Breaking bread and barriers: Fight against Islamophobia

This year’s Ramadan was unlike any other with billboards designed to counter Islamophobia displayed in Melbourne City and the North-Western suburbs to advocate for the recognition of 15 of March by the Victorian government.

At the heart of this year’s efforts was the marquee event, the Iftar Dinner to Combat Islamophobia, held on 15 March 2025 at the Board of Imams Victoria in Thomastown, Victoria.

The evening featured a keynote address by Aftab Malik, the Australian Government’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.

This was an opportunity for the Special Envoy to speak to leaders and community members about his priorities and plans, as well as an opportunity for the community to inform him about their concerns.

Mr Malik outlined his plan to deliver a set of recommendations to the Prime Minister on combatting islamophobia.

The keynote address was followed by a panel discussion with Islamophobia Expert Dr Yassir Morsi on understanding Islamophobia and how to overcome it.

This panel discussion was chaired by Mr Jazeer Nijamudeen, a senior lawyer who leads the Countering Islamophobia project for the BOIV. Mr Nijamudeen invited challenging questions from the floor to which the panellists responded.

The event underscored BOIV’s commitment to addressing anti-Muslim hate and discrimination.

The evening served as a powerful reminder of the importance of 15 March, a date globally recognised as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. It was established in the wake of the Christchurch Mosque attacks.

The Board of Imams Victoria, which spearheads the Countering Islamophobia Project through its platform www.15march.com, continues to be a key driver in offering resources, workshops, and advocacy support for victims of Islamophobia throughout the year.

The Thomastown Iftar was one of five community-led Multicultural Multifaith Iftar Dinners held across Victoria during Ramadan. These Iftars, designed to break barriers through dialogue and shared experience, welcomed individuals of all faiths and cultural backgrounds, creating safe spaces for engagement, education, and understanding.

At the Virgin Mary Mosque Multifaith Iftar on 6 March, guests participated in an interactive game exploring multicultural Australia before enjoying an iftar meal and hearing from esteemed speakers including Sheikh Abdulla Hawari, Cr Mia Shaw (Mayor of Wyndham City), and Jazeer Nijamudeen, a senior lawyer and Countering Islamophobia Project Lead.

Senator Fatima Payman also attended as a surprise guest speaker to share her own experiences of racism and how she holds racists accountable. This event was the first Iftar that the mayor had attended and her first experience in a mosque.

Fellow Councillors Shannon McGuire, Jennie Barrera and Jasmine Hill were actively engaged in the event with Cr Barrera’s team winning the game.

On 8 March, the BOIV partnered with South Indian Community, Sri Lankan Muslim Community Victoria, Hi10 Education, Krita Multicultural Women Victoria and TAMVIC in Truganina for another vibrant evening.

Their leaders shared their heartfelt multifaith experiences of Ramadan overseas and in Melbourne before playing a special game developed for the occasion and a speech from local Deputy Mayor, Cr Josh Gilligan.

This was followed by a gathering at the Melbourne Grand Mosque on 9 March. Most of the Wyndham City Councillors also joined the fun and tried to guess the Famous Muslim Australians and their contributions to Australia.

Across these events, attendees consistently praised their inclusive spirit, the opportunity to converse across faith lines, and the emphasis on actionable steps to combat discrimination.

“These Iftars were carefully curated to bring together diverse faith communities to overcome racism with gamified education, and to build a welcoming community of connected anti-racism advocates,” said Mr Nijamudeen.

Importantly, this year’s efforts were bolstered by a historic announcement from the Premier of Victoria on 17 March 2025, confirming that the Victorian Government will formally recognise 15 March each year as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

This significant step shows that advocacy can result in outcomes and positions Victoria as a national leader in standing against anti-Muslim hate. While there is a lot more to be done, this announcement is a call to action at the highest levels of government for all Victorian government agencies and institutions to update their annual calendar of significant dates immediately.

The project has garnered support from major institutions, including the Victorian Government, Wyndham City Council, Virgin Mary Mosque, Melbourne Grand Mosque, South Indian Community Organisation, Australia National Imams Council (ANIC), Muslim Legal Network (MLN), and Activate Youth Inc.

Each event also reinforced critical educational messaging: how to identify Islamophobia, where to report it, and how to intervene safely and effectively. With hate incidents often under-reported, the Countering Islamophobia Project continues to fill a vital gap in support, advocacy, and accountability.

As Islamophobia continues to rise globally, initiatives like these offer a hopeful counter-narrative, one grounded in compassion for victims, accountability for racists and unity in a shared purpose of countering anti-Muslim hate.

From Thomastown to Wyndham, communities are coming together to not just sit together and learn from each another, but also to take action in pursuit of justice.

To learn more about the Countering Islamophobia Project and access resources on how to respond to and report incidents, visit www.15march.com.