Canada ( Mehboob Shaikh ) In a moment many described as “historic,” the Palestinian flag was raised for the first time ever at both Mississauga City Hall and Brampton City Hall on Sunday morning — a powerful symbol of recognition, resilience and belonging for the cities’ large Palestinian and Arab communities.
Despite strong winds and an early-morning chill, hundreds gathered at Celebration Square in Mississauga and the Brampton Civic Centre to witness the flag ascend the pole under the cities’ Community Recognition Program, following a formal community request.
As the sun rose over the municipal buildings, the crowd erupted into cheers, many waving miniature Palestinian flags, others recording the moment with visible emotion.
A historic first for both cities
Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown led the ceremony, raising the Palestinian flag alongside Canadian federal leaders, including MP Fares Al-Soud, MP Iqra Khalid, MP Salma Zahid, MP Aman Deep Sodhi, and MP Peter Fonseca. They were joined by community organizers and leaders Uraz, Mohsin Kermalli, Safder Hussain, Murtuza Jowia, Messum Raza, Nawed Chaudhry, A.Q. Mufti, and members of city council.
National context shaping the moment
This year’s commemoration holds particular weight. In September, the Government of Canada formally recognized the State of Palestine, a move federal officials said was aimed at preserving the possibility of a two-state solution despite what they described as the Israeli government’s “avowed policy” of preventing a Palestinian state.
According to municipal officials, requests to raise the flag at Mississauga and Brampton City Halls were submitted shortly after Canada’s recognition announcement.
The ceremony — hosted in partnership with the Canadian Palestinian Association and supported by the National Council of Canadian Muslims — was described by organizers as consistent with long-established provincial protocols for recognizing national days of significance.
Mississauga and Brampton join a growing list of Canadian cities raising the Palestinian flag this year, where the flag was hoisted outside City Hall earlier this fall.
A moment of pride and pain
For many in attendance, the sight of the flag rising against the windy November sky was deeply emotional.
The Canadian Palestinian Association Said that a longtime advocate for official Palestinian recognition, called the event “an emotional, proud day — one I never thought I would see this soon.”
He described the flag as a symbol that “represents survival, steadfastness, and an unbroken will to be free,” adding that watching it wave outside government buildings in Canada “signifies that our story, our struggle, and our hopes are finally being acknowledged.”
A message of sovereignty and self-determination
Mayor Parrish and Mayor Brown said the flag-raising affirms “the Palestinian people’s sovereignty and their right to self-determination,” emphasizing that the act reflects the cities’ commitment to inclusivity and to recognizing the diverse communities that shape the Greater Toronto Area.
As the ceremony concluded, thousands of photos continued to be taken and shared — capturing a moment that many in Mississauga, Brampton, and across Canada will remember as a milestone in the long journey toward Palestinian visibility, recognition, and dignity.
