Athletes from across India revelled at the opportunity to showcase their talent in qualification rounds leading to the Golden Jubilee Games. Strong cricket teams from Saurashtra, Gujarat performed well against their urban competitors, and the Indian team will include nationally recognised athletes in table tennis and swimming.
Rich with ceremony, pageantry and tradition, ALI TO KARIM: A Tribute to the Ismaili Imams is a docu-theatre production about the Ismaili Imamat and its contributions to Islam and Muslim civilizations over the past 1 400 years. This Golden Jubilee International Programme premieres in Los Angeles on 19 July 2008.
Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, was the site of a weekend camp for athletes who will be competing in the Golden Jubilee Games at the end of June. The excitement was palpable as the players came together for the first time as Team USA / ANZ.
Uncertainty always signals a need for caution. But spectacular payoffs, writes Professor Alnoor Bhimani, can also accrue from the opportunities that are presented by uncertainty.
As part of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, the Ismaili community in the Democratic Republic of Congo hosted a commemorative dinner in Kinshasa. The dinner was attended by Jamati leaders, key policy makers and government officials, and provided a forum to exhibit the work of the Ismaili Imamat in the country.
19 – 22 May 2008
In Bangladesh, Mawlana Hazar Imam granted a Golden Jubilee Darbar to the Jamat in Dhaka. Hazar Imam also presided over the foundation of the Aga Khan Academy and the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Centre Dhaka.
Golden Vision with Golden Hands, an exhibition of illustrations. Photo: Karim Meghani">Ismaili children and youth in Syria expressed their love and devotion to Mawlana Hazar Imam through Golden Vision with Golden Hands, a Navroz art exhibition held in Salamieh, Syria.
| 23 April to 1 May 2008
Cote d'Ivoire (28 April to 1 May 2008) Microfinance agency launched: In addition to official meetings, His Highness was in Cote d'Ivoire to launch the Première Agence de Microfinance (PAMF), which is to start operations in the areas of Boundiali and Dianra in northern Côte d’Ivoire. It joins two sister microfinance institutions, in Mali and Burkina Faso, which were launched in 2006. PAMF will serve disadvantaged communities through a network that is expected to grow to over eight branches by 2012. Loans are primarily intended for income-generating activities, and are designed to improve agricultural productivity, acquire livestock and establish small enterprises in rural and urban areas.
Burkina Faso (26-28 April 2008) In addition to official meetings with President Blaise Compaoré, His Highness the Aga Khan spoke at a special Aga Khan Award for Architecture seminar in Ouagadougou that was held to celebrate three past Burkinabé recipients of the Award.
Mali (23-26 April 2008) Cultural Projects: President Amadou Toumani Touré and His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurated the restoration of the Komoguel I Mosque in Mopti and announced the creation of an Urban Park in Bamako. The Aga Khan also reviewed the work on the Djingarey Ber Mosque in Timbuktu as part of the Aga Khan Development Network’s (AKDN) expanded development activities in Mali. 25 April 2008 24 April 2008
Timbuktu
23 April 2008 Dinner hosted by President Amadou Toumani Touré
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Monsieur le Président de la République,
Monsieur le Premier Ministre,
Messieurs les Ministres,
Excellences,
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Tout d’abord, permettez-moi, Monsieur le Président, de vous remercier, ainsi que le gouvernement et la population du Burkina Faso pour l’accueil chaleureux et la généreuse hospitalité qui m’ont été réservés.
Merci également, Monsieur le Président, pour vos aimables paroles.
Les liens formels de l’Imamat avec l’Afrique de l’Ouest remontent aux années 1960 lorsque, tout jeune imam, j’ai eu l’occasion de visiter plusieurs pays de la région. A l’époque, ce pays s’appelait la Haute Volta.
Mais nos liens informels remontent à bien plus longtemps puisque les historiens parlent en effet d’échanges au 12ème siècle entre les érudits de l’Université de Sankoré à Tombouctou et ceux d’al-Azhar, l’institut universitaire fondé au Caire au début du 10ème siècle par mon ancêtre, l’imam-calife fatimide al-Muizz.
Donc Monsieur le Président, nos rapports sont très très anciens.
Et je suis heureux aujourd’hui de pouvoir vous remercier de nous avoir donné l’opportunité de contribuer au développement du Burkina Faso, de partager avec vous les espoirs du peuple burkinabé et de construire ensemble de nouvelles institutions, créer des nouvelles opportunités et chercher à élargir un espoir pour tous les citoyens du Burkina pour un avenir heureux et de bonne santé et de qualité.
J’aimerais profiter de cette occasion aussi pour louer le rôle fondamental que le Président Campaoré, en sage avisé, joue pour restaurer et maintenir la stabilité dans la sous région.
Les accords de Ouagadougou et ses efforts de médiation témoignent de son engagement envers les valeurs fondamentales de dialogue et de paix. Valeurs que nous partageons.
Je me réjouis de pouvoir continuer à travailler avec le gouvernement et le peuple du Burkina Faso pour qu’ensemble, nous puissions relever les défis du futur.
Merci.
Fifteen years ago, amidst civil war in Afghanistan and dislocation in Pakistan, the story of Afghan settlement in Canada began to unfold. Learning of the plight of their brothers and sisters, the Canadian Ismaili community reached out to assist Afghan Ismailis to migrate to Canada — a country that had welcomed its first Ismaili immigrants in the 1970s when they were faced with political upheaval and had been uprooted from their homes.
In 1992, the Province of Quebec had a smaller Ismaili population than many other Canadian provinces, and little was known in Canada about Afghan history and culture. However, Quebec had a strong reputation of support for immigration and refugee settlement.
Driven by an ethic of care and responsibility towards the disenfranchised, the Ismaili Council for Canada initiated its first protocol agreement with the Quebec government in September 1992. Under this agreement, the Council sponsored 350 Afghan refugees to come to Quebec over a one year period | |
Discours de Son Altesse l'Aga Khan
Excellence Monsieur le Président de la République,
Excellence Monsieur le Président de l’Assemblée Nationale,
Monsieur le Premier Ministre,
Messieurs les Ministres,
Excellences Messieurs les Ambassadeurs,
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Permettez-moi tout d’abord de remercier le Président, le gouvernement et la population du Mali pour l’accueil chaleureux que vous m’avez réservé et pour la généreuse hospitalité que vous me témoignez.
Permettez-moi aussi, Monsieur le Président, de vous dire à quel point je suis touché et honoré d’être élevé à la dignité de Grand Croix de l’Ordre National du Mali. Le fait de recevoir la plus haute distinction de la République du Mali et d’entendre vos mots si aimables et si élogieux, est pour moi le témoignage de l’estime et de la considération du peuple du Mali et de vous-même. Sachez, Monsieur le Président, que cette estime et cette considération sont partagés et reflètent les liens qui nous unissent depuis bien longtemps.
Les liens formels de l’imamat avec l’Afrique de l’Ouest remontent ainsi aux années 1960 lorsque, tout jeune imam, j’ai eu l’occasion de visiter plusieurs pays de la région. Mais nos liens informels remontent à bien plus longtemps. Les historiens parlent en effet d’échanges au 12ème siècle entre les érudits de l’Université de Sankoré à Tombouctou et ceux d’al-Azhar, l’institut universitaire fondé au Caire au début du 10ème siècle par mon ancêtre, l’imam-calife fatimide al-Muizz.
Au cours de mes nombreux voyages dans la région durant les quarante dernières années, j’ai pu mesurer l’importance des projets qui contribuent de façon constructive au développement et ceci a conforté certaines de mes convictions.
Tout d’abord, les défis du développement offrent également la possibilité de créer des opportunités dans une partie du monde qui possède un riche patrimoine culturel.
Ensuite, que des partenariats avantageux entre le secteur public et le secteur privé peuvent renforcer la capacité de chacun à contribuer à l’amélioration de la qualité de vie et à redonner de l’espoir dans des environnements pauvres en ressources.
Enfin, qu’en renforçant les infrastructures, en introduisant des innovations et en facilitant les synergies entre les pays de la région, les fruits du développement peuvent avoir un impact plus large et plus profond sur les populations.
Je voudrais donc saisir cette opportunité pour féliciter le gouvernement du Mali pour l’engagement et la diligence avec lesquels, sous la direction clairvoyante de Votre Excellence, il encourage les partenariats et le recours à des approches innovatrices afin de répondre aux défis clés du développement.
Nous espérons, de répondre à la vision que nous avions partagée avec Votre Excellence, Monsieur le Président, lors de mon séjour au Mali en octobre 2003. A cet égard, permettez-moi, Votre Excellence, de vous exprimer mon admiration pour l’ambition que votre gouvernement et vous-même affichez pour le pays à travers la mise en œuvre du Programme de développement économique et social (PDES). Cet engagement courageux et déterminé, qui accompagne les efforts de la société civile, contribuera, j’en suis sûr, à permettre à la population du Mali de progresser et d’atteindre une meilleure qualité de vie.
Pour ce qui est de l’avenir, j’entrevois des possibilités accrues de moderniser les infrastructures d’éducation et d’améliorer la qualité de l’environnement rural pour lutter contre les problèmes préoccupants de l’urbanisation qui surgissent sous la pression démographique à travers toute l’Afrique et particulièrement dans la sous région.
Je voudrais vous assurer ce soir que mon objectif est de pouvoir continuer à travailler avec le gouvernement et le peuple du Mali pour qu’ensemble, nous puissions relever les défis du futur.
Merci
The images linked to the thumbnails are higher resolution images (jpeg format). To start downloading the larger version immediately, right click your mouse on the thumbnail image below and select "Save Target As" (Explorer) or "Save Link As" (Netscape). The larger version will then be saved to your computer. If you left-click, the image will open directly into your browser. The size of each linked image is indicated beside each picture. | |
 | His Highness the Aga Khan, Prince Rahim, Prince Hussain and Princess Khaliya are received at Bamako airport by President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Touré. |
 | His Highness the Aga Khan reviews the troops at Bamako airport, accompanied by President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Touré. File Size: 780KB |
 | His Highness the Aga Khan with Prime Minister of Mali, Modibo Sidibé at the Prime Minister’s Office. File Size: 716KB |
 | His Highness the Aga Khan, Prime Minister of Mali Modibo Sidibé meeting with Heads of AKDN and Government leaders. File Size: 698KB |
 | His Highness the Aga Khan meets with President of Mali Amadou Toumani Touré at the President’s Palace at Koulouba. File Size: 677KB |
 | His Highness the Aga Khan was awarded the Grand Cross of the National Order of Mali by President Amadou Toumani Touré during a state banquet at the President’s Palace at Koulouba. File Size: 647KB |
www.akdn.org | |
With anticipation at its peak, spirits were high and the excitement that had built in the days prior to the Imamat Day was palpable. Kuwait commenced the Golden Jubilee with the hoisting of the Ismaili flag in the morning. Syria began with a Qur’anic recital followed by a performance by the youth choir. UAE too commenced with flag hoisting ceremony.
In Syria, poetic recitals, readings from the Qur’an, and various speeches by leaders of the Jamat reminiscing the 50 years of Imamat formed part of the days of festivities. Recitations of devotional literature continued through the weekend with local variations at the Jamatkhana venues. In keeping with the traditional style of celebrating the Imamat Day in Syria, several outdoor festivals were organised throughout the country. Speeches by the leaders of the Jamat and Resident Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network were interspersed amongst interludes of devotional literature, poems and qasidas performed by several poets and youth choir. Variations on this theme were observed at festivals hosted by the local councils in their respective regions. In Barri, the service of past local council Presidents was acknowledged with tokens of appreciation. In Talaldara, dinner was served and some traditional dancing, dabkeh, took place after Jamati ceremonies.
A film called “Our Imam, Our Times”, a retrospective on the history and achievements of the 50 years of the Imamat of Mawlana Hazar Imam was shown to members of the Jamat in all regions. The Middle East Jamat was especially proud to see the contribution to the Muslim Ummah of this region in the form of the Ismaili Centre Dubai which is now in its final phases of completion.
It was these colours that transformed the days into a palette of melodic celebrations. Once such festivity included the dabkeh accompanied with traditional Syrian music. The literal meaning of Arabic work dabkeh "stomping of the feet” Thus stomping, as well as jumping and kicking, are moves that characterise this dance in a unique manner. The leader, called raas (head) or lawwih (waver), is allowed to improvise on the type of dabkeh being danced, and he or she would also be twirling a handkerchief or string of beads known as a masbha, while the rest of the dancers keep the rhythm. One could sense the happiness and elation amongst the dancers as they displayed their culture. Others watched with awe, but not for long. The Syrian Jamat were quick to expand their dabkeh circle, to include other members of the Jamat and patiently taught them how to perform the traditional dance.
Another aspect of the celebrations included the presentation of a Culture Walk put together by the youth of the UAE Jamat. The culture walk took viewers on a historic journey through Syria, Iran, Central Asia (comprising of Gorno Badhakshan, Wakhan, Hunza and Chitral) and the India / Pakistan region. The walk began in the India / Pakistan region, describing how Ismailis practiced their faith there and showcased the traditional garments worn in the region. Moving north, the focus was on Gorno Badhakshan, Wakhan and Hunza. Pictures of the Pamir mountain range that dominates Gorno Badhakshan and Wakhan were displayed and described as Bam-i-Dunya or Roof of the World. The walk progressed to a performance by Chitrali musicians and traditional dances performed by the locals from this region. This part then set the stage for a play which detailed a day in the life of a Syrian Ismaili in the time leading up to Eid Al Fitr and the cake making activities that are common during that occasion. The walk finished in Iran with a skit showing the celebrations of Navroz along with the rites and rituals performed such as the tying of two blades of grass to signify a matrimonial engagement and a traditional Iranian dance.
The Golden Jubilee celebration reflected diversity in language, in music, in dance and in atire, and yet we felt connected on this auspicious event.
