“You are all determined not to let the world forget my son. For this, I thank you.”
— Odai AlFayoumi, Wadee’s father
Wadee AlFayoumi & Wadee Day Toolkit
About Wadee Day
On Sunday, September 21, 2025, Illinois will observe Wadee Day, a statewide day of remembrance and action honoring the life of Wadee AlFayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian American Muslim boy whose murder, charged as a hate crime, highlighted the dangerous consequences of dehumanizing rhetoric. This day was formally established through the passage of the Wadee Resolution in the Illinois legislature in the spring of 2025, led by the Muslim Civic Coalition and partners.
Wadee’s murder on October 14, 2023 will always be painful to his family, our community, and our global community. His murder was the first American casualty, death, and murder in the United States during the war on Gaza. Wadee’s loss is unimaginable, and his story continues to shape a movement.
Wadee Day aligns with the International Day of Peace for Children, affirming every child’s right to live in safety, peace, and dignity, especially children like Wadee and the countless Palestinian children whose rights are denied in an ongoing Genocide.
We must build peaceful neighborhoods here at home and demand a peaceful world for children everywhere. In Wadee’s name, and in the name of every child robbed of safety, joy, or life, we take a firm and unapologetic stand against hate and dehumanization, both at home and abroad.
Let this day not only honor Wadee’s life, but move us all to action.
Five Historic Moments Sparked by Wadee’s Life and Death
U.S. Congressional Hearing on Hate (Sept 2024)
Wadee’s photo stood behind Senator Dick Durbin during a national hearing on hate. Briefing material was submitted It became a symbol of the deadly consequences of hate and dehumanization.
Unanimous Passage of the Wadee Resolution in the U.S. Senate (Sept 2024) This resolution affirmed the rights of Muslim, Palestinian, and all marginalized Americans to live freely and express their heritage and identity.
Creation of Wadee Day in Illinois (April 2025) The Illinois legislature unanimously passed a statewide resolution establishing Wadee Day on September 21, 2025 and a call to resist hate and dehumanization and remember children like Wadee.
Conviction and Recognition of a Hate Crime (May 2025) The man who murdered Wadee and brutally attacked his mother was convicted. The court named the crime for what it was: a hate crime.
Wadee Monument Unveiled in Plainfield (June 2025). Local interfaith and grassroots communities united to establish a permanent memorial in the very park where Wadee once lived. This collective act ensures that his life will never be forgotten and that his legacy will continue to inspire justice, healing, and hope.
In Person Event: Join Us in Plainfield, IL on Wadee Day September 21, 2025
Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 10AM at Van Horn Woods East Playground
Park at 17201 S Lily Cache Rd., Plainfield, IL, Walk to Playground
On Wadee Day, we gather in the very city he lived, in the parks where he played, among the trees where all children deserve peace. But peace is not a promise. It is a responsibility.
