Tajikistan -- Khorog, Tajikistan - A newly revitalised Khorog City Park was inaugurated on 10 October 2009 by First Deputy Prime Minister Asadullo Gulomov of the Republic of Tajikistan, in the presence of Mawlana Hazar Imam. The Park is a significant new green space that will serve the residents of the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region in Tajikistan. Situated at ...
Canada -- As part of Canada's expression of the Olympic Truce, Her Excellency the Governor General of Canada led a Truce Dialogue in the run-up to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The Dialogue, which took place at the Ismaili Centre, Burnaby, aimed at engaging youth on the topic of peace-building through sport. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor ...
ITajikistan -- In Tajikistan, the celebration of Imamat Day -- or Roz-e Takht Nishini in Tajik -- traditionally includes family and neighbourhood gatherings with shared meals, music and dancing. In July 2009 the Aga Khan Development Network Resident Representative Office contributed to the festivities by hosting an education-themed Imamat Day reception. ...
Afghanistan -- During the course of the Golden Jubilee, many murids around the world pledged a nazrana of Time and Knowledge to Mawlana Hazar Imam. Shaheen Tejani reflects on the completion of her recent TKN engagement with the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance. "Our duty is to try to free people from poverty. And to me, poverty means being without shelter, ...
Tajikistan -- In Tajikistan, the celebration of Roz-e Takht Nishini has traditionally included family and neighbourhood gatherings with shared meals, music and dancing. This year, the AKDN Resident Representative Office contributed to the festivities by hosting an education-themed reception. Family members visit each other's homes and convey their Muborak on the happy occasion. With the memory of Mawlana Hazar Imam's Golden ...
Bangladesh -- Decades ago, Bangladesh was home to a thriving Jamat. Ismailis were active in key industries including jute, textiles, steel, aluminum, leather, construction, and food processing, as well as trading, banking, insurance and hotels. Today, the country is re-emerging as an area of economic interest to both the Jamat and the wider international community. Decades ago, Bangladesh - then known ...
The idea that learning extends from the cradle to the grave underpins the philosophy of the ICEU Lifelong Learning Programme. The programme's impact on the lives of participants has been as broad as the range of subjects that they have pursued. In April 2009, a formal ceremony at the Ismaili Centre in London saw the graduation of 74 learners from the ...
Mawlana Hazar Imam, accompanied by Princess Zahra, is currently on a brief tour of East Africa to review the progress of Aga Khan Development Network initiatives in the region. In advance of the inaugural ceremony, Mawlana Hazar Imam, accompanied by Prince Hussain and Princess Khaliya, tours Forodhani Park with Luis Monreal, General Manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Zahur ...
United Kingdom -- Twelve years ago, Abyd Karmali witnessed the negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Drawing on his experience, he discusses the crucial importance of the upcoming meeting in Copenhagen in addressing the current reality of the climate change crisis. Abyd Karmali, Managing Director and Global Head of Carbon Markets at Bank of America Merrill ...
United Kingdom -- Health professionals gathered at the Ismaili Centre, London for the launch of a new website that emphasises the value of preserving traditional dishes. The Ismaili Nutrition Centre will help families factor health and nutrition into the preparation of their daily meals. On Thursday, 18 June, health professionals came together to mark the launch of a new website that ...
United Kingdom -- In a colourful and historic ceremony held on Friday, 12 June, the University of Cambridge conferred upon Mawlana Hazar Imam an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity. Hazar Imam became the first Muslim to receive the distinction in the University's long and storied history. Mawlana Hazar Imam at the University of Cambridge, where he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of ...
Canada -- 19 June 2009 - Today, the Canadian House of Commons gave unanimous consent to a motion granting Honorary Canadian Citizenship to Mawlana Hazar Imam. In a statement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he looks forward "to welcoming the Aga Khan back to Canada as an Honorary Citizen." Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared that Canada will grant honorary citizenship ...
Canada -- Anyone who has visited the Canadian province of Alberta will have been touched by the Spirit of the West. In the best tradition of that spirit, the Jamat in Alberta has worked to make the province and the country a better place for all. Anyone who has visited the Canadian province of Alberta will have been touched by the ...
Kenya -- Nestled among the narrow streets of Old Town Mombasa is a little gem of a place that radiates the hopefulness of a new generation. Founded by three Aga Khan Academy teachers, the Jahazi Coffee House is making an effort to improve life in the surrounding community.Jahazi Coffee House: A once abandoned 18th century house in Old Town Mombasa was ...
Global -- Seventy-four learners were joined by their families and senior Jamati leaders from across Europe as they graduated with a Certificate in Lifelong Learning awarded by the London School of Economics. The ceremony marked an important milestone for the graduates as well as the Ismaili Council for the European Union. The first Certificate in Lifelong Learning class graduated in an ...
Portugal -- 8 May 2009 - A historic international agreement was signed between the Portuguese Republic and the Ismaili Imamat on matters relating to religion, cooperation, culture and education. The agreement was signed by Foreign Minister Luis Amado and Mawlana Hazar Imam at the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his one-day visit to Lisbon, Mawlana Hazar Imam held meetings with ...
Reflecting on Mawlana Hazar Imam's speech at the 2009 Conference of the Global Philanthropy Forum, Asif Penwala explores the connection between philanthropy, the ethic of compassion and voluntary service. He observes how this relationship comes together within the Jamat, as well as the wider sphere of the Ismaili Imamat. "...and do good - to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours ...
United Arab Emirates -- Reminiscing Heritage, an exhibition of photographs taken by acclaimed Royal Photographer of the United Arab Emirates, Noor Ali Rashid, is being hosted at the Ismaili Centre Dubai. The exhibition was recently inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. One year after its inauguration, the Ismaili Centre Dubai is hosting the first in ...
Canada -- Professor Arif Babul is an astrophysicist whose research into the origins of the universe is just one aspect of his multi-faceted career. A Distinguished Professor at the University of Victoria, he directs the Canadian Computational Cosmology Collaboration, and is an advocate for strengthened Muslim-West relations. "How did all the stars get in the sky?" asks a child of her ...
India -- Sixty-nine people participated in the 2008 FOCUS Challenge event, cycling some 550 kilometres from Mumbai to Goa along the Konkan Coast. This photo essay documents their journey. Sixty-nine cyclists aged 18 - 58 pushed themselves to their limits in late December 2008. Travelling from as far away as Canada, France, Holland, India, the United Kingdom and the United States, ...
Canada -- In 1985, a small group of Ismaili women wanted to make a difference in the fight against global poverty. Their first steps gave birth to the World Partnership Walk, the largest and most successful event of its kind in Canada.. In 1985, a small group of Ismaili women in Vancouver wanted to make a difference in the fight against ...
United Arab Emirates -- According to the WHO, more than 90 per cent of visually impaired people live in developing countries. One Ismaili doctor is making eye health services accessible to some of them and improving the quality of their lives. Dr Soroya Janmohamed attends to a patient at the eye camp in Syria. Zahir Daya Dr Soroya Janmohamed never expected ...
Canada -- CIVIC, an initiative to engage Jamati youth, appealed to the social conscience of young Ismailis by inviting them to give back to their local communities through voluntary service. More than 1 100 participants contributed over 4 400 hours of service to projects that benefited communities across Canada. The commemoration of Mawlana Hazar Imam's Golden Jubilee was an opportunity for ...
The Ismaili Council for Malaysia and Singapore recently donated 100 wheelchairs that will benefit several social welfare groups as well as twin sisters suffering from cerebral palsy. The wheelchairs were presented during a ceremony attended by Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zainul Abidin Rasheed. Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Mayor of North East CDC, Zainul ...
United Kingdom -- A new book, recently launched at the Ismaili Centre in London, draws attention to the rich and varied ways in which Muslims have embraced modernity. Dr Amyn B Sajoo discusses the importance of memory in tempering different flavours of modernity influenced by forces such as ideology and the marketplace. A new book, published by The Institute of Ismaili ...
Kenya -- At the culmination of Mawlana Hazar Imam's Golden Jubilee, a series of four commemorative stamps were issued by the Postal Corporation of Kenya. The stamps were unveiled by Kenya's Postmaster General and the Vice-President of Ismaili Council for Kenya. On the occasion of the culmination of Mawlana Hazar Imam's Golden Jubilee, the Ismaili Council for Kenya, together with the ...
Some 200 guests gathered in December for the opening of a new Jamatkhana in Glenview, Illinois. Set on 9.3 acres of land, the 26 000 square foot facility includes a prayer hall, administrative offices, classrooms, and spaces for social gatherings. On 2 December 2008, 200 guests gathered for the opening of a new Jamatkhana in Glenview, Illinois. Construction of the project ...
Global -- In commemoration of the precious nights of Ramadan and the advent of Eid ul-Fitr, mystical harmonies from Central Asia and classical melodies of the Occident were performed before a distinguished audience at London's prestigious Barbican Hall. Barbican Hall - London's hub of arts and culture - hosted the Kronos Quartet and the Alim Qasimov Ensemble as part of its ...
Global -- Opening of the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa. ...
Global -- Video of Mawlana Hazar Imam's arrival in Ottawa on 18 November 2008 for the start of his Golden Jubilee visit to Canada. ...
On 13 September, Hurricane Ike surged through Houston with destructive force. The Ismaili Council and Focus Humanitarian Assistance established a Crisis Response Team to ensure the safety of the Jamat, while also assisting relief efforts in the wider Houston community. Young Ismailis from the Houston area help at a Hurricane Relief centre in Arcola, Texas. Naushad Kermally The 13th of September ...
United Kingdom -- For one weekend in September, The Ismaili Centre opened its doors to the public. It featured in Open House London, an architectural exhibition aimed at opening eyes and minds to good design in the British capital. Upon entering The Ismaili Centre, the foyer invites visitors to leave the busyness of the city behind. Gary Otte For the seventh ...
France -- The 2008 Euroventures Conference will take place in Paris between 4 - 5 October 2008. The two-day symposium will feature many successful business leaders from Europe and other parts of the world., and promises unique networking opportunities. Last year's Euroventures Conference brought together Ismaili entrepreneurs and professionals from across Europe for a weekend of learning and networking in Lisbon. ...
Three hundred golf balls rained from the sky, marking the start of the PartnershipsInAction Annual Golf Tournament. The AKF-USA fundraising initiative was an opportunity for golfers to learn about international development while enjoying a day on the green. Since its inception in 2007, volunteers have raised $665 000 for the annual PartnershipsInAction Golf tournament. The sound of the approaching helicopter grew ...
United States -- After captivating the Jamat and, in a special way, bringing the history of the Ismaili Imams so close to the Jamat during their tour of the United States, the cast and crew of ALI TO KARIM: A Tribute to the Ismaili Imams share their parting reflections and memories of what the experience was like for them." ...
Global -- Members of a Jamati orchestra in Dubai have produced a two-disc musical compilation in celebration of the Golden Jubilee. Frontierless Brotherhood - A Fusion of Diversity reflects the cultures and heritage of Ismailis from around the world. Get Flash to see this video. In celebration of Mawlana Hazar Imam's Golden Jubilee, a Jamati orchestra in Dubai together with the ...
Canada -- Service is a cornerstone of the social conscience that Islam espouses. Alqaim Giga and Sehar Lalani have applied their passion for service to the improvement of eyesight and eye health among peoples living in different parts of the world. Service to society and helping others has always been of great importance in Islam, and was one of the foremost ...
Afghanistan -- The Jamat of Afghanistan celebrated the opening of the first purpose-built Jamatkhana in the Ishkashim district of Badakhshan. Hundreds gathered for the official opening, which was attended by a number of distinguished guests including the Governor of Badakhshan Province and the President of the Provincial Assembly. On 15 May 2008, the Jamat of Afghanistan celebrated a significant milestone with ...
During the past year, Sameer Kassam served as a volunteer with the Aga Khan Development Network in Salamieh and in Cairo. In addition to gaining an understanding of the AKDN's work and local impact, Kassam also noted the links between the two cities. Sameer Kassam is a student at the University of Edinburgh currently studying Arabic and Spanish, and is the ...
