By MALIK MERCHANT

There were many cherishable and memorable moments on Wednesday, September 21, 2016, at Koerner Hall in Toronto when the inaugural Adrienne Clarkson Prize for Global Citizenship was presented to Mawlana Hazar Imam, Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims and the direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his progeny).

World-renowned vocalist and songwriter Rufus Wainwright welcomed the audience with a beautiful rendition of Leonard Cohen’s song Hallelujah. Rufus reminded us that September 21 also marked Cohen’s birthday — his 82nd (Cohen passed away 6 weeks later, on November 7). A video of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s congratulatory message to His Highness Aga Khan received big applause from the packed auditorium hall, as did the presentation of the unique award to His Highness by Madame Clarkson. This was followed by her welcome speech and the 49th Ismaili Imam’s words of wisdom.

But of all the absorbing moments that the event offered, there was one defining moment at the end of the Aga Khan’s speech that I took to heart. What strengths should we have to be a good global citizen? The Aga Khan shortlisted the following:

• A vital sense of balance;
• An abundant capacity for compromise;
• More than a little sense of patience;
• An appropriate degree of humility;
• A good measure of forgiveness; and
• A genuine welcoming of human difference

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More than 300 million people worldwide celebrated the significant occasion of Navroz — a New Day, a New Year — on March 21st, symbolizing a fresh start in their lives. Concurrently, a much larger number of Muslims — almost 2 billion — are observing the month of Ramadhan, with the Laylat al-Qadr, the night of the revelation of the Qur’an, considered the holiest night in the month or year, to be observed from 3rd week of the month (on odd days). Ismaili Muslims will mark it on the 21st (April 1 in 2024). Eid ul-Fitr will follow that at the end of the month of Ramadhan (April 10). More than 2 billion Christians will celebrate Easter between March 29 and April 1.

These are not just mere dates on the calendar but opportunities for us to reflect on ourselves and strive for self-improvement in every aspect of our lives, bettering our minds and hearts and lifting our spirits. Let’s embrace His Highness and Aga Khan’s six pieces of advice mentioned during his speech when he was honoured with the Global Citizenship Award. They will serve us well and make our lives more meaningful.

Date posted: March 20, 2024.
Last updated: March 23, 2024.

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Note: A version of this post appears on our sister website, Barakah, which is dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan.