of over 200 university professors, the Iraqis were here to help their country rebuild.

As we continued to walk, one of the woman professors suddenly stopped to watch the young man. She was amazed that he could so openly practice his faith amidst fellow students from all over the world without fear of judgment or threat.

We all stood quiet for a moment as we felt the young man's peace. And I saw through their eyes our freedom.

That night I told my daughter that we live somewhere very special where we can celebrate being exactly who we are without fear of penalty or judgment.

It was the first time that I truly understood how far we have come and how grateful I am to live in peace.

Photo caption: (L to R) Faculty of Education communication director Dawn Ford with Niran Al-Salihi and Mustafa Al-Attar, 2 of 14 Iraqi professors attending education workshops at the University of Alberta.