“I had the good fortune of getting to know the Aga Khan when I first met him as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. I soon came to admire his inspired and visionary thinking, which he advances as a part of a comprehensive and yet practical approach to addressing some of the world’s most complex and challenging problems. His constant emphasis on a compassionate, peaceful, and pluralistic conception of Islam in a world too often dominated by sectarian strife, is truly remarkable. I have come to consider him, not only the leader of the Shia Ismaili community, but also a rare figure in our world today.” — Bill Graham, see link to full piece below.
His Highness the Aga Khan’s visit to Western Canada
The Aga Khan in Calgary
VIDEOS
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TWEETS
MEDIA REPORTS
“My perspective on ethics, faith and how each of us contributes to cultivating a strong, sound society has been shaped by Mawlana Hazar Imam. Welcoming him to the city I love was a proud moment.” — Mayor Naheed Nenshi
- Report and photos in The Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam concludes his Diamond Jubilee visit to Canada
- Opinion piece by Anne McLellan in Troy Media: The Aga Khan — 60 years of remarkable service to the world
- Report in the Calgary Herald: Local Ismaili Muslim community honours the Aga Khan
- Report and photos in the Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam and Alberta Premier discuss ongoing cooperation
- Opinion piece by Brian Heidecker in Daily Hive: : The Aga Khan is creating a global knowledge society
- Opinion piece by Dave Mowat in the Edmonton Journal : Aga Khan’s contributions little-known, but significant
- Opinion piece by Bill Graham in Daily Hive: Why we should be proud to call the Aga Khan a Canadian
- Article in the Calgary Herald: Celebrating the work of the Aga Khan Development Network
- Opinion piece by Mubina Jaffer in The Voice Online :The Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee celebration– ‘An experience of a lifetime which we will cherish all our lives
- Article in the Calgary Herald: Understanding and education spark important global connections
- Opinion piece by Mayor Naheed Nenshi in the Globe and Mail: Why I’m grateful for the Aga Khan’s extraordinary service to humanity
- Report and photos in The Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam arrives in Calgary
- Report in the Calgary Herald: Aga Khan arrives in Calgary
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CTV Calgary News: Aga Khan comes to Calgary (this is a video shown on CTV news while the Aga Khan was still in Ottawa)
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The Aga Khan in Vancouver
May 7, 2018: Mawlana Hazar Imam departs Vancouver for Calgary
On the last day of his visit with the British Columbia Jamat, Mawlana Hazar Imam conducted ceremonies at the Ismaili Centre in Burnaby, which he opened in 1985 with then Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Upon his departure, he remarked on the wonderful visit he had experienced and offered his congratulations to the Jamat. Mawlana Hazar Imam later departed Vancouver, arriving in Calgary where he will meet with the Jamats from the Edmonton and Prairies regions.
MEDIA REPORTS
Report and photos in The Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam departs Vancouver
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May 5, 2018: Mawlana Hazar Imam meets with Jamat in Vancouver
MEDIA REPORTS
- Report in Times Colonist: BC Ismailis celebrate Aga Khan milestone in Vancouver
- In pictures in CTV News: Ismaili Muslims celebrate Aga Khan’s diamond jubilee
- Report in Castanet: 1000s celebrate Aga Khan
- Report in The Toronto Star: For 20000 Ismaili Muslims, Aga Khan visit is a time to give back
- Opinion piece in The Province by Barbara Grantham: Ismaili community shows what happens when Canada shelters good people from the storm
- Report in Vancouver Courier: Aga Khan’s visit to Vancouver this weekend expected to draw 20000 people
- Report in News 1130: Thousands to celebrate Aga Khan over Vancouver visit
- Report in Lake Country Calendar: Aga Khan celebrates diamond jubilee with stop in BC
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May 4, 2018: Mawlana Hazar Imam meets Premier of British Columbia
VIDEO
(Recorded by an Ismaili bystander at a Vancouver hotel)
MEDIA REPORTS
- Office of the Premier: Statement from Premier Horgan on meeting the Aga Khan upon the occasion of his Diamond Jubilee
- Report and photos in The Ismaili: Mawlana Hazae Imam meets with British Columbia Premier
Mawlana Hazar Imam arrives in Vancouver to begin his Western Canada visit
TWEETS BY: LT-GOV. OF BC, MAYOR OF VANCOUVER AND OTHERS
https://twitter.com/VanMayorsOffice/status/992529878334525440
MEDIA REPORTS
- Video in The Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam’s arrival in Vancouver
- Article and photos in The Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam arrives in Vancouver for second leg of Diamond Jubilee visit to Canada
- Opinion piece by Tamara Vrooman in the Vancouver Sun: : Aga Khan Network strives to improve lives
- Article in North Shore News: North Shore Ismaili community celebrates the Aga Khan’s legacy
- Article in the Asian Pacific Post: Past and present Prime Ministers on His Highness the Aga Khan
- Article in the Asian Pacific Post: Upcoming event likely to break attendance record (the article erroneously states that the Aga Khan’s visit will attract 100,000 Ismailis in Vancouver. The numbers in Vancouver will be significantly lower. There are around 120,000 Ismailis in Canada, with the largest concentration being in Ontario — ed.)
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His Highness the Aga Khan in Ottawa
May 4, 2018: Mawlana Hazar Imam departs for Vancouver
May 2, 2018: Mawlana Hazar Imam at Rideau Hall
By ABDULMALIK MERCHANT
“Your Highness, we know, everybody in this crowd knows, that you lead by example, that the work that you’ve done tirelessly for six decades has been groundbreaking. We know that you are trying very hard to improve the quality of life of people in less fortunate places in the world, and that you promote tolerance and education above all.” — Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Rideau Hall, Ottawa, May 2, 2018.
Invited guests started arriving at Rideau Hall, the residence of the Governor General of Canada, at 6pm for a dinner in honour of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, who is visiting Canada for his Diamond Jubilee. The High Commissioner of Pakistan was one of the first to arrive on the scene. But several minutes before that, I saw a lone well dressed gentleman strolling the lovely grounds of Rideau Hall, enjoying every minute of his walk on an unusually warm day. I was having a hasty lunch at one of the benches when he passed me and little did I know that he had known Hazar Imam for over 30 years until I briefly spoke to him.
I saw the arrival of some past presidents of the Aga Khan Ismaili Council for Canada in chauffer driven cars; the NDP leader, Jagmeet Singh, looking elegant in his turban, arrived in a taxi. Joe Clark, former Prime Minister, was walking with his wife when I captured him in a photo from a short distance. The previous Governor General, David Johnston, whom Julie Payette succeeded last October, was proudly striding towards his former residence, when I took his photo.
Then at exactly 6:47 pm Mawlana Hazar Imam’s car with the flag of the Imamat took my attention away from everything else as it drove towards Rideau Hall. Princess Zahra was accompanying him.
There was photo op but only with pool media and I did not qualify as an independent publisher. But I am glad I participated in my own little way to be at the grounds when Mawlana Hazar Imam arrived. That was a moment of happiness to witness, because in a few moments he would be received with grace and honour by the new Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would arrive a few minutes later on foot but I had to leave the grounds as the main gates were about to close. The Prime Minister and his family reside at the grounds while his official residence on Sussex Drive, across the street, undergoes major repairs.
“Thank you Canada. Thank you Canada for the advice, the support, the encouragement you’ve given to our institutions. I see Ismaili leaders from Canada … who are wonderful examples of Canadian knowledge, Canadian wisdom, Canadian comprehension, and who are building on the best of Canadian values. Thank you very much. Thank you.” – His Highness the Aga Khan, Rideau Hall, Ottawa, May 2, 2018.
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A brief note on the night view photo of Mecca and Jeddah that was presented to His Highness the Aga Khan
Annotated photo
In addressing His Highness the Aga Khan at the dinner held in his honour on May 2, 2018 at Rideau Hall, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, a former astronaut, recounted an anecdote about a spaceflight in which she saw Mecca, alone amongst all other cities, gleaming brightly. She said that it was a beacon of light, ‘just as you are.’ She presented the Aga Khan with a photo of the night view of the cities of Mecca and Jiddah taken from the International Space Station (ISS). The photo desk at the Governor General’s office has informed us that the picture presented to the Aga Khan is a close up of NASA Image ISS026-E-028948. It is similar to another NASA Image ISS016-E-16189 that we have reproduced above (annotated) and below. We were not able to locate ISS026-E-028948 on the NASA website.
Astronauts circling the Earth on the ISS have the wonderful vantage point of observing the nighttime Earth from 350-400 kilometers above the surface, taking in whole regions at once. Onboard cameras and a bit of experimentation allow astronauts to take highly detailed images of our cities at night and share them with the rest of us.
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MEDIA REPORTS
- Report and photos in The Ismaili: A “beacon of light” Mawlana Hazar Imam hosted at Rideau Hall
- Photo Gallery His Highness the Aga Khan at Rideau Hall on May 2, 2018: Please click http://gg.ca/gallery.aspx?ID=11800
- Opinion piece in the Globe and Mail: Celebrating 60 years of the Aga Khan – and a special relationship with Canada by Adrienne Clarkson
- Commentary in The Georgia Straight by Jagdeesh Mann: The Aga Khan brought prosperity to his faithful and now looks to uplift world’s bottom billion
- Article in 604 Now: Diamond Jubilee: Aga Khan In Vancouver
HOUSE OF COMMONS REMARKS
Arif Virani Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday members of all parties welcomed His Highness the Aga Khan at Rideau Hall to celebrate his diamond jubilee after 60 years as the religious leader of 15 million Ismaili Muslims around the world.
The Aga Khan has had a strong relationship with Canada for six decades, beginning with Canada’s decision to accept Ismaili refugees, like me and my family, who were fleeing persecution from Idi Amin.
Canada subsequently forged a strong working relationship with the Aga Khan Development Network, which provides critical humanitarian assistance in developing countries. Most recently, we bestowed honorary citizenship on the Aga Khan to recognize his commitment to the Canadian values of pluralism and diversity.
As an Ismaili Canadian member of the House of Commons, I am very proud of the Aga Khan’s commitment to community service, as illustrated by Canada 150, when Ismaili Muslims gave this country over one million hours of volunteer service.
I thank His Highness for being an example to us all. On behalf of the Parliament of Canada, we all wish him “diamond jubilee mubarak”.
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Erin O’Toole Durham, ON
Mr. Speaker, last night I joined three Governors General, three Prime Ministers from both sides of this chamber, parliamentarians, and prominent Canadians from the Ismaili community to celebrate the diamond jubilee for a special honorary Canadian, the Aga Khan.
For 60 years, this spiritual leader of the Ismaili community around the world has stood for tolerance and support for the most vulnerable. As Prime Minister Harper once said in this chamber, his leadership inspires us to hope for a better world.
This is also an opportunity to talk about the tremendous contribution of the 300,000* Ismaili Canadians. They came to Canada with very little, but have given our country so much.
Today, I have the honour to thank the Aga Khan for 60 years of service and compassion around the world.
On behalf of the Conservative caucus and all parliamentarians, I want to thank the Aga Khan for 60 years of compassion, global leadership, and friendship with Canada.
*There are an estimated 120,000 Ismailis in Canada and not 300,000 as mentioned by Mr. O’Toole — ed.
TWEETS
https://twitter.com/Yasmin_Ratansi/status/993580527595737088
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Governor General’s dinner for Mawlana Hazar Imam to be attended by Prime Minister Trudeau
To mark the Diamond Jubilee of His Highness the Aga Khan as the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, will host a dinner at Rideau Hall, on Wednesday, May 2, 2018.
This dinner will bring together a cross-section of Canadians who, over the last 60 years, have worked with the Aga Khan and his community, both in Canada and abroad.
A photo op with pool media will take place in the Reception Room at 7:15 p.m. Members of the pool media must be accredited with the Parliamentary Press Gallery and should arrive for 7 p.m. For more information on accreditation, contact the Parliamentary Press Gallery at 613-992-6517.
Itinerary for the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, for Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Gatineau, Quebec
8:45 a.m. The Prime Minister will attend the Assembly of First Nations’ Special Chiefs Assembly on Federal Legislation and deliver remarks.
…….Other engagements……..
Ottawa, Ontario
7 p.m. The Prime Minister will attend a dinner given by Her Excellency The Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, to mark the Diamond Jubilee of His Highness the Aga Khan as the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims.
Location: Rideau Hall
1 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.
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May 1, 2018: Mawlana Hazar Imam arrives in Ottawa
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, arrived in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, on Tuesday May 1, 2018, to commence his second Diamond Jubilee visit to Canada in 6 months. He will stay in Ottawa until May 4, and then visit his Ismaili followers in Western Canada from May 5 to 11th in Vancouver and Calgary. The Ismailis of Eastern Canada were blessed with his visit last November in Toronto and Montreal. It is now the turn of tens of thousands of their brothers and sisters in Western Canada to cherish their time with their beloved Imam.
Our comprehensive coverage of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visit will consist of our own exclusive reports and photos as well as links to articles that appear in the external media.
- Report in The Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam returns to Canada for his Diamond Jubulee visit
- Guest commentary in The Asian Pacific Post: From shelter in a storm, to building a strong Canada by Barbara Grantham, the President and CEO, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation
- HISTORY: Past and present Prime Ministers on His Highness the Aga Khan
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Aga Khan Diamond Jubilee: Pre-Arrival reports
ARTICLES AND REPORTS IN THE MEDIA
- Report in The Asian Pacific Post: Canada, Asia and The Aga Khan
- Report in CBC: Thousands of Ismaili Muslims in BC prepare for Aga Khan visit
- News Release in Global Affairs: His Highness the Aga Khan to visit Canada to celebrate his Diamond Jubilee
- Report in Calgary Herald: Aga Khan to visit Calgary in May
- Report in Daily Hive: Aga Khan to make historic visit to Canada next month
- Report in Vancouver Sun:
- Aga Khan comes to Vancouver to meet his followers
- Report in the Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam to meet Jamats of Western Canada
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Aga Khan’s historical photos with Canada’s Prime Ministers and Governor Generals
“Conferring honourary citizenship upon His Highness the Aga Khan is a recognition of His Highness’s leadership as a champion of international development, pluralism and tolerance around the world and of his remarkable leadership as Imam of the worldwide Ismaili community.” — Prime Minister Stephen E. Harper
Personifying cherished Canadian values, His Highness the Aga Khan has devoted his life to protecting the environment and alleviating human suffering due to poverty. Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims since 1957, he has guided the spiritual growth of his followers, teaching compassion and tolerance by example. In 1967, he launched his foundation, the Aga Khan Development Network, with branches in countries around the world, including Canada. Recognizing our nation’s caring spirit, he cites Canada as a role model for the world and has selected Ottawa as the home of a new global centre for pluralism. — Citation, Honorary Companion of the Order of Canada, Awarded on October 29, 2004; Invested on June 6, 2005
Date posted: April 27, 2018.
Last updated: May 12, 2018.
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This website, Barakah, is a special project by http://www.Simerg.com and is dedicated to the textual and visual celebration of His Highness the Aga Khan as he celebrates his Diamond Jubilee or 60 years of Imamat.
Barakah 
Thanks for sharing, your e-mails are a pleasure to read since you cover everything.
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BRAVO! Extensive coverage of the Canadian Visit. Indeed we are fortunate to have Barakah and Simerg blogs as an independent resource at our disposal. Another example of truly intellectual dimension that adds to the Murids understanding of the contemporary endeavor of the Ismaili Imamat.
Aluta Continua!
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Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you for sharing the establishment and developments of relationships between our beloved Imam and Canadian Governments for the last six decades!!!
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A note on the historical photo: Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau received us in his office after Mawlana Hazar was recognized in the House of Commons, following question period during the Silver Jubilee visit in April 2003.
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Barakah…..you are HOT….Wow… Love, Light & Cheers
Muslim Harji
https://harji.exposure.co/
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Thanks a lot for Mawlana Hazar Imam’s comprehensive coverage of his visit to Ottawa and Western Canada in the coming days. We are also looking forward to Lisbon. Congratulations to all readers and Diamond Jubilee Mubarak.
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It gives immense pleasure to read Barakah’s coverage of Mawlana Hazir Imam’s Diamond Jubilee celebration all over the world where Ismailis live and now Western Canada.
It is heartening to learn that Mawlana Hazar Imam has maintained warm and cordial relations with Canadian government throughout the long period of time when he succeeded in arranging settlement of thousands of Ismailis of East Africa when they were thrown out by Idi Amin.
The Ismaili Community is being treated with dignity and honour and the government dignitaries of Canada and other quarters feel no hesitation in saying it loud and clear that members of Ismaili community settled in Canada are constantly contributing towards the socio economic growth.
Congratulations to the Editor and whole team of Barakah for this excellent coverage. Readers are surely looking forward to coverage of culmination of Diamond Jubilee Celebration when Mawlana Hazar Imam visits Lisbon in July. Best of luck.
Rai Zulfiqar Meghani, Former Hon Sec AKEPB (P) n VC Focus Pakistan
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Thank for up keeping this marvelous web site., constantly praying for all happiness and Didar.
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