Speech delivered on July 6, 2024:
On this happy occasion when the Global Jamat celebrates the 67th anniversary of the Imamat of Mawlana Hazar Imam, it is with great pleasure that I express, on behalf of the Institutions in Portugal and Spain, as well as on my own behalf, a warm and heartfelt Khushiali Mubarak.
Mubarak to all Jamat. May Allah's Barakat be upon all of us.
In keeping with tradition, this moment when I address the Jamat on Imamat Day will continue to be used to share a series of reflections on our present and future. Today, I will focus on two main aspects:the current panorama, its challenges and institutional priorities; and 2) the responsibility and ambition of the Jamat in Portugal.
Firstly, I would like to talk about the circumstances affecting our Jamat, highlight the strategic priorities set by the National Council and share our vision for the well-being of our community.
In Portugal, the economy has resisted the downturn in the euro zone and continues to grow at a higher rate than in the rest of Europe. However, Portugal faces a complex economic scenario of moderate growth and structural challenges. Persistently high interest rates, escalating conflicts, weak international trade and growing climate disasters pose significant challenges to global growth. The prospects of a prolonged period of stricter credit conditions and higher borrowing costs make it difficult for the world economy to move forward. In short, the current financial situation remains challenging.
With this in mind, the Jamat must be very prudent in its economic and financial decisions, reduce debt as much as possible, have a long-term perspective and not just a one of short-term speculative investment, keeping some liquidity by not investing all of its resources.
In recent years, our Jamat in Portugal has become noticeably more diverse - an evolution that we see as an opportunity to ennoble ourselves as a Jamat. Approximately one third of our Jamat is composed of murids recently arrived from other countries, who bring with them new perspectives and a renewed vitality to our community. These families come from more than 30 different countries, creating a real mosaic of cultures and experiences. The majority of these families come from India and Pakistan, followed by Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Syria, among others.
We have witnessed a significant 25 percent growth in our Jamat over the last five years, driven by the influx of migrants. This trend not only continues, but is expected to increase in the future.
At the same time, our demographics are changing and only 25 percent of our Jamat is under the age of 24, indicating a progressive ageing of our community. Today, too, one in four families has a non-Ismaili member. This emphasises the need to cultivate an increasingly inclusive and open attitude, ensuring that everyone feels welcomed and integrated into our community.
I invite everyone to appreciate the relevance of the sense of community in their lives and the importance of pluralism within our own community. Today's celebration is a perfect example of this, where we are all united, coming from different backgrounds and traditions, including the non-Ismaili members of our families celebrating together this very special occasion and the bond that unites us all: our Imam.
While some of the figures and trends we have discussed today reveal important challenges, we remain optimistic about our potential as a community to overcome these challenges. We want to build a united and resilient Jamat, deeply rooted in ethical and spiritual values, embracing diversity and committed to making a significant impact, both locally and globally, for the benefit of future generations.
Guided by this vision, we have outlined an ambitious strategic plan for this mandate.
We want to strengthen and make more integrated our poverty elimination programmes.
This reality imposes upon the National Council the ongoing need to support these families towards financial independence, while developing programmes to strengthen the resilience of the others, empowering them and encouraging them to save to face adversities such as job loss or unexpected illness. These figures highlight the urgency of implementing specific support and initiatives aimed at improving economic stability in our community.
It is crucial that Jamat seeks to build its future with clear guidelines, which are guidelines that can be applied all over the world and which are very simple, and which are education and language.
A key aspect is the need to be able to speak the local language fluently, in this case Portuguese, in order to better adapt to the country and take advantage of opportunities. At the same time, it's important to emphasise the importance of mastering English, a language considered to be the most global. Therefore, if the Jamat invests in their education and language learning, if future generations are based on these two building blocks, wherever the Jamat is living, doors will be opened through which the Jamat can walk and build a solid future.
The reality of the elderly has changed over the last 20 years. There are more elderly people living alone. We are living longer, but that doesn't mean we are living better. We also know that the National Health Service (SNS) has its constraints. That's why families should prepare themselves, whenever possible, with health insurance that provides an alternative to public services. Our goal is to build a future where every family can live a life with dignity, access quality healthcare and ensure that longevity is a blessing, not a burden.
Improving mental health is another of our priorities; we live in an age marked by high levels of stress, anxiety and depression, making it essential to ensure the mental well-being of our Jamat.
With regard to our young people, we are committed to increasing their involvement in community and institutional activities, empowering them to participate, innovate and lead. Indeed, they are the future of our leadership and of our Jamat.
We must also constantly promote a culture of excellence in education and lifelong learning. To this end, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children and young people perform well and constantly strive to be the best in their fields.
Promoting excellence in education requires a planned effort on both parents' and students' part, be it academic or financial.
In addition, we want to improve the way our institutions work, in terms of processes, transparency, professionalism, ensuring that the Jamat is happy with the programmes and the quality of service that the institutions provide, by making the institutions accountable for their performance.
Finally, we are committed to strengthening our external relations with civil society partners and government entities, as well as highlighting the ambassadorial role of the Ismaili Centre. Our aim is to position our Jamat as an example of collaboration with external organisations, developing its positioning in the field of social responsibility through the initiatives promoted by the Ismaili CIVIC.
Despite the current scenario, which is highly complex and somewhat unpredictable, using our capacity to be resilient, the Jamat must look to the future with hope and confidence. We must be attentive to what is happening around us and use our capacity for enterprise and creativity, both at a business and professional level.
Secondly, I'd like to tell you about the responsibility and ambition of the Jamat in Portugal.
On 11 July 2023, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Ismaili Centre, Lisbon. This important occasion was marked on 13 July at a ceremony attended by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The ceremony was a testimony to our commitment to promoting cultural, educational and social programmes within the Ismaili community and beyond. In recognition of this contribution, the President of the Portuguese Republic honoured the Ismaili Centre with the title of Honorary Member of the Order of Merit. This distinction is a testament to the Centre's unwavering dedication to promoting understanding and cooperation between diverse communities, a reflection of our shared values of peace and pluralism, and recognition of our contribution to civil society.
I am also happy to share that this distinction will soon be displayed at the entrance to the Ismaili Centre, with the hope that it will serve as a constant reminder of the Ismaili Centre's ongoing commitment to promoting peace, understanding and cooperation.
The Ismaili Centre has been and will continue to be a representative building of the Ismaili Muslim Community in Portugal and around the world. In this sense, we are developing operational measures for the well-being of the Jamat, as well as implementing values such as sustainability and environmental responsibility. This is being reflected both in the Centre's operations and in the programmes and initiatives it supports. One of the main priorities is to significantly increase daytime use of Jamatkhanas by organising programmes for the elderly, social activities for young people, meeting and learning opportunities for mothers with young children and educational activities for the youth and adults.
For all these reasons and because we should be proud, the vision for the future of the Ismaili Centre is of a vibrant and inclusive space that engages more Jamat in a collaborative but active way with responsibility for its own path.
Although Jamati institutions can play a crucial role in the social governance, administration, guidance, supervision and coordination of Jamati activities, this alone will not be enough if we want to continue to position Portugal in the global Ismaili world. It is up to the Jamat to take ownership of its role and assume an active responsibility and commitment across all socio-economic layers, cultural and linguistic groups, to help uplift those in need of support, living up to the principle of Jamat helping Jamat. And it is at this time that I appeal to the young people of the Jamat to step forward to serve and contribute. It is this harnessing of our collective will and effort that can ensure that our work is transformative and sustainable in the long term.
Lastly, I would like to express, on behalf of the Institutions and the Mukhi/Kamadia Sahebs, Mukhiani/ Kamadiani Sahebas, our deep gratitude to all the sewadaris who have contributed their time and expertise. This appreciation is also extended to the donors who contribute to the CFR (Central Fund Raising), whose generosity continues to support the work of the Institutions and the organisation of events such as the one that brings us together today. The offering of time, knowledge and material means, the sense of Khidmat, is one of the fundamental concepts of our Tariqah and has sustained our Jamat for centuries. Serving the Imam and the Jamat, in its many forms, is a responsibility for all of us! This is also the spirit of sewa of the hundreds of leaders and volunteers who have worked over several weeks and who are working today with all their dedication to make this celebration event possible for all of us! To them, on behalf of the whole Jamat, our heartfelt recognition and gratitude.
