Community News
“These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. That spirit of volunteerism, that spirit that says we are all in this together, that spirit is exemplified by the five Points of Light recipients.”
— President Barack Obama, speaking about the Points of Light honourees at Texas A&M University on 21 October 2017.
Today, 10 October 2017, Mawlana Hazar Imam is expected to grace the Jamat in Uganda with the first Darbar of his Diamond Jubilee year, at the historic location of the Kampala Darkhana.
Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan, youngest son of Mawlana Hazar Imam, yesterday arrived in Pakistan for a private visit.
In 2017, the Canadian Jamat is celebrating both the Diamond Jubilee as well as the 150th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation. In honour of these special occasions, the Jamat has pledged one million hours of service to improving quality of life in Canada as part of the Ismaili CIVIC 150 initiative.
Hurricane Harvey has been referred to as a "1,000-year flood," with its 50 inches of rainfall exceeding all records for the continental USA. It is estimated that damage from the storm will surpass that of hurricanes Sandy (New Jersey 2012) and Katrina (Louisiana 2005) combined. Volunteers have worked to reach Jamati members and others affected by the flooding, and to provide assistance with the recovery process.
Portuguese President visits Jamat at Ismaili Centre, expresses nation’s gratitude
When three Ismaili entrepreneurs saw the potential for their business model to improve education and address poverty in Kenya, they partnered with a Nairobi primary school and a local charity to test the idea. Student attendance, grades and enrollment at the school have since soared.
When heavy January rains caused massive flooding in south and central Mozambique, the Ismaili community and the institutions of the Ismaili Imamat quickly mobilized a response. A donation of food, medicine, tools, and supplies was assembled to help the Government of Mozambique support victims, volunteers and military forces who were providing assistance on the ground.
Thursday afternoon, President Mohamed Manji of the Ismaili Council for Canada carried the Olympic torch through the Don Mills neighbourhood of Toronto. Earlier in the day, community members gathered for a pre-torch event hosted by the Ismaili community in partnership with the Flemingdon Food Bank.
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.
In a symbolic expression of their long historic ties and common roots, thousands of Jamati members from the Tajik and Afghan sides of Badakhshan came together for a cross-border concert to celebrate Navroz.