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Ya Ali Madad Moyez, Welcome to your copy of the electronic Al-Akhbar. Below is a summary of this week's news and upcoming events.
We welcome your feedback and suggestions; you may reach us at inf...@iicanada.org.
 Weeks into the Golden Jubilee Year: 53
Reflections for your Golden Jubilee Journal: July 6 - 12
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"It is a privilege to be associated with a University which has remained true for so many centuries to the principle that the fruits of learning are to be at the service of all humanity. In Islam, this is a core principle of belief. In that tradition, my forefathers, the Fatimid Imam-Caliphs of Egypt, who founded Al-Azhar University and the Academy of Knowledge in Cairo a thousand years ago, viewed the acquisition of knowledge as a means to understanding, so as to serve better, God's creation."
Extract from Mawlana Hazar Imam's Acceptance Remarks upon receiving an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Évora, Portugal, February 12, 2006.
Reflection: In his remarks upon receiving the honorary degree, Mawlana Hazar Imam highlights two of the 21st century's most critical challenges: the struggle against poverty, and respect for the values of pluralism, and states that how the world responds to these would influence whether the new era would be one of global peace, stability and progress. These two challenges, therefore, engage all the activities of the AKDN, which is further "guided by the Imamat's policy of replacing walls that divide with bridges which unite." In a related speech at the Evora Symposium, Mawlana Hazar Imam further expands on creating a climate of "positive pluralism" by meeting today's critical challenge of ensuring democratic competence.
Reflect further on the three suggestions Mawlana Hazar Imam provides for building democracies. What role has the Imamat and its institutions played in creating a climate of positive pluralism?
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| Jubilee Journeys: Highlights from Mawlana Hazar Imam's visit to the UK, July 2008
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Mawlana Hazar Imam arrived in London, England, for his 7-day Golden Jubilee visit on July 2, 2008. During his visit, he met with British Government officials, including the Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown, the Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State for International Development, and the Mayor of London.
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In his address at a banquet for political and civil society leaders from across the United Kingdom on July 3, Mawlana Hazar Imam reiterated that in Islam, world and faith are "inseparably intertwined", and his goal, as Imam, has been to "improve the quality of life and to build new opportunity for Ismailis and the peoples amongst whom they live, while strongly supporting their pluralism and diversity." Mawlana Hazar Imam granted the Jamat with a Golden Jubilee Darbar on Saturday, July 5.
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On Monday, July 7, Mawlana Hazar Imam was the guest of honor at a dinner hosted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh. Mawlana Hazar Imam was accompanied by members of the Nurani family, including Prince Amyn, Princess Yasmin, Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim, Prince Hussain and Princess Khaliya.
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| For complete information and photographs of Mawlana Hazar Imam's visit to the UK, please visit The Ismaili and the AKDN websites. |
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| Golden Jubilee Calendar of Events - July 2008
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For a detailed view of Golden Jubilee events for the month, please click here.
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| Institutional Calendar of Events - July 2008
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For a detailed view of Institutional events for the month, please click here.
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| Imamat Day Celebrations
Golden Jubilee Volunteers Registration
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Council for Canada
Volunteers' registration is now in progress for all Golden Jubilee programs and events, including, inshallah, the Visit. In order for us to meet the requirements of all of these initiatives, we encourage the Jamat to register. This information will enable appropriate allocation of duties and for the planning of training sessions.
Please register through the web-based system at the Golden Jubilee Canada website or with the volunteers at individual Jamatkhanas.
For further information, please e-mail hrt...@iicanada.org.
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| IIS Book Launch
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In commemoration of Mawlana Hazar Imam's Golden Jubilee, The Institute of Ismaili Studies is launching "The Ismailis: An Illustrated History", a unique publication that offers a new and vibrant perspective on the origins and history of the Ismailis.
This valuable resource will enable members of the Jamat, the opportunity to learn about the history of the Ismaili community through an accessible, colourful and engaging new book. Written by scholars, but produced with non-specialist readers in mind, history is brought to life through over 300 images from illustrated manuscripts, artifacts, architectural monuments, community documents as well as historical and contemporary photographs.
The launch of this special publication will take place at the following locations:
Friday, July 18, 2008 - Scarborough Jamatkhana after Jamati ceremonies
Saturday, July 19, 2008 - Etobicoke Jamatkhana at 3 p.m.
Sunday, July 20, 2008 - Headquarters and Kitchener Jamatkhanas after Jamati ceremonies
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| Entrepreneurship Course
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Aga Khan Economic Planning Board for Ontario
| Saturday, July 19, 2008 |
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Royal Bank Plaza South Tower |
| (9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) |
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200 Bay Street |
| Sunday, July 20, 2008 |
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39th floor |
| (9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) |
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We thank the Jamat for their interest in this program; the 2-day entrepreneurship seminar scheduled for July 19-20, 2008 has reached capacity.
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| Seniors Day Trip to Swaminarayan Mandir
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ISAT, Aga Khan Health Board for Ontario
| Monday, July 21, 2008 |
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Swaminarayan Mandir |
| (11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) |
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Willowdale Seniors Drop In Centre has organized a day trip.
Please contact your local ISAT members for further details.
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| Gujarati Debate
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ISAT, Aga Khan Health Board for Ontario
| Saturday, July 26, 2008 |
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Etobicoke Jamatkhana |
| (after Jamati ceremonies) |
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The topic for this debate is "Who is responsible for making all the decisions in the home - the husband or wife?"
Tickets are available from your local ISAT team.
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| Programs for Seniors
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ISAT, Aga Khan Health Board for Canada
Please contact your local ISAT representatives for details on the following programs:
- Fun-filled 30 minutes weekly workout at most Jamatkhanas
- Weekly drop-in centres (Headquarters and Willowdale on Mondays, Don Mills and Unionville on Wednesdays)
- Additional weekly drop-in centres on Thursday evenings (5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.) at Headquarters and Don Mills Jamatkhanas
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| Understanding Life Insurance
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Aga Khan Economic Planning Board for Ontario
Term Life - lasts a set amount of time, or a term - from one year to 30 years. It is usually the least expensive.
Whole Life - covers an individual until death. This involves a higher cost than term life as the insurance company assumes the risk for an individual's entire lifespan. The insured or policyholder can "cash in" or borrow against the accumulated cash value, if any.
Universal Life - also covers an individual until death. However, universal life shows how the premium (or amount paid) is allocated between the cost of insurance, administration costs, and the investment amount. Universal life also provides a choice of investment options.
The right plan depends upon your needs, health, and budget.
For more financial planning tips, please visit www.elncanada.com (login id: elnuser - password: learning).
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| Travel Health Insurance
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Aga Khan Economic Planning Board for Ontario
Jamati members traveling to and from Canada should purchase adequate private travel health insurance to pay for any costs which are not covered by your provincial plan, even if it is for a short trip.
Insurance should cover any pre-existing conditions to reduce medical costs. Should an illness occur during travel, an uninsured traveller may be required to pay large sums of money.
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| Twin Lakes Resort
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Twin Lakes Resort is now accepting reservations for the 2008 season.
An ideal place for a family cottage getaway as well as business or pleasure retreats in the great outdoors, Twin Lakes Resort offers one, two and three bedroom cottages and conference facilities.
Please visit our website for more information.
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| Videography and Photography for the Golden Jubilee visit
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Communication & Publications, Multimedia Task Force, Council for Canada
Experienced professional photographers and videographers are required for the expected Golden Jubilee Visit of Mawlana Hazar Imam to Canada.
Applicants should have the following experience / qualifications:
- Professional photographers and videographers who work in the media industry
- Photojournalists with experience in videography and photography
- Photographers and videographers who have camera experience from previous Visits
- Familiarity with state of the art videography and photography technology including video and graphic editing
Applicants must be time-oriented, flexible team players who can work quickly in crowds and are comfortable working with other photographers and camera people.
To submit your application please visit the Golden Jubilee Canada official website and click on "Register to Volunteer" to complete your profile (select the Skill Category entitled "Photography" or "Video"), or submit your resume via e-mail directly to Salim Janmohamed, Project Manager, Photo / Video, National Communication, Publications, Multimedia task force (CPMMTF) at sal...@shawcable.com.
Application Deadline: July 22, 2008
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| Volunteer Opportunity
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Mentors Needed
Women's Development Portfolio (IWED)
IWED is launching a 6-month mentoring program that will make available to the volunteers, the opportunity to develop a supportive relationship with young women between the ages of 15 to 19 years, assisting them in achieving their personal and career goals.
For further details and to express your interest, please e-mail mvi...@cfonet.org or call (416) 751-5325 ext. 326.
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| Employment Opportunities
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Mopti, Mali-based Programme Director with Aga Khan Foundation, Mali
Closing July 11, 2008 Details
Sugar Land, Texas-based Senior Education Officer with ITREB USA
Closing July 31, 2008 Details
Central-Asia based Development Internship Opportunities with Aga Khan Development Network
Closing July 31, 2008 Details
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| The Muslim Civilizations
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Did you know?
... the concepts of Knowledge Society, Meritocracy, and Pluralism were well expressed in the Fatimid state?
Ismailis have long contributed to the Muslim civilizations in the advancement of science, mathematics, and architecture. In the tenth century, the Ismaili Imam al-Mahdi (alayhi-s-salam (a.s.)) founded the Fatimid state in Tunisia in North Africa. His successors spread the first Shia state to areas of North Africa including Egypt and parts of Arabia. It was during the Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171) that the early contributions of Ismailis reached their peak with the founding of Cairo and the building of Al-Azhar Mosque (969-971) in that city.
Dar al-Ilm, or the 'House of Knowledge,' a precursor of modern universities, was established in Cairo in 1005 by the Fatimid Imam-Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (a.s.). Studies there included jurisprudence, grammar, medicine, logic, mathematics, and astronomy. The institution was open to everyone regardless of their religious backgrounds.
The Fatimids were noted for employing their officers based on merit rather than on heredity. Sunni Muslims, Christians, and Jews occupied high positions in the Fatimid government. The Fatimids also encouraged the practice of private patronage of mosques and other religious buildings by Muslims of different persuasions. The Muslim doctrine of justice and equality is an essential aspect of the faith and action of Ismailis.
Jodidio, Philip. Under the Eaves of Architecture. The Aga Khan: Builder and Patron. Prestel, 2007
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| Recent Institutional News
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His Highness the Aga Khan visits Portugal on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee
Aga Khan Development Network, July 10 - 14, 2008
Press Release
His Highness the Aga Khan in the United Kingdom to mark Golden Jubilee visit
Aga Khan Development Network, July 2 - 8, 2008
Press Release
Aga Khan Honored at NUI Maynooth
Aga Khan Development Network, June 30, 2008
Press Release
Photographs
President John Hughes Citation
New IIS Publication on 'Muslim Modernities'
The Institute of Ismaili Studies, June 2008
News
His Highness the Aga Khan Joins France's Académie des Beaux Arts
Aga Khan Development Network, June 18, 2008
Photographs and Speeches
The French Government, the Afghan Government and the Aga Khan Sign a Letter of Intent on Medical Projects in Afghanistan
Aga Khan Development Network, June 12, 2008
Press Release (English, French)
Photographs
Statement by His Highness the Aga Khan (English, French)
His Highness the Aga Khan receives Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Harvard University
Aga Khan Development Network, June 5, 2008
Photographs
Professor Nanji Contributes to the Book 'Paradise Found'
The Institute of Ismaili Studies, June 2008
News
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| Frequently Called Numbers
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