Our Stories
See stories from the Ismaili Community around the world.
Thanksgiving in the United States is when family and friends gather to share a meal in their homes. But the national holiday is also an opportunity to join with neighbours in offering service, and across the country, American Ismailis did exactly that.
The milestone celebration of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s 80th birthday engaged artists from the diverse traditions of the Ismaili community in “a musical and cultural conversation.” And ensuring that within hours of the event, the worldwide Jamat could witness the celebration in a multiplicity of languages, was no minor feat.
Anticipation has been growing in the United Arab Emirates since the announcement in October that the country will host the presentation ceremony of the 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Over the past few weeks, members of the Jamat have been learning about the Award, discussing the winning projects and visiting an exhibition at the site of the forthcoming award ceremony.
Across India this 15 August, Ismailis celebrated their nation’s independence through acts that contributed to the wellbeing of society. Members of the Jamat planted trees, cleaned up local monuments and put on street plays to educate about traffic safety.
To help everybody usher in 2016 on a positive note, a group of Ismaili volunteers in Dubai visited the Rashid Hospital Trauma Center to bring new year festivities to the patients.
Nairobi, 16 December 2015 — Over 290 athletes and some 2,000 spectators will be in Nairobi for the 2015 Kenya Ismaili Games this weekend. Ismailis from Burundi, Rwanda, South Africa, and Kenya will take part in the four-day national sport event being held between 17 – 20 December.
The 2015 United States Ismaili Games drew to a close on the Sunday of the American Thanksgiving weekend, as athletes, volunteers and spectators gathered to congratulate each other on a national sport tournament that embodied the spirit of unity within the Jamat.
As institutions of the Aga Khan Development Network and Ismaili communities around the world join in the 2015 international ShakeOut earthquake drill, Focus Humanitarian Assistance is placing special emphasis on disaster preparedness to save lives and limit the impact of calamity.
This summer, 160 Ismaili students and volunteers gathered in Mombasa to take part in Global Encounters 2015. Now in its third year, the programme brought together youth and young professionals from 24 countries to renew a tradition of global citizenship and experience living as part of an international community.
When the Ismaili Muslim community in the United States was invited to assist with the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, the Jamat embraced the opportunity. Volunteers took on numerous roles, including hosting the delegation of athletes and coaches from Bangladesh.
Athletes and spectators from across Canada will be in Calgary over the August long weekend for the 2015 Canadian Ismaili Games. Organisers are expecting record numbers at the Canadian qualifier event for the 2016 Jubilee Games.
Thousands of visitors came out to see the Pan Am flame light up the Aga Khan Park at its inaugural event held on 5 July. Reflections — Celebrating our Cultures and Communities united the spirit of the Pan Am Games with a Silk Road theme.