Simerg is an independent initiative dedicated to Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan — their Hereditary Imam — and the Ismaili Imamat, and Islam in general through literary readings, photo essays and artistic expressions
Author Archives: Malik Merchant, Editor
Founding publisher and editor of www.barakah.com, www.simerg.com and www.simergphotos.com.
Barakah, our sister website, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, has a special page covering news related to the Aga Khan and his family members. Prince Rahim, his oldest son, concluded his five-day visit to Pakistan on June 10, 2024, with a meeting with the Pakistan Prime Mnister Shehbaz Sharif (see featured photo, top of post). On June 7, the Prince was awarded Pakistan’s Highest Civilian Order by the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari.
The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, congratulates Prince Rahim Aga Khan after conferring on him the Nishan-i-Pakistan on June 7, 2024, at a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President’s official residence in Islamabad. Photograph: AKDN/Akbar Hakim. Please click on the photo for more coverage of the event and other events since the beginning of 2024.
Prince Rahim then visited Hunza to launch projects related to the development of Solar Power Plants and a high-tech Software Park, visited the 800-year-old restored historic fort of Altit and saw the completion of the five-star Hotel Serena. On June 9, he inaugurated the new Headquarters of HBL Microfinance Bank in Gilgit.
Prince Rahim Aga Khan climbs up Duiker Hill to get a bird’s eye view of the areas that will benefit from the expansion of the power plant in Hunza. Please click on the image for this and other stories. Photograph: AKDN/Akbar Hakim.
Prince Rahim’s sister, Princess Zahra, visited the Aga Khan Development Network’s work in Hunza and Chitral between May 22 and 26.
On May 11, their aunt, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan hosted the highly successful Rita Hayworth Gala in Chicago. This remarkable event, which raised nearly US $900,000, is a shining example of how collective efforts can make a significant difference in supporting the Alzheimer’s Association’s care, support, and research programs.
Visit Barakah for news, insightful and inspirational articles about the Aga Khan and the Ismaili Imamat.
Date posted: June 7, 2024. Last updated: June 10, 2024.
The preview night of Zahida Rahemtulla’s play The Wrong Bashir at Toronto’s renowned Crow’s Theatre on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, was a sell-out event. Crow’s Theatre picked up the play for its bold, ambitious and imaginative 2024-2025 season following The Wrong Bashir’s successful Vancouver showing in May 2023. The Wrong Bashir is Burnaby-born Ismaili playwright Zahida Rahemtulla’s debut play. The play runs until June 16.
Special Discounts to See The Wrong Bashir
For tickets for all shows from May 21 to June 16, 2024, please click Buy Tickets for The Wrong Bashir and use the following promotion codes, as applicable:
May 21 to May 26, 2024: General Admission Adult and Senior Tickets can be purchased 2-FOR-1. Please use promotion code WRONG241;
May 21 to June 1, 2024: General Admission Adult and Senior tickets will be discounted 25%. Please use promotion code BASHIR25; and
Throughout the entire run (May 21st-June 9th), there is also a 20% discount for groups of 8+ anytime, which can be obtained by contacting the Crow’s Theatre box office at boxoffice@crowstheatre.com or calling (647) 341-7390.
The performance on June 16 is Pay-What-You-Can.
With its heartwarming and humorous portrayal of an intergenerational, transitional moment in the life of a family and community, the play is a must-see for all Ismaili community members. The Wrong Bashir affectionately shows much humour within the worldwide Ismaili community. The play elicited ample laughs and resonated widely with Ismaili and broader audiences in Vancouver and on its debut night in Toronto.
We are truly gratified by the magnificent success new Ismaili artists and filmmakers such as Zahida Rahemtulla and Kiana Rawji, whom we featured in 2023, are achieving in the early days of their careers. Simerg values their inspiring accomplishments and extends a warm invitation to other talented Ismaili youth. This is your chance to seize the opportunity and share your original stories of success and recognition in your respective areas of endeavour with national and/or international impact. Remember, your stories are not just personal triumphs, but also an integral part of the Ismaili Muslim community’s narrative, shaping our collective identity and inspiring future generations.
Date posted: May 23, 2024. Last updated: June 4, 2024 (links added to reviews of the play, see update notice at the top of post, and play extended by a week to June 16).
Correction: In an earlier version, we had incorrectly stated May 21, 2024, as the opening night of “The Wrong Bashir.” May 21 was the preview night. The official opening took place on Friday, May 24.
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PLAYWRIGHT ZAHIDA RAHEMTULLA AND DIRECTOR PAOLO SANTALUCIA
Zahida Rahemtulla
Zahida Rahemtulla is a playwright and short story writer. Her debut play, The Wrong Bashir, premiered with Touchstone Theatre in Vancouver in May 2023 and makes its Toronto premiere on May 21, 2024, at the Crow’s Theatre, which has been a leading force in new play creation in the Canadian theatre landscape. Zahida currently facilitates Paragon Theatre’s East of Tarragon Project in Scarborough and is passionate about education and working on new playswith new playwrights.
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Paolo Santalucia
Paolo Santalucia is an award-winning actor, director and writer. He is a Soulpepper Academy graduate and has been a member of Soulpepper’s ensemble for the past ten seasons. Paolo is a co-founder and Artistic Leader of the award-winning Howland Company. Paolo also teaches classical performance with the University of Toronto’s Theatre and Drama Studies Program, and is the recipient of two Dora Mavor Moore Awards in acting, one nomination for direction, and has been shortlisted for the John Hirsch Award for Directing.
The “physical” World Partnership Walk (WPW) returned to Calgary downtown’s beautiful Prince’s Island Park after COVID-19 had turned it into a virtual event from 2020 onwards. The Walk in Edmonton was held on the grounds of the Alberta Legislature. The presence and participation of youth as walkers, volunteers, and entertainers were particularly heartwarming. The Ismaili community’s discipline and organization of the walk were truly admirable. The Walk was a special day for 11-year-old Izmir Kassam of Calgary whose goal was to collect $40,000 on the 40th anniversary of the Walk. Please see our WPW pictorial coverage HERE or click on the photo below.
Please click on photo for World Partnership Walk story.
From Running for Earthquake Victims to Acting as an Advocate for Education for Girls, Izmir Kassam Has Participated in 25 Races Since the Age of 4 and Raised Thousands of Dollars
11-year-old Izmir Kassam, a fifth-grade student in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, aims to raise $40,000 by running 40 km in honour of the 40 years of the World Partnership Walk (WPW) that is scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 2, 2024, at Calgary downtown’s beautiful Prince’s Island Park.
TThe WPW is an initiative of Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), an agency within the vast Aga Khan Development Network dedicated to improving the quality of life of those in need, mainly in Asia and Africa, irrespective of their origin, faith, or gender. The AKDN’s multifaceted development approach aims to help communities and individuals become self-reliant. In Canada, the AKFC has partnered with the Government of Canada, Canadian institutions, and individual Canadians on hundreds of programs to tackle the root causes of poverty and inequality. One of its fund raising programs, the WPW, has united Canadians of all ages across the country for 40 years to fight global poverty. The WPW is Canada’s largest public movement in support of global development.
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Izmir Kassam running the final 10 km in 10x10km run for earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria at the Glenmore Athletic Park, Calgary, June 10, 2023. Photograph: Izmir Kassam.
While hundreds at Sunday’s Walk will be walking, Izmir will be running! Izmir’s love for running has led him to conquer various distances, from 10 km races to half marathons and even 100 km. Since starting to run at 4, Izmir has completed over 25 races. Despite the lack of distance running competitions for students of his age, he boldly races with adults, often finishing in the top 5% to 10% of runners.
“We are so glad that Izmir chose the Humanitarian Coalition for his fundraising initiative. We re all in awe of his dedication and commitment” — Catherine Dufour
When he was 8 years old, Izmir watched the withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan and the takeover by the Taliban, with graphic images of Afghans hanging onto the moving front wheels of planes taking off, making a desperate last attempt to leave a country doomed to abject poverty and total suppression of freedoms. He learnt subsequently about the ban on girls’ education that the Taliban placed immediately upon taking over the rule of Afghanistan.
Izmir, upon discovering that girls his age in Afghanistan were denied the right to education, was not just saddened but deeply empathetic. He had a newborn sister then and could not imagine her growing up without an education. The thought was unbearable. This profound empathy for the girls’ plight fueled his determination to transform his passion for running into a campaign for girls’ education in Afghanistan. That year, he completed a half marathon of 21 km, raising a significant $ 2,000 to support Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (CW4WAfghan). His inspiring effort was recognized in a Calgary Herald story titled Young Runner Going the Distance for Afghan Girls.
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Eight-year-old Izmir Kassam poses for a photo at Sandy Beach Park in Calgary, SW, before his September 17, 2021, run to raise money for Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. Photograph: Brendan Miller/Postmedia.
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Izmir Kassam with medal after finishing the 10 km race in The Calgary Servus Marathon held on May 26, 2024, at Enmax Park, Calgary. His time was 43.20 minutes. Photograph: Izmir Kassam.
In 2023, on his tenth birthday, a powerful earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. This earthquake resulted in over 50,000 deaths and over 250,000 buildings being damaged or destroyed in the region. That morning, after seeing the images of the devastation the earthquake caused, Izmir was spurred into action again! He took on the challenge of running 100 kilometres (ten runs of 10 kilometres each) to raise money via the Humanitarian Coalition. This Canadian charity unites top aid organizations in responding to global crises.
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Izmir Kassam, shown wrapped in a Canadian Flag, with members of the Calgary Turkish community, friends, and family after the final 10 km run (out of 100 km) for earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria at the Glenmore Athletic Park, Calgary, June 10, 2023. Photograph: Izmir Kassam.
With the added support of government matching, Izmir raised $30,000, and his fundraising efforts were recognized by His Excellency Kerim Uras, the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Canada. Catherine Dufour of the organization Humanitarian Coalition commented, “We are so glad that Izmir chose the Humanitarian Coalition for his fundraising initiative. We are all in awe of his dedication and commitment.”
“Women and girls should have the opportunities and freedoms my sister and I have in Canada. No girl should grow up without an education or the freedom to be who she wants” — Izmir Kassam
The Aga Khan Development Network’s mandate is to work in challenging places where peace and stability are not always present. Infrastructure is often limited to help ensure that all women have a chance to harness their potential, have decent lives, and contribute to their communities. Izmir’s dedication to advancing this commitment is unwavering. He eloquently states women and girls should “have the opportunities and freedoms my sister and I have in Canada. No girl should grow up without an education or the freedom to be who she wants.”
Inspired also by his great aunt Mehrun Hassanali’s work with the World Partnership Walk, who was instrumental in its founding 40 years ago, Izmir decided to commemorate the WPW’s 40th anniversary by running 40 kilometres (four 10-kilometre runs).
His culminating run of the 10 final kilometres will take place on June 2 at the Calgary WPW event. He aims to complete the run within 40 minutes. The fundraising target for this 40th WPW Anniversary run is $40,000, and Izmir invites others to join him in this worthy cause.
Through this website, I invite readers to support Izmir and others like him in Calgary and around Canada, trying to raise money to support the Aga Khan Foundation’s annual World Partnership Event. In Izmir’s case, he aims to raise $40,000 to help eliminate global poverty. If 400 people donated $100 each, Izmir would reach his goal of $40,000. He also welcomes the support of other individuals to help him reach the target. Please click 2024 WORLD PARTNERSHIP WALK – IZMIR KASSAM
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World Partnership Walk setting. A view of Prince’s Island Park in downtown Calgary, the venue for the 40th WPW to be held Sunday, June 2, 2024. Photograph: Brenden Matthews via Wikimedia.
And to all Calgarians and visitors to Calgary, please come to the beautiful Prince’s Island Park on June 2 and watch Izmir cross the finish line. The Park is located in Calgary downtown on 4 St. and 1 Ave. S.W.
Carpentry is traditionally considered a man’s job in Pakistan, but a few brave women are changing that mindset, from carving unique wooden utensils to building an entire house. In two short films, VOA and BBC Urdu Services spoke to several women who wanted to hammer home the point that not only are women integral to their community and the economy, they can also build things as well as men.
Video 1: Women Carpenters in Pakistan by VOA Urdu Service
“Carpentry is considered a man’s work in Pakistan and women are often discouraged from doing it. Wherever women go, they face issues that affect their honour, religion, culture, and social norms. However, when they step out and do something in order to take care of their family, then they realize that their honour, religion, culture and everything is still in place” — Excerpt from the video below, which has been reproduced from the VOA website. Bezhan Hamdard narrates the report in English.
“Much like Kim’s Convenience, The Wrong Bashir offers characters familiar to and loved by their communities…and a laugh-yourself-silly evening.” — JoLedingham.ca
Zahida Rahemtulla’s play The Wrong Bashir, which ran to packed houses when it was launched a year ago in Vancouver, is premiering at Toronto’s renowned Crow’s Theatre on May 21, 2024. It will run until June 9, 2024. The Theatre picked up Zahida’s new play as part of its bold, ambitious and imaginative 2024-2025 season following The Wrong Bashir’s successful Vancouver showing. It then issued a special call for Ismaili actors based in Eastern Canada to audition for some roles. Crow’s Theatre has been home to groundbreaking and award-winning productions.
The Wrong Bashir is Burnaby-born Ismaili playwright Zahida Rahemtulla’s debut play.
The play delves into the life of Bashir Ladha, a young philosophy major who has strayed from his Ismaili Muslim roots. The story takes a hilarious turn whenBashir’s parents receive a call that their unconventional podcaster son has been chosen as the student’s Mukhisaheb, a significant role in Ismaili Jamatkhanas. They dutifully accept the role on behalf of their son. Before Bashir can argue, two official committee representatives arrive at the Ladha household. The representatives soon realize a mistake in selection, adding to the comedic chaos. The doorbell rings, and Bashir’s excited grandparents and family friend make a surprise visit, having caught wind of the news at their Jamatkhana.
With its heartwarming and humorous portrayal of an intergenerational, transitional moment in the life of a family and community, the play is a must-see for all Ismaili community members. The Wrong Bashir affectionately shows much humour within the worldwide Ismaili community. The play elicited ample laughs and resonated widely with Ismaili and broader audiences in Vancouver.
Vancouver’s world premiere featured Ismaili actors Sabrina Vellani, Shera Haji, Salim Rahemtulla, and Hussein Janmohamed. The Toronto premiere will feature Ismailis Nimet Kanji, Zaitun Esmail, and Salim Rahemtulla alongside a large cast (click The Team link on the page). Supporting sponsors for the production are Shabin and Nader Mohamed and Tazmin Merali and Nasir Noormohamed.
A scene from Zahida Rahemtulla’s The Wrong Bashir.
“The Wrong Bashir found the right audience on opening night if gales of laughter are any indication. From the curtain opener to the surprise at curtain fall, the sold-out crowd at the Firehall had a grand time. The Wrong Bashir is going to be a big hit; for some, it will be a laugh-yourself-silly evening” — Jo Ledingham, Vancouver Theatre Review.
The play is directed by award-winning Toronto director Paolo Santalucia. Crow’s Artistic Director, Chris Abraham, who was already familiar with the Ismaili community in Toronto, championed its inclusion in the 2024 season and brought it to the theatre.
Playwright Zahida says she is excited to see it premiere in Toronto, where the story has shifted from its original Vancouver setting to Toronto’s Don Mills.
Special Discounts: Purchase Tickets for The Wrong Bashir
For tickets for all shows from May 21 to June 9, 2024, please click Buy Tickets for The Wrong Bashir and use the following promotion codes, as applicable:
May 21 to May 26, 2024: General Admission Adult and Senior Tickets can be purchased 2-FOR-1. Please use promotion code WRONG241;
May 21 to June 1, 2024: General Admission Adult and Senior tickets will be discounted 25%. Please use promotion code BASHIR25; and
Throughout the entire run (May 21st-June 9th), there is also a 20% discount for groups of 8+ anytime, which can be obtained by contacting the Crow’s Theatre box office at boxoffice@crowstheatre.com or calling (647) 341-7390.
Date posted: May 13, 2024. Date updated: May 14, 2024 (added promotion codes for discounted tickets).
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PLAYWRIGHT ZAHIDA RAHEMTULLA AND DIRECTOR PAOLO SANTALUCIA
Zahida Rahemtulla
Zahida Rahemtulla is a playwright and short story writer. Her debut play, The Wrong Bashir, premiered with Touchstone Theatre in Vancouver in May 2023 and makes its Toronto premiere on May 21, 2024, at the Crow’s Theatre, which has been a leading force in new play creation in the Canadian theatre landscape. Zahida currently facilitates Parragon Theatre’s East of Tarragon Project in Scarborough and is passionate about education and working on new plays and with new playwrights.
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Paolo Santalucia
Paolo Santalucia is an award-winning actor, director and writer. He is a graduate of the Soulpepper Academy, and has been a member of Soulpepper’s ensemble for the past ten seasons. Paolo is a co-founder and Artistic Leader of the award-winning Howland Company. Paolo also teaches classical performance with the University of Toronto’s Theatre and Drama Studies Program, and is the recipient of two Dora Mavor Moore Awards in acting, one nomination for direction, and has been shortlisted for the John Hirsch Award for Directing.
“As mayor, Nenshi embraced innovative solutions to urban issues like public transit, affordable housing, and sustainable development. He proved his leadership abilities during the devastating 2013 Calgary floods, rallying the city through the crisis with compassion and resolve. Now, Nenshi wants to bring that same progressive, consensus-building approach to the provincial level as leader of the NDP. His vision is an Alberta that works for everyone — not just a few.”
For over a decade, Naheed Nenshi has been a trailblazer in Canadian politics. Now, he’s setting his sights beyond Calgary on an even more significant challenge — leading Alberta’s New Democratic Party (NDP) and charting a new course for the province.
To do that, Nenshi’s team is reminding residents across Alberta to purchase an NDP membership on nenshi.ca by April 22nd — for just $10. This will allow them to vote for Naheed Nenshi as the party’s next leader in June and have their voices heard.
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Naheed Nenshi offers guidance and reflections to members of the Ismaili community gathered at the Ismaili Centre Toronto, 2017. Photograph: Shameela Karmali-Rawji collection.
Nenshi’s rise has been an inspiring underdog story. After initially trailing far behind in the polls during Calgary’s 2010 mayoral race, his campaign of bold ideas and grassroots engagement struck a chord. He defied the odds to become the first Muslim mayor of a major North American city. Nenshi’s journey has been one of resilience, hard work, and a steadfast commitment to public service rooted in the importance of family and community values.
The son of immigrants from Mwanza, Tanzania, he grew up witnessing his parents’ struggles to build a better life. This instilled in him that opportunity shouldn’t be taken for granted.
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Naheed Nenshi with parents Kurban and Noorjah Nenshi after Mayoral swearing-in ceremony, 2010. Photograph: Shameela Karmali-Rawji collection.
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The Ismaili community of Mwanza, Tanzania, celebrates Naheed Nenshi, 2015. Photograph: Shameela Karmali-Rawji collection.
As mayor, Nenshi embraced innovative solutions to urban issues like public transit, affordable housing, and sustainable development. He proved his leadership abilities during the devastating 2013 Calgary floods, rallying the city through the crisis with compassion and resolve.
Now, Nenshi wants to bring that same progressive, consensus-building approach to the provincial level as leader of the NDP. His vision is an Alberta that works for everyone — not just a few.
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Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Alberta Premier Alison Redford and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper review plans with emergency management personnel during Calgary 2013 floods. Photograph: Shameela Karmali-Rawji collection.
Nenshi believes the NDP can rally widespread support by promoting pro-business and pro-worker policies focused on diversifying the provincial economy beyond oil and gas. His entrepreneurial approach aims to drive collaboration between industry, government, and communities to secure Alberta’s future.
At his core, Nenshi is driven by a passionate belief in service, equality, and doing what’s right — regardless of political convenience. He champions initiatives that bring the public directly into governance through participatory budgeting. He advocates bold climate action rooted in environmental science. He understands that prosperity must be sustainable and inclusive to all cultures and communities. He also embraces Alberta’s place as part of a pluralistic Canada united in its diversity.
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Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley presents Naheed Nenshi with the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal, 2023. Photograph: Shameela Karmali-Rawji collection.
With his unique perspective forged from lived experiences, Nenshi could be the dynamic leader to reinvigorate the NDP’s vision for a fairer, greener, and more innovative Alberta. But he needs the grassroots support of Albertans who share that vision.
Alberta stands at a crossroads. By choosing Nenshi, the province can embrace a leader who sees its boundless potential and will fight to uplift all of its people. The path ahead won’t be easy — but few leaders are better prepared to forge it than Naheed Nenshi.
Date posted: April 20, 2024.
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Shameela Karmali-Rawji
Dr. Shameela Karmali-Rawji, MS MD CCFP FCFP, is a global health consultant, entrepreneur and family physician. She has established multiple medical clinics and telemedicine platforms and oversaw several retirement and assisted living facilities in Ontario and Alberta. She launched the first Urgent Care Clinic in a public-private partnership in primary care with Calgary Health Services in 2006. She has worked as a policy advisor and consultant with WHO, UNICEF, and AKDN, and she led the development of a groundbreaking, collaborative health agenda in the First Nations community of T’suu Tina, which resulted in the establishment and expansion of health services, including a medical centre. She has also planned several medical centres and hospitals in East Africa and community-based primary and secondary healthcare systems in Northern Pakistan serving over 1 million people.
Dr. Karmali-Rawji had served as a member of the His Highness the Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Council for Canada, where she established its first Women’s Portfolio, and as Chairman of the Aga Khan Health Board for Canada. She co-convened the International Ismaili Women’s Forum in Toronto with Princess Zahra Aga Khan. She was Vice Chairman of the commissioning Board of Generations Calgary, an assisted living and long term care facility. Dr. Karmali-Rawji obtained her MD at McMaster University and her MS in International Health at Harvard University.
Naheed Nenshi, the esteemed former mayor of Calgary, is paving his way to lead Alberta’s New Democratic Party (NDP) in the Party’s June 2024 Elections. To have a say in this crucial decision, it’s essential that you register as an NDP party member before Monday, April 22. This simple step, which costs only $10.00, will enable you to cast your vote in the June elections. Please visit Nenshi.ca to become an NDP member.
One morning last summer, I joined hundreds of Ismaili Muslims to celebrate the 66th anniversary of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, as the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslim community with chai, sherbet and delicious snacks at a Calgary Jamatkhana’s social hall. Considering my compromised immune system, I sat in an area with only a few people around me. I glanced to my left multiple times and asked myself: “Can it be? Is the guy next to me Naheed Nenshi?” I could not hold back and told him. “You look like Naheed Nenshi.” And he answered, “You are right, I am.”
Seated next to him was his beloved mother. I remembered how, a few years earlier, I would take my mum to the Ismaili Centre and Jamatkhana in Vancouver and, on celebratory occasions, take her to the social hall upstairs to enjoy Ismaili delicacies and chat with community members. Naheed’s care, love and warmth for his mum touched me on this significant day in Ismaili history. In the few minutes I had with him, I dared to suggest that he should, one day, seek to lead a Federal Party. His brief response told me that the idea wasn’t exactly in his mind!
On two earlier occasions in Ontario, when Nenshi was still Mayor of Calgary, I briefly introduced myself to him with a handshake: first at the Aga Khan Museum opening in Toronto in September 2014 and three years later at the Global Centre of Pluralism’s First Award Ceremony at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat Building in Ottawa in November 2017. At the first meeting in Toronto, I expressed my interest in interviewing him one day, and he welcomed the idea. However, I have yet to approach him and request an interview.
Since relocating to Alberta two years ago, I’ve witnessed the profound impact of Naheed Nenshi’s leadership as Calgary’s mayor between 2010 and 2021. As the first Muslim mayor of a major North American city, Nenshi garnered widespread respect and admiration from both Calgarians and residents of the Bow Valley for his significant achievements and profound connection with the people. Despite his decision not to seek re-election for a fourth term, his legacy remains robust, and his leadership skills are undeniable.
Naheed Nenshi’s announcement on March 11, 2024, to stand for the election to become the new leader of Alberta’s New Democratic Party (NDP) is a significant development. His decision has sparked a wave of anticipation across the province. Nenshi is up against Kathleen Ganley, Sarah Hoffman, Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse and Gil McGowan to replace Rachel Notley as Alberta’s NDP leader. Notley, who led the party for a decade and served as the province’s premier from 2015 to 2019, announced in January 2024, eight months after her party lost the provincial elections to the United Conservative Party, that she would be stepping down as the leader of the NDP. She will continue to lead the party until after the June elections, when her successor will be decided.
It is noteworthy that even before Nenshi had declared his interest, a Pollara poll revealed that “One in three (33%) Albertans who say they are likely to buy an NDP membership would be “excited” if Nenshi became the next NDP leader, significantly higher than the 10-to-14% who feel that way about the three declared candidates” [at the time]. The report further highlights that “Feelings towards Nenshi are largely positive province-wide, with about twice as many Albertans feeling positive (41%) rather than negative (22%) at the prospect of him leading the NDP.” This positive sentiment underscores the potential impact of Nenshi’s leadership. His leadership has always been driven by strong values and ethics of building community, integrity and honesty and is founded on human justice and cosmopolitanism.
Since entering the race, Nenshi has graciously praised all the other candidates. Still, he feels he would be the best person to lead the NDP and defeat Premier Danielle Smith in the next provincial election in 2017.
Whether you decide to vote for Naheed Neshi or any other candidate in the June 2024 election, it is crucial that you first become an NDP party member by April 22, 2024. This is the date of the membership deadline for voting eligibility. Your participation is vital in shaping the future of the party. Please click on Nenshi.ca to become a member. As Nenshi urges in his video below, you do not need to pay more than $10.00 at this time, as options are available to submit to membership at higher and more significant amounts.
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Naheed Nenshi’s Important Message to the Ismaili Community
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Naheed Nenshi: Tweets
We live in one of the most amazing places on Earth. It’s time we start talking about what we stand FOR, not what we’re against. For Alberta. For all of us. Join the movement today and purchase your membership at https://t.co/OqpFCojan7. pic.twitter.com/1260AdBpwn
The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) in London, England, was established by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, on December 13, 1977. For more than 45 years, the IIS has sought to promote scholarship and learning on Islam in historical and contemporary contexts and contributed to a better understanding of Islam’s relationship with other societies and faiths.
The Institute has also dedicated a significant amount of time and resources to studying the history of the Ismaili branch of Islam in all its aspects, including its intellectual, scientific, artistic and commercial activities. The Ismaili Imams ruled over vast territories such as the Fatimid Empire in North Africa and Egypt and the Nizari Ismaili state of Iran and Syria during the Alamut period. Under the Fatimid rule, the Ismailis created one of the world’s oldest learning seats, the Al-Azhar University in Cairo; today, the university is a major Sunni institution.
The IIS’s research and publications, led by both Ismaili and non-Ismaili scholars, have had a profound impact over the past 30 years. They have fundamentally reshaped the perception of Ismailis, who, for centuries, were primarily understood through the lens of works by medieval heresiographers and polemicists, who were generally hostile towards Shias and particularly the Ismailis.
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, met with leaders of the Ismailia Association and Ismaili scholars in April 1975 in Paris. A decision was taken at the world conference to establish the Institute of Ismaili Studies. Photo: Ilm magazine, October 1975.
Aside from research papers, scholarly publications and participation in essential conferences worldwide, the IIS has conducted significant programmes such as the Waezeen and Teacher Education Programme (WTEP), the advanced curriculum-planning programme with the University of London’s Institute of Education, the joint IIS-McGill University programme, the Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Islamic Humanities (GPISH), and the Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP). Some eight hundred individuals have graduated from IIS’s educational programmes since the Institute began receiving postgraduate students in 1980.
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Professor Zayn Kassam, the current director of the Institute of Ismaili Studies, presents the inaugural IIS Alumni Recognition Award to Professor Karim H. Karim during the IIS’s 2024 graduation ceremony, March 23, 2024, at the Ismaili Centre in London. Photograph: Farid Daya.
Several IIS alumni have made remarkable achievements in different parts of the world. On March 23, 2024, the IIS had its first ever Alumni Recognition Award at the Ismaili Centre in London, UK, during its 2024 graduation ceremony.
The Award celebrates those who have demonstrated a career of exceptional service and leadership. A panel of senior management and academics from the AKDN and IIS reviewed the nominations for the Award and selected Professsor Karim H. Karim as the recipient of the First Award based on the following primary criteria:
Professional or Academic Accomplishment: Achieved a high degree of prominence and leadership in their respective field, which may or may not be directly relevant to the work of the IIS.
Contributions to Community Service: Distinguished service to their professional or faith community.
Professor Zayn Kassam, the Institute’s current director, presented the inaugural Award to Professor Karim.
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Citation Honouring Karim H. Karim on Being the First Recipient of the IIS’s Alumni Recognition Award
Professor Karim H. Karim holding the first Alumni Recognition Award that was presented to him by the Institute of Ismaili Studies on March 23, 2024, at the Ismaili Centre London. The sculpture was designed by Mohammed Adra (AKDN Geneva) and is inspired by (Late) Karl Schlamminger’s Hepta Globe sculpture, which is placed at the entrance of the Aga Khan Centre in London. Photograph: The Institute of Ismaili Studies via Karim H. Karim.
The citation for the award read as follows:
“Professor Karim has an extensive record of over three decades of scholarship, service, and leadership. His designation as Chancellor’s Professor is the highest honour given by Carleton University for scholarship of outstanding merit with substantial international impact, research leadership and continued active participation in the development of research excellence. Professor Karim has a worldwide reputation as a leading scholar of media representations of Muslims and diasporic communications. He has had visiting appointments at Harvard, Aga Khan, and Simon Fraser universities. Professor Karim has delivered keynote addresses in several countries and his critically acclaimed publications are cited widely. He was the inaugural winner of the Robinson Book Prize and has received media coverage in six continents.
“Dr. Karim has served as Director of Carleton’s renowned School of Journalism and Communication and its Centre for the Study of Islam, respectively. He was also the Institute of Ismaili Studies’ first alumnus to lead it in a directorial capacity. He spearheaded founding initiatives on Accessibility to Digitized Collections and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation as a Senior Policy Officer in the Canadian Government, which endowed him with awards for exceptional public service and for fostering collaboration between ethno-religious communities.
“Karim has an extensive record of international service to academic, community, government, and civil society institutions, including Aga Khan University (Kenya) and Central Asian University; AKDN Higher Education Forum; Canadian Parliamentary Committees and government boards; and Ismaili community organizations (Kenya, USA, and Canada). He has also held an International Ismaili Studies Conference at Carleton University; founded a prize for research in Ismaili Studies’ understudied aspects; and has been a mentor and external Ph.D. examiner for IIS alumni.”
We take this opportunity to congratulate Professor Karim on his accomplishments over the past several decades and on receiving the First Alumni Recognition Award from the Institute of Ismaili Studies. We are proud to have published several of his pieces on our websites (follow the links below).
Below are excerpts from his acceptance speech upon receiving the IIS’s inaugural Alumni Recognition Award.
“Let the Truth Infuse Your Words”
Professor Karim H Karim delivering his remarks on March 23, 2024, at the Ismaili Centre in London upon being presented Inaugural Alumni Recognition from the Institute of Ismaili Studies. Photograph: Institute of Ismaili Studies via Karim H. Karim.
By KARIM H. HARIM March 23, 2024, Ismaili Centre, London
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim.
I would like to thank the Institute of Ismaili Studies for selecting me as the recipient of its inaugural Alumni Recognition Award. This is a profound honour, which takes me back 40 years when I was a student at the IIS. This beautiful building, the Ismaili Centre London, was under construction at that time.
Congratulations to all the GPISH and STEP students who have graduated today. You carry enormous potential and promise. Allow me to speak about an event in my life that underlined the long-term impact that an individual can have. I attended the funeral of Professor Amin Amershi, a mathematician, two weeks ago in Vancouver. He taught me one class as a guest lecturer in a religious class in Nairobi, when I was 12 years old. It was a singular experience that opened my mind and sparked my imagination because his explanations had the ring of truth. I have found it remarkable that I continue to think about his ideas some 55 years later. You, too, have the potential of a long-lasting impact that will span decades and range as far into the future as the 22nd century. Let the truth infuse your words.
As you may know, our tradition adopted the name “Ismaili” in the early 20th century. Prior to that it was called Da’wat al-Haqq — which means Invitation to Truth, Summons to Truth, or Mission of Truth. In India, the Pirs named it Satpanth — Path of Truth or the True Path. Our aspiration is to have truth manifest our worldview and actions. It underpins our ethical outlook.
We are thrown many challenges throughout our lives. We face success, failure, joy, and frustration. The organizations that we work for pressure us to get the job done and we are often tempted to take shortcuts in order to fulfill expectations. But this is where critical thinking, which you have discussed extensively in your studies, becomes pertinent. How does one balance the imperative to get the job done, on the one hand, and remain ethical, on the other? His Highness the Aga Khan, Mowlana Hazar Imam, instructed the community’s leaders at a gathering in the United States in 1986, that “we will ask the hard questions.” Fulfilling your tasks ethically is one of the hard issues that you will face constantly in your careers.
Let the truth infuse your words, your music, your art, and your actions as you go ahead to fulfill your potential and promise.
Date posted: April 17, 2024.
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Featured image at top of post: Professor Zayn Kassam, the current director of the Institute of Ismaili Studies, presents the inauguralIISAlumni Recognition Award to Professor Karim H. Karim during the IIS’s 2024 graduation ceremony, March 23, 2024, at the Ismaili Centre in London. Photograph: Farid Daya.
The following are links to articles by Karim H. Karim published in Simerg and its sister websites:
NOTE:The map of Afghanistan and Prince Rahim Aga Khan’s photograph with the World Bank President are not part of the news release issued by the World Bank.
A grant in the amount of $16 million from the Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund (ARTF) has been approved by the World Bank to support financing for micro and small enterprises in Afghanistan, with a focus on women and women-led businesses.
The project will help revive microfinance providers active in Afghanistan by clearing their balance sheets of old loans that cannot be repaid due to economic conditions arising after August 2021. This will help increase their liquidity so they can provide new financing to micro and small enterprises. The project will also provide technical assistance to the microfinance providers to strengthen the micro-finance sector, digitize business proceses, and train staff to prioritize lending to women and women-led businesses.
“Supporting micro-finance providers in Afghanistan is one of the few viable options at this time to promote access to finance in Afghanistan, especially for women,”said Melinda Good, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan. “This project aims to strengthen the microfinance sector in Afghanistan so that small business owners and women-led businesses can access the credit they need to rebuild their businesses, rebuild their lives, and help revive the private sector.”
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Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank, meet in Washington DC on February 6, 2024. Photograph: The World Bank via The Ismaili. Please read report of the meeting HERE.
The project will also provide business development services that focus on building a pipeline of bankable micro and small enterprises and enterprises that proactively create jobs for women. These services will help women-led small businesses transition from informal savings groups to formal credit channels.
The project will also establish a Credit Viability Fund (CVF), implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation USA’s Office in Afghanistan. The CVF will help eligible micro, small and medium-size enterprises that have benefited from the business development services to access formal financial channels.
“The EMERGe project was developed after extensive stakeholder consultations, including microfinance providers and chambers of commerce, especially those led by women. This helps to ensure it offers solutions to unlock access to finance for small businesses in Afghanistan and to make the flow of donor funds into the sector more sustainable,” said Namoos Zaheer, Senior Financial Sector Specialist and World Bank Task Team Leader for the project. “The vision is to foster and sow seeds for sustainable solutions to support livelihoods, particularly for women.”
Financial inclusion is a persistent challenge in Afghanistan, with nine out of 10 Afghan adults excluded from the financial system — meaning they have no bank account or access to credit or loans. Only 5 percent of Afghan women have some form of financial transaction account, compared to 10 percent of men. This is a tremendous barrier to women’s economic empowerment and their participation in economic life.
The EMERGe project, as with all World Bank and ARTF-supported projects since August 2021, includes specific provisions to ensure that women benefit from project activities.
The project will focus on 15 provinces (Badakhshan, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daikundi, Faryab, Herat, Jowsjan, Kabul, Kunduz, Nangarhar, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e-pol, and Takhar — see map at top of page — Ed.) where the Aga Kkan Foundation is currently working and where microfinance providers are active.
The ARTF grant is provided to the Aga Khan Foundation USA and will be implemented by two implementing partners: The Aga Khan Foundation-Afghanistan and the Afghan Credit Guarantee Foundation (ACGF). The ACGF was established in 2004 and works to enhance access to finance for Afghan micro, small, and medium enterprises by providing credit guarantees and technical assistance.
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