After the Christchurch terror attack, this New Zealand doctor encouraged women of all faiths to show support for Muslims with the #HeadscarfForHarmony campaign.
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00:00This is really about upholding the right to choose to wear a headscarf, should a Muslim
00:06woman wish to choose to wear one, and the right for her to feel safe in her own country.
00:12People have gone out, they've visited mosques, they've gone and greeted Muslim neighbours,
00:30they've said you're safe, we will look after you. And what's actually developing is a relationship
00:35whereby of course the barriers of fear come down. But the overarching focus is gentleness,
00:41which of course is an absolute stark contrast to the violence of the act that went on.
00:55Towards the end of his son's interview, he said, my mother is not going to go out anymore,
01:02she's too scared. Her headscarf makes her into a target. At that point, my heart just
01:12went out to her, I just really want to recognise those 50 families who have lost someone, and
01:19the communities that have been affected. That's what bore this idea out and this response
01:26out, and at the heart of how we are feeling.
01:33You do hit upon the criticisms, which I fully acknowledge. I have lived and worked in Afghanistan.
01:43I do have a strong affinity with the Muslim community and I've continued to work with
01:48the Muslim community as a doctor. We wanted it to be a very gentle invitation where there
01:54was an opportunity to have a personal response. It's not a hijab, it is a headscarf. Headscarves
02:01have been worn by Westerners and by women and men since time immemorial. Not only does
02:07it show support and respect, but it changes the wearer, and the wearer changes who they
02:12are. And by doing that, we're then able to change the fabric of our society.