New space cleared for prayer at city’s airport

If you like to get grounded before you’re airborne, the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport has a place for you.

The airport now has a designated space where people of any faith can take a few minutes of quiet solitude to pray while they’re waiting for their flight.

It’s a small, carpeted area enclosed by movable panels against one of the glass walls of the arrivals and departures wing between Gates 9 and 10.

The prayer space is behind security, accessible only to passengers who are travelling.

It was set up in response to requests from the community, said Kerilee Falloon, a spokesperson for the Winnipeg Airport Authority.

Members of the Manitoba Islamic Association wrote letters to the airport authority asking for an inclusive place to pray.

“We do have an increasing number of Muslims now in Manitoba,” said Tasneem Vali, one of the letter writers. “We pray five times a day and sometimes you’re at the airport and it’s prayer time and you need to pray.”

Previously, there had been a Christian chapel at the airport, which other faith groups were invited to use, as well. Vali helped make the space more inter-denominational by putting out prayer rugs and copies of the Qur’an in English, French, and Arabic.

But the airport closed the chapel a few years ago.

Falloon said the space was tucked away, difficult to find and wasn’t sufficiently inclusive of all faiths.

“We wanted to make sure we had a prayer space that was non-denominational and also was accessible and easy to find for all passengers,” she said.

The airport authority consulted with different religious groups about their needs, she said.

The new prayer space is marked only by signs asking people to turn off their phones and respect the space. Falloon said people are welcome to bring their own prayer rugs, books or other items for personal use while in the space.

The new prayer space is only a temporary solution. The airport is nearing capacity and is planning an expansion project that will add more gates.

The expansion will have a permanent, inclusive, quiet prayer space, she said. The airport authority plans to consult with religious groups about the design of that space.

In the meantime, people are thrilled with the temporary space, Vali said.

“A non-denominational space is nice because then everybody has a chance to de-stress after a flight or before a flight.”

Noris Zeid, one of the vice-chairs of the Manitoba Islamic Association, said he’s happy the prayer space is available to people of all faiths.

“It shows how Manitoba is very inclusive and willing to do this for our community,” he said.

faith@freepress.mb.ca

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