Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

Recent history (19th-21st Century)
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kmaherali
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

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Building a better world

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Kingston University London’s Town House, engineered by Hanif Kara’s AKT II and designed by Grafton Architects, won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2021.

Professor Hanif Kara’s passion for design-led engineering has enabled him to contribute to a wave of innovation in the building and construction industry. He has won numerous honours for his decades of work, including most recently an OBE. In the face of many obstacles, we find out what drives him to keep designing.

Throughout history, buildings and cities have stood as a representation of human society, reflecting the values, triumphs, and eventual fall of civilisations over the course of time. Those who design and build the physical environments in which we live — architects, engineers, and planners — do more than just provide shelter for people to live and work. They envision how our surroundings should look and feel, and by default shape society.

“Architecture has always dealt with the gritty problems of here and now,” says Hanif Kara, who sits at the nexus of these separate yet related realms. “It impacts our lives deeply and daily.”

A civil structural engineer by discipline, with an eye for the broader aspects like aesthetics of architecture, Hanif has been uniquely positioned to make valuable contributions to both disciplines. He defines himself as a ‘design engineer,’ someone who understands both the construction of safe structures and the value of design and form.

His contributions have been recognised at the highest levels. Last month he was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his services to architecture, engineering, and education. How did it feel to receive this honour? “I was overwhelmed with joy,” said Hanif, “and am grateful to all the people that have supported me over the years.”

Being well-respected in his field and beyond, Hanif is no stranger to awards and prizes, but this one was different. “Recognition in one’s own field is one thing,” he says, “but to get national recognition in the three domains of architecture, engineering, and education has deeper meaning so is very satisfying. I hope it inspires others to enter these important fields which affect all our lives.“

A pioneering firm

As design director and co-founder of AKT II, a structural engineering firm based in London, Hanif has collaborated with some of the world’s leading architects — including Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron, Farshid Moussavi, and David Chipperfield — on a number of pioneering projects.

Having been in operation for 25 years now, AKT II has gained a significant international reputation, attracting talent from across the globe. Despite employing 350 staff, Hanif is still actively involved in the various projects the company juggles: “We have mastered a process that keeps me hands-on,” he says.

The team counts approximately 100 current projects at different stages of design or construction — an astonishing amount in any industry. These range from “large residential buildings; cultural projects; headquarters for Google and Apple; laboratories; and so on.”

“Recently, we won the competition to design the Noida Airport in Delhi and just started construction of a National Cathedral in Accra, whilst we are opening the Grand Theatre of Rabat in Morocco in the coming weeks.”

Under his design leadership, the practice has won over 350 design awards, including the RIBA Stirling Prize on four separate occasions.

All this is in addition to teaching at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, where Hanif has served as a Professor in Practice of Architectural Technology for the past 15 years. In their classes, students are taught how to solve the problems facing the built environment today and in the future. In the process, he has been recognised for linking design, research, education, and practice.

These qualities and experiences have come in handy for the Imamat and AKDN projects that Hanif has contributed to, including most recently the Ismaili Center in Houston — which, similar to many of his collaborations, was an international design competition win — and the Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka. Since 2004, he has been involved with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, considered one of the most renowned and prestigious awards of its kind.

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Award-winning design engineer Hanif Kara has contributed to the design and construction work of the Ismaili Center, Houston (left) and the Aga Khan Academy, Dhaka (right).
Aga Khan Award for Architecture

Have his experiences with the Award changed how he engages with architecture? “Absolutely and profoundly so,” Hanif affirms. The Award’s Master Jury and Steering Group members come from a pool of the most talented thought leaders from a variety of disciplines. Being immersed in such circles, one cannot help but be positively influenced and motivated.

“As the first engineer in that environment, I have learnt a lot and re-calibrated what I do in design practice but also what I teach.”

The Award plays an important role in influencing global architectural discourse and promoting innovative solutions to problems faced by many societies. The idea is that advocates go out and spread what the experience has taught them, while the nominated projects themselves are held up as examples for replication.

“I have often reminded colleagues that its 40+ year history has lasted longer than many of the buildings we see around us,” Hanif says. “During this time, it has built a tremendous knowledge bank for the whole world to access like no other.”

This body of knowledge is often accessed by urban planners, practitioners, and teachers when thinking of new projects, policies, and construction methods, with the intention of solving problems and improving the whole architectural process, from initial drawings to completion.

Since its inception, the Aga Khan Award has championed many of the concerns that are now common today, such as sustainability, human scale, climate adaptation, and quality of life. Reflecting on the Award’s impact since he established it in 1977, Mawlana Hazar Imam said in 2001 that, “The Award has become a sophisticated observer of physical change in civil society.”

Building the future

Most would agree that the pace of this change has accelerated since the Award’s most recent cycle in 2019. Like everything else, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the theory and practice of designing buildings and cities. Lockdowns brought inequalities into sharp focus - some were fortunate to have outdoor spaces and multiple rooms to isolate in, while others had to make do with much less.

“On the one hand, we have learnt the importance of architecture through a closer reading of our homes and workplaces,” Hanif says about the pandemic, “but equally, we have more appreciation for the value of nature and the infrastructure that inhabits it.”

Every major pandemic in history has resulted in a large-scale architectural change. Architects and Engineers have begun exploring solutions for post-Covid urban development with multifunctional spaces, open streets, and healthy communities at the centre of their thinking.

This is all while the climate crisis is becoming a more prominent influence on the industry. Those involved in urban planning and construction have the task of converting sustainability from a buzzword into a principle of design.

Yet, times of crises have often brought about change and innovation. So how might cities evolve in the coming decade? “We see a trend away from chasing square footage and size and an attraction to better-designed buildings,” Hanif says.

Both theorists and practitioners are looking at how buildings can work better for humans and the planet, including blurring the line between indoor and outdoor spaces, green roofs, rainwater recycling, solar walls and windows, and so-called ‘smart homes.’

In his professional career, Hanif continues to push the boundaries of what he calls ‘bigger projects:’ researching and practising sustainable construction methods; new computational tools to help design a better world; and using materials in productive ways to make advances in his work. The years ahead sound promising.

“Covid has given us all the time to step back and find new springboards for the future,” he says, “and I am fortunate to be surfing the frontline of that wave.”

https://the.ismaili/global/news/feature ... tter-world
kmaherali
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

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Imtiaz Popat Received British Columbia (Canada) Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Intercultural Trust Award @PopatImtiaz
BY ISMAILIMAIL POSTED ON MARCH 23, 2022

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Awards honour British Columbians standing against hatred

More than 100 people and organizations have been nominated for this year’s B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards for their efforts to fight racism and strengthen diversity.

“Today’s awards honour anti-racism champions from around the province,” said Premier John Horgan. “Through their actions to break down systemic barriers and create more inclusive communities, we see what it means to build a stronger province for everyone. As community leaders, these recipients exemplify the best of British Columbia and I thank them for their outstanding work.”

The B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards are held annually to honour British Columbians for their leadership in promoting multiculturalism and addressing racism. The 2022 ceremony was held virtually.

“I want to acknowledge the hard work and unpaid labour Black, Indigenous and racialized British Columbians take on to fight for systemic change. Thank you for your courage, passion and persistence,” said Rachna Singh, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives. “I am grateful to all of the nominees for their efforts this year, and all of the organizations, individuals and volunteers throughout B.C. who are strengthening our communities by challenging the status quo, supporting those who are victims of hate and fighting against white supremacy.”

The virtual awards ceremony was held on Monday, March 21, 2022, for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, where Singh recognized the contributions of five award recipients in three categories:

Breaking Barriers Awards, recognizing outstanding work in tackling systemic or institutional racism and reducing barriers for marginalized communities:

Aimee Chalifoux (Nanaimo)
Kamloops African Society (Kamloops)
Intercultural Trust Awards, recognizing outstanding work in building intercultural trust and understanding and/or reducing racism and hate between communities:

Imtiaz Popat (Vancouver)
Stand With Asians Coalition (Burnaby)
Emerging Leader Award, recognizing youth and young adults age 15-30 for outstanding work in building intercultural trust, tackling racism or reducing barriers for marginalized communities:

Dr. Rahel Zewude (Vancouver)

More...

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022AG0012-000370
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

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Jamati Member wins Prime Minister’s Excellence Award

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Through her tireless efforts and unwavering commitment, Nadia Iqbal from Zulfiqarabad in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) sets a remarkable example for the women of our Jamat through her contributions in the field of IT. Her hard work paid off as she was honored by an Excellence award presented by Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan.

“Freelancing in Gilgit was a challenge for everyone when I started working in 2017. The internet speed and power outages in GB were two main issues. Not just this, but also managing two children, along with work posed great challenges, which I met with utmost determination and devotion.” Nadia Iqbal.

She gives us the message of perseverance and resilience in the face of every challenge and is ready to prove her mettle in the field of freelancing.

Nadia tackled every obstacle with poise, dignity, and grace due to the support she received from her husband and family members. She recalls her journey of being an aspiring freelancer in the field of web development and mobile development. Bidding for projects was a challenge at an initial stage, which she mastered with time.

She started her career as a teacher. She developed an interest in freelancing when she saw her students enhancing their skills in online work. Today, Nadia runs her own company, Alphalogix’s, and employs a team of eight freelancers who are experts in their own fields.

Nadia was invited to the 100 Freelancers Convention in Bhurban, which was graced by 100 freelancers from across the country. She outshined everyone and her short interview from the convention went viral on social media where she stated, “E-commerce is a whole new world. Make it a part of your life. Follow influencers and those making a difference in your field”. Nadia believes that freelancing is suitable for both men and women who want to balance their home errands and work. She suggests investing in online learning platforms like Udemy, Plural site, and other platforms, which have a lot of content for professionals from every field of work and specialisation. After that Convention, she won the Prime Minister’s Excellence Award.

Developing written and verbal communication skills is another area she envisions important for career progression, not just freelancing but in any industry. “Communication skills can be developed from reading relevant content and from following professionals in your field on YouTube and other media channels,” she adds. Nadia’s story e exemplifies a woman’s devotion to juggling between her family and work, by maintaining the fair balance that both areas deserve for one’s personal and professional growth.

More photos:

https://the.ismaili/pakistan/news/ismai ... ence-award
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

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Sheherazade Hirji, Former Resident Representative, Aga Khan Development Network Afghanistan, Appointed to Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector
BY ISMAILIMAIL POSTED ON APRIL 7, 2022

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New members appointed to the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector
From: Canada Revenue Agency

News release
April 5, 2022 Ottawa, Ontario Canada Revenue Agency

Charities play a key role in our society by providing valuable information and services to Canadians, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that charities have a regulatory environment that supports the important work they do.

Today, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, announced the appointment of nine new members to the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector (ACCS).

The following incoming members begin their two-year terms with the committee on May 1, 2022:

Christian Bolduc – President & CEO, BNP Performance, LL.B, ASC, C.Dir., CFRE
Owen Charters – President & CEO, BGC Canada (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs)
Dr. Anver Emon – Canada Research Chair in Islamic Law and History, and Director of the Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Toronto
Sheherazade Hirji – Former Resident Representative, Aga Khan Development Network, Afghanistan
Jean-Marc Mangin – President & CEO, Philanthropic Foundations Canada
Sarah Midanik – President & CEO, The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF)
Martha Rans – Founder & Legal Director, Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society (PLEOS)
Tanya Rumble – Director of Development, Ryerson University
Bob Wyatt – Executive Director, Muttart Foundation
The incoming members will join six current ACCS members, whose terms are ongoing. Please visit the ACCS web page to view the full membership and their biographies.

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kmaherali
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

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Salimah Janmohamed honoured with Queen’s Counsel designation @courtdoc @andrew_leach
BY ISMAILIMAIL POSTED ON APRIL 8, 2022

The Alberta Government (Canada) honoured 144 lawyers from across the province with the title of Queen’s Counsel. It is tradition to appoint lawyers as Queen’s Counsel who have made particular contributions to the legal profession or public life. The Lieutenant Governor in Council makes these appointments under authority of the Queen’s Counsel Act. Salima Janmohamed has been honoured with the queen’s Counsel designation.

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Salima Janmohamed. Image: SFJ Law

“The appointees receiving the Queen’s Counsel designation this year help set the standard for service to Albertans through our justice system. Their hard work is vital to providing essential legal services that make a difference in the lives of so many in our province, and it is a pleasure to grant them this well-deserved honour.”
Alberta Justice Minister Tyler Shandro
Source: David Opinko, Lethbridge News https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2022/04/0 ... ointments/

Salimah F. Janmohamed is a barrister & solicitor with extensive corporate and banking law experience gained from working at an international law firm in the city. Building on her big firm corporate and banking experience and with her passion for dispute resolution, she founded SFJ LAW, with a view of providing value-added quality services to her clientele. More about Janmohamed at SFJ Law.

Names of all Alberta appointees for 2022 can be found here https://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Ord ... 2_093.html. More information at Queen’s Counsel https://www.alberta.ca/queens-counsel.aspx.

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Afzal Huda nominated for The Webby Awards
BY ISMAILIMAIL POSTED ON APRIL 8, 2022

The Webby Awards, established in 1996, are presented annually to honour excellence on the Internet. These awards are presented annually by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences https://www.iadas.net/ , which comprises Executive Members (leading Internet experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries, and creative celebrities) and Associate Members (former Webby winners, nominees, and other Internet professionals).

More about The Webby Awards here https://www.webbyawards.com/about/ .

Afzal Huda of Toronto, Canada, has been nominated for the 2022 Webby Award. Huda is a Canadian-born South Asian writer, photographer, and a filmmaker, whose work has been featured in The New York Times. More about Huda here. His blog: The Unapologetic Traveler

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ismailimail.blog/2022/04/08/afzal-huda-nominated-for-the-webby-awards/
kmaherali
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Zahir Dharsee Appointment

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Zahir Dharsee Appointed to Consumer Advisory Panel of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario, Canada
BY ISMAILIMAIL POSTED ON APRIL 14, 2022

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) aims to protect public interest, and safeguard public confidence and trust in financial services in Ontario, Canada. The Consumer Advisory Panel is an important part of delivering on this commitment. The Panel provides a consumer perspective on proposed FSRA policy changes and advises FSRA’s Consumer Office in serving as the voice of the consumer within FSRA.

Zahir Dharsee of Toronto has been appointed to Consumer Advisory Panel of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario.

The Panel provides input and helps to inform FSRA’s strategic approach and related activities, including consumer-based research, policy support and consumer outreach. It helps ensure that the perspectives of consumers (including pension beneficiaries, credit union members and the general public) inform our direction and decisions, a key priority for FSRA.

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Zahir Dharsee. Photo provided by contributer

Mr. Dharsee was a Manager in the Supervision and Regulation Group with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) Canada. He has over 30 years of extensive knowledge and experience in supervision and conducting risk based examinations of various financial institutions regulated by OSFI.

He started his career in the Federal Public Service with the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. He has a BA (Economics and History) from York University, Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance) from the University of Windsor. He is a Chartered Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in history at York University.

More at FSRA Website https://www.fsrao.ca/consumers/consumer ... f674192225

/ismailimail.blog/2022/04/14/zahir-dharsee-appointed-to-consumer-advisory-panel-of-the-financial-services-regulatory-authority-of-ontario-canada/
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Refugee family makes $1 million gift to UNHCR as they commemorate their 50 years in Canada

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Signing ceremony with (from left to right) Rema Jamous-Imseis, Representative in Canada, UNHCR; Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees; Nimi Nanji-Simard, Director, Nanji Family Foundation; Dominique Hyde, Director of Division of External Relations, UNHCR; Pyarali Nanji, President, Nanji Family Foundation; and Alex Tom, Head of Private Sector Partnerships in Canada, UNHCR.
© UNHCR/Valerie Agawin

Nanji Family Foundation commemorates 50th anniversary of South Asian exile from Uganda by providing over 50 young refugees with tertiary scholarships through UNHCR’s Aiming Higher campaign.
TORONTO – The Nanji Family Foundation is granting funds to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, for tertiary education scholarships in support of its Aiming Higher campaign. This generous financial contribution will help provide sorely needed financial support to refugees pursuing higher education by funding scholarships for health-related university studies in their countries of asylum.

Launched in December 2020 to coincide with UNHCR’s 70th anniversary, Aiming Higher strives to widen access to secondary and higher education for refugees, a goal and vision which lies at the heart of both the Global Compact for Refugees and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In 1972, Pyarali Nanji, his wife, Gulshan, and their four children were among thousands exiled from Uganda. Stripped of their citizenship and assets, they were declared stateless. The family found sanctuary in Canada, first arriving in Montreal and later settling in Toronto.

The Nanji family has remained steadfastly determined and committed to giving back generously to the country that welcomed them, making a point to give equal support to causes both within Canada and internationally. As such, the Aiming Higher campaign serves to fulfill a long-held aspiration on behalf of the foundation to help support the advancement and empowerment of refugees through the pursuit of higher learning.

The hope is that this gift will encourage others to similarly support opportunities for young people facing forced displacement. There is a life cycle to the experience of giving back as a former refugee. First, you give back to your community, then to your country and ultimately globally – because that too is family. When possible, people give in stages and their ability expands over time.

Aiming Higher is seeking private sector support to bridge the funding gap of UNHCR’s refugee tertiary scholarship program (DAFI) and help expand opportunities. The program offers qualified refugee and returnee students the possibility of earning an undergraduate degree in their country of asylum, or home country.

“In my life I have learned something, that if God gives you opportunity, try to share it. First of all, you have to make sure that you are taking care of your family, your community, and then the whole country. So, I thought we have to pay back to the country, and the world… and for more than 20 years we have been doing this.” – Mr. Nanji

“It is beautiful what you said about giving back, and even more so, giving opportunity… You can be assured that we will spend it well, this donation. We will spend it to give people opportunities. And maybe in life there is a chain, that people suffer and go through exile and deprivation, and then if they have opportunities, they can give back. And the cycle continues if everybody does what you did.” – Mr. Grandi

With this grant of scholarships to over 50 young refugees in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of South Asian exile from Uganda, the Nanji family is hopeful that others in the community and beyond will feel inspired to support higher education for refugees. For more information, please visit https:/www.unhcr.ca/aiminghigher

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Pyarali Nanji of the Nanji Family Foundation and Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees sign the grant agreement in support of Aiming Higher.
© UNHCR/Valerie Agawin

https://www.unhcr.ca/news/refugee-famil ... in-canada/
kmaherali
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Welcoming Residents – YWCA Moiz and Nadia Place

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[img]https://ywcavan.org/sites/default/files ... FRuhTj[img]

YWCA Metro Vancouver is thrilled to have recently opened the doors and welcomed residents to YWCA Moiz and Nadia Place in Richmond.

These 27 new homes are a reality thanks to the generous support of our donors. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to Moiz and Nadia Lalani for their generous leadership gift towards this critical new project.

Lisa Rupert, VP of Housing and Violence Prevention, recognizes the need for new homes across Metro Vancouver. “With costs skyrocketing and the housing crisis impacting so many, having access to affordable homes is a critical step for women on their journey to safety and independence,” she said. “Expanding our housing is one of the most effective ways we can create lasting change in people’s lives.”

For the first time at a YWCA housing community, studio and one-bedroom units will also be available alongside two- and three-bedroom units. In addition to serving single mothers and their children, we will be offering housing for single women without dependents, prioritizing those who are fleeing violence from an intimate partner, women aged 55+ and those who wish to stay in the community.

YWCA Moiz and Nadia Place is close to Richmond Centre, grocery stores, Richmond Public Library, Richmond General Hospital, schools, play areas and plenty of green spaces. Residents will also have full access to all building amenities within the four-tower complex. The building itself is home to an incredible six-storey high public art piece called “Sea to Sky” by Musqueam artist Thomas Cannell.

We appreciate all of our donors, with special recognition to the Government of Canada – Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Government of BC – BC Housing and the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy program.

“When I made the decision to empower myself and leave a bad situation, I lost a lot of people, but I have gained the amazing support of many here at the YWCA. I am grateful and lucky to be part of a circle of strong women here who have made my transition here so much smoother. You will always be remembered for being the reason I was able to find a safe haven for my son and I.”

-Resident of YWCA Moiz and Nadia Place

https://ywcavan.org/blog/2022/04/ywca-h ... pring-2022
kmaherali
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Feature Film: Canada, Our Home

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Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6yaY69VD5I

YAM!
“Canada, Our Home” is a feature film which encapsulates the history of our settlement in Canada. It features a number of leaders including all past Presidents. It is very well made and worth watching as we approach the 50th anniversary of our settlement in Canada.
kmaherali
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BOOK: MEMORIES of a UGANDAN REFUGEE

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Encounters of Hope From Kampala to Vancouver

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Forced to flee from one’s homeland with only a few suitcases, most would be bitter. However, Memories of a Ugandan Refugee is a story of gratitude for a country that opened its arms to those needing a safe harbour. Within its pages, Jalal Jaffer tells his story of growing up in Uganda and his dangerous escape from his country with his wife, Shamshad, when they and thousands of other Asians are forcibly expelled by Idi Amin in 1972. Feeling blessed with the “warm embrace” offered them in Canada, Jalal and his wife quickly adapt to their new country and eventually settle in Vancouver...


Buy Your Copy of the Book https://www.jalaljaffer.com/book.html

Read Reviews https://www.jalaljaffer.com/bookreviews.html
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Salimah Mussani promoted to Women’s Head Coach of Team Canada

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Golf Canada announced today that Salimah Mussani has been promoted from Assistant Coach and named as Women’s Head Coach for Team Canada. Mussani will oversee the development of Canada’s top female amateur and professional golfers with the objective of increasing the number of Canadian players on the LPGA Tour.

“I am extremely honoured and grateful to have this opportunity to lead our women’s program into this next phase,” said Mussani. “Having the opportunity to help our country’s top female golfers achieve their dreams and succeed is a blessing. “I am looking forward to working together with everyone who is involved in the development of our players on their journey to the LPGA Tour.”

Mussani assumes the Women’s Head Coach position after serving as Assistant Coach under Tristan Mullally, who transitioned into the role of National Talent Identification Director as part of Golf Canada’s enhancement to its player development program.

“Salimah’s exceptional impact on the players in our women’s program has been evident since the day she joined the Team Canada coaching staff,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer, Kevin Blue. “Her background as an elite player, instructor, and college coach – complemented by superb communication and interpersonal skills – has prepared her very well for the multidimensional responsibilities that are part of being a national head coach.”

A two-time Ontario Junior champion and two-time Canadian Junior champion, Mussani brings a wealth of competitive experience having been a key member of a NCAA runner-up golf team at Stanford University before competing as a professional on the Epson and LPGA Tours, as well as the (former) Canadian Women’s Tour. Mussani is a former PGA of Canada Women’s champion and winner on the Epson Tour and (former) Canadian Women’s Tour. Mussani has held assistant coaching roles with Stanford University, University of British Columbia, and Team Canada. Originally from Burlington, Ont., Mussani is a PGA of Canada class “A” professional who now resides in Vancouver.

Jennifer Greggain of Chilliwack, B.C. joins Mussani on the coaching staff of Team Canada as a full-time Associate Coach, transitioning from her current role as Assistant Coach for the National Junior Squad. A former LPGA Tour player with 22 years of professional golf experience, Greggain previously served as a Provincial Coach for British Columbia Golf and as the Assistant Coach for Team Canada.

“I am incredibly excited to work alongside Salimah as we lead our women’s program into the future. We are both very passionate about Canadian women’s golf and feel well-prepared to help Canada pursue its player development goals,” said Greggain.

Mussani and Greggain will support an expanded women’s roster of Team Canada athletes that includes eight players on the Amateur Squad as well as five players on the Young Pro Squad.

“We are excited about the leadership that Salimah and Jennifer will provide for our women’s program. In addition to enhancing the performance of Canada’s best amateur and professional players, they will create a supportive and communicative culture that prioritizes overall wellbeing for our Canadian women during their journeys to the LPGA tour,” said Golf Canada High Performance Manager Emily Phoenix.

Golf Canada’s High-Performance program builds on the support that Canadian athletes have received in their development years from their family, member clubs, personal coaches, university programs and provincial golf associations. In addition to Golf Canada Foundation and the generosity from the major donor Trustee program, Golf Canada’s High-Performance Program and Team Canada are proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific, Audi, Titleist, FootJoy, COBRA PUMA GOLF, Foresight Sports, Heritage Canada, Bear Mountain Resort, Citi Canada (Young Pro) and the Canadian Olympic Committee.

https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/sali ... am-canada/
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Dr. Naheed Dosani Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

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For his relentless advocacy for health justice, his trailblazing achievements in delivering community-based hospice palliative care, and for his ongoing commitment to humanitarian efforts, the university proudly confers upon Dr. Naheed Dosani the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.

As a palliative care physician and health justice activist at the Inner City Health Associates, Kensington Health and St. Michael’s Hospital at Unity Health Toronto, he also holds faculty appointments at the University of Toronto as Assistant Professor and McMaster University as Assistant Clinical Professor.

Dr. Dosani is passionate about advancing equitable access to health care for people experiencing structural vulnerabilities like poverty, homelessness and substance abuse. He is the founder and lead physician of Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) in Toronto. PEACH brings together housing officials, mental health professionals and health-care providers to plan an individual’s care while recognizing, but not judging, a person’s circumstances. The PEACH care model has inspired similar programs in cities across the continent, including the development of Journey Home Hospice in 2018, Toronto’s first hospice for people experiencing homelessness.

Dr. Dosani’s leadership efforts include serving as Medical Director for the Region of Peel’s COVID-19 Isolation/Homeless Program and his appointment as the Health Equity Lead at Kensington Health in Toronto. He is co-founder of Doctors for Defunding Police, and Doctors for Justice in Long-Term Care.

His research interests include improving care models for people experiencing homelessness and improving access to palliative care for culturally diverse communities. He brings attention to the correlation between health and a wide range of social issues through social media, public speaking and national media.

Dr. Dosani has received many prestigious honours for his trailblazing work, including the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Cross for Humanitarianism in 2018, a humanitarian award from the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians in 2019, the Early Career Leader award from the Canadian Medical Association in 2020 and recognition as a ‘ChangeMaker’ by the Toronto Star in 2021.

Dr. Dosani is one of Ontario Tech University’s earliest graduates (2008). He went on to pursue his Doctor of Medicine at McMaster University where his exceptional academic record earned him several scholarships. He later established the Dr. Naheed Dosani Entrance Scholarship, awarded annually to an Ontario Tech University student who demonstrates the impact of involvement and personal growth through humanitarian action. He was the 2021 recipient of the Ontario Tech Alumni Association’s Philanthropic Award.

https://ontariotechu.ca/convocation/abo ... dosani.php
swamidada
Posts: 1436
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

Post by swamidada »

Associated Press

Pakistani mountaineer Samina Baig flashes a victory sign while she poses for a photograph outside a hotel, in Skardu, Pakistan, on June 17, 2021. Baig from Pakistan and another from Iran appear to be the first females from their countries to reach the top of K2, one of the world's highest and most dangerous summits, a mountaineering official said Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/M.Z. Balti) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
MUNIR AHMED
Fri, July 22, 2022 at 3:38 AM
ISLAMABAD (AP) — A woman from Pakistan and another from Iran appeared to be the first from their countries to scale K2 on Friday, the world's second-highest mountain and one of the most dangerous summits, a mountaineering official said. A second Pakistani woman scaled the summit minutes later.

Samina Baig, a 32-year-old from a remote northern village in Pakistan, was the first to hoist her country's green and white flag atop the peak of the 28,250 foot-high (8,610 meter) K2.

Iran's Afsaneh Hesamifard followed shortly after and was hailed for her achievement in Farsi-language posts on social media. According to Iranian media, she became only the third woman to scale Mount Everest in May.

The two were among several women to successfully reach K2's peak on Friday, according to Karrar Haidri, chief officer of the Pakistan Alpine Club, which helps coordinate the climbs from the government side and responds in the event of an emergency.

Haidri said a second Pakistani female climber, Naila Kiyani, was among the team of women to reach the top of K2 but it appears that Baig had scaled the summit a few minutes earlier.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif congratulated both Pakistani women, saying they proved that women were not behind men in the sports of mountain climbing. The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan congratulated the Pakistani women on Twitter while the Iranian diplomatic mission in Pakistan tweeted congratulations to Hesamifard.

K2, on the Chinese-Pakistani border in the Karakorum Range, has one of the deadliest records, with most climbers dying on the descent, where the slightest mistake can trigger an avalanche and become fatal. Only a few hundred have successfully reached its summit. In contrast, Mount Everest has been summited more than 9,000 times.

Separately, Haidri said Afghan climber, Ali Akbar Sakki, died on Thursday due to a heart attack while attempting to scale K2. He was part of the team of climbers who reached its summit Friday.

Considered extremely difficult to climb, K2 is not only the second-highest mountain after Mount Everest, its ascent and descent are considered much more challenging that the world's highest.

K2 is also the coldest and windiest of climbs. At places along the route, climbers must navigate nearly sheer rock faces rising 80 degrees, while avoiding frequent and unpredictable avalanches.

The latest record comes a day after Nepalese climber Sanu Sherpa set a new mountaineering record for twice reaching the peak of each of the world's 14 highest mountains.

Earlier this month, Pakistan's military airlifted two Pakistani climbers, including the man who became the youngest to scale K2 to safety after the pair went missing during an expedition scaling Nanga Parbat, known as “Killer Mountain” because of its dangerous conditions.

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/wo ... 20269.html
kmaherali
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An immigrant from Uganda now owns one of Canada’s largest auto dealerships

Post by kmaherali »

When Jim Jiwani started in the auto industry, he couldn’t get a paying job, but he’s climbed his way to the top of the ladder.

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For someone who grew up with modest means in Uganda and came to Canada almost 50 years ago with nothing, Jim Jiwani now owns several car dealerships — including one in Canada’s biggest shopping centre.

It’s been an incredible journey for the 68-year-old, highlighted by last fall’s opening of West Edmonton Mall Toyota. The sprawling 150,000-square-foot dealership includes a showroom, lounge, detailing centre and service area. The dealership fits in with the atmosphere at the Edmonton mall, which is also home to a massive wave pool, theme park, aquarium, hotel and casino.

“I didn’t think Toyota would agree to (the location) because it’s never been done in the world with a full-size dealership,” said Jiwani, who owns two dealerships in Edmonton, two in Calgary and three in the Greater Toronto Area under the Prestige Auto Group banner.

“We put everything on paper looking at all the pros and cons and felt this might be the way to go,” he said. “It would be a good challenge for us as well because this is a very unique mall, not like other malls because of (all the attractions).”

Facing challenges in something Jiwani knows well. He has overcome prejudice in his automotive career, which began as a mechanic, and doubts about some of his business plans.

“I love cars and coming to work and working with people,” said Jiwani, who also holds business interests in hotels and airport parking lots. “There’s always something new and exciting happening with car dealerships.”

Jiwani’s parents immigrated to Uganda from India to take advantage of business opportunities in Africa. Growing up, Jiwani was enthusiastic about rally cars and aircraft. Following high school, he moved to the U.K., where he hoped to join the Royal Air Force. While Uganda was a British colony, Jiwani was not considered a citizen so he couldn’t enlist.

Instead, he attended a technical college about an hour outside off London where he studied auto mechanics. As part of his course, he had to complete a work placement, but was always rejected.

“I felt it was because I was a foreigner from Africa and ‘What does he know about cars,’” Jiwani said. He finally found a place that would take him, but only after he offered to work for free. He rented a room in a house but didn’t have enough money to pay for heat or hot water. He often didn’t have money to pay for public transportation and would walk to work.

As difficult as life was in England, there was no turning back. In 1972, a year after he left home, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin ordered all Asians out of the country and gave them only 90 days notice. His family moved to Canada and settled in Vancouver.

Jiwani followed them to British Columbia two years later after he finished school. He found work at a small Fiat dealership where he had to repair cars outside, before finding a better job in Abbotsford. When his family moved to Winnipeg in 1976, he followed them and worked at a Honda dealership.

He married during this time and moved with his wife to Calgary. After 12 years working at a Honda dealership there, Jiwani and his brother-in-law decided to buy the business. He didn’t have the money, but he liquidated his assets, borrowed from family members and received backing from a venture capital group in the Muslim community.

The business became so successful that Toyota approached them with the opportunity to own another dealership. Located in Edmonton, it also became so success, and was expanded twice. Jiwani and his brother-in-law eventually decided to divide the dealerships.

About three years ago, Jiwani — who kept the Edmonton Toyota dealership — and David Friesen, its general manager and managing partner, needed to decide whether to renovate the business or move it to a new location. After considering various sites, they became interested in the West Edmonton Mall.

“When we came up with the concept of moving, it was Jim that was either going to kill it or love it,” Friesen said. “Ultimately it was Jim that said, ‘Yes, let’s go with this idea and see if we can make it work.’”

Still, the idea required the consent of Larry Hutchinson, the president and CEO of Toyota Canada.

“Jim bounced the idea off me relatively early in the process and it led to some interesting discussions,” Hutchinson said. “The deeper they got into it, the more the opportunity at that location became obvious.

“At the time there was a lot of discussion about shopping malls and the future of them, but the West Edmonton Mall is a unique thing. It’s an entertainment place as much as anything,” he said.

Opening the new location took three years, including the mall moving some existing tenants to create additional space for the dealership. The COVID-19 pandemic also slowed the process.

“It put a damper in the whole process, but we were able to get it all done,” Jiwani said. “People see the cars (in the mall’s atrium) and then they walk into the dealership. Most of these people had no intention of coming in.

“Most of the people are curious about cars because they like them,” he said. “A lot of them want to see the service department and all that, and then they are completely blown away at how massive and big and clean it is.”

Hutchinson said the West Edmonton Mall Toyota is a good example of why Jiwani has become successful. “I think it encapsulates a lot of what he’s done,” he said. “I think this is just an example of his method of success; well thought out with a pretty organized approach but entrepreneurial. Don’t get me wrong. He’s a lot of fun to be around, too.”

https://www.thestar.com/autos/2022/07/2 ... adder.html
kmaherali
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Ismaili Mountaineers from Pakistan Conquer K2, World’s Second Highest Mountain

Post by kmaherali »

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This summer, more than 100 mountaineers set a record by conquering the world’s second highest mountain, K2 in the early morning hours of July 22, 2022. Amongst them, nine brave Ismaili mountaineers completed their summit and set new records for Pakistan.

31-year-old Samina Baig, hailing from Shimshal Valley of Hunza, set a record of being the first female Pakistani mountaineer to scale K2. In 2013, she conquered Mount Everest, the world's highest peak. After this feat, Samina has become the first Pakistani woman to summit both the highest and second highest mountains in the world. She also holds the record for scaling the seven highest summits located on the seven continents. Hailing from Shimshal, a remote village in Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, Samina started her mountaineering career at the age of 15. She was the first person to have ascended Chaskin Sar Peak at 6,000 m, which was later named after her. In February 2018, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) also named Samina Baig Pakistan's National Goodwill Ambassador.

"K2 is the king of mountains. We all have dreams and aspire to achieve, and many in the middle give up. My two failed attempts never discouraged me. I always believed I would one day achieve my dream project, K2. Allah helped me in achieving it." - Samina Baig.

Sirbaz Khan, another Ismaili mountaineer from Pakistan, holds a record for scaling eleven out of the fourteen highest peaks in the world after reaching the top of the fifth highest peak, Mount Makalu (8,485m), in June 2022. It is the second time he has summited K2 which he initially conquered in 2018. He also holds the title of becoming the first Pakistan citizen to summit Mount Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest mountain at 8,516m in Nepal, without supplementary oxygen. Earlier this year, he climbed Anapurna (8,091m), Everest (8,848m) and Gasherbrum II (8,035m). Sirbaz started his mountaineering career in 2016. He volunteers with the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board and has served as a master trainer for climbing and mountaineering.

A team of mountaineers all from Shimshal, Hunza, including Ahmed Baig, Bulbul Karim, and Rizwan Dad, and two brothers - Eid Mohammad and Waqar Ali climbed together along with Samina Baig as part of an expedition. This is the first time that two brothers have summitted K2 together. In separate expeditions, Sirbaz Khan and Sohail Sakhi, both from Aliabad, Hunza, climbed K2, while Shah Daulat from Shimshal, Hunza, achieved this milestone as part of a thirteen-member expedition team from Nepal. For mountaineers other than Samina and Sirbaz, this was their first major milestone in their mountaineering careers.

Known as a savage mountain, K2 sits on the Pakistan-China border at a height of 8,611 m. Through gruelling conditions, the mountaineers faced challenges with a positive outlook and camaraderie.

https://the.ismaili/pakistan/news/ismai ... nd-highest
kmaherali
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50th anniversary of the Ugandan Asian resettlement

Post by kmaherali »

Statement by the Prime Minister on the 50th anniversary of the Ugandan Asian resettlement

August 4, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the 50th anniversary of the Ugandan Asian resettlement:

“Fifty years ago, Canada welcomed more than 7,000 South Asians expelled from Uganda as part of an international resettlement effort. Today, we honour the resilience, strength, and courage of Ugandans of South Asian descent and reflect on the many important contributions they have made – and continue to make – to Canadian communities across the country.

“On August 4, 1972, the Ugandan President Idi Amin Dada ordered all South Asians to leave Uganda within 90 days. This appalling decision reflected severe anti-South Asian discrimination and led to the rapid and brutal expulsion of tens of thousands of people – many were stripped of their Ugandan citizenship and effectively left stateless.

“In the face of this humanitarian crisis, Canada acted swiftly and accepted to take in over 4,400 South Asian Ugandans, and thousands more followed later. The government sent immigration officers to Uganda to help with processing, and Ugandans of South Asian descent started arriving in Canada the following month. After a 19-hour flight, the first group of South Asian Ugandans landed at the Longue-Pointe detachment of Canadian Forces Base Montreal, where they were provided hot food, warm clothing, and a new country to call home.

“In the five decades since, South Asian Ugandans have become a vibrant part of Canada’s social and economic fabric. Their many important contributions have made our country stronger, more diverse, and more inclusive.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I encourage all Canadians to learn more about the expulsion and resettlement of South Asian Ugandans in Canada and beyond. Canada will continue to honour our longstanding tradition of protecting those fleeing conflict and persecution – no matter who they are and where they are from.”

https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/202 ... settlement
kmaherali
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NAIT welcomes new chair and members to board of governors

Post by kmaherali »

Published on August 15, 2022
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Accomplished entrepreneur and IT professional Yasmin Jivraj brings over 30 years of technology and business leadership to her new role as chair of NAIT’s Board of Governors. Jivraj’s chair appointment begins on August 15, 2022.

An innovative leader with a history of award-winning accomplishments in the information and communications technology sector, Jivraj began her career creating business software applications for private and public sector organizations before becoming a successful entrepreneur. Jivraj co-founded Atlas Systems Group in 1988, which then merged with CompCanada to become Acrodex, where she assumed the role of president until the company was sold in 2015. Under her strategic leadership, Acrodex extended across Canada and emerged as a leading provider of enterprise-wide IT solutions. Jivraj now co-owns Dexcent – an industrial automation engineering consulting company – and serves as a board member providing executive guidance and strategically contributing to the company’s overall business direction.

Throughout her career, Jivraj has served on numerous boards. She currently sits on the boards for Alberta Blue Cross and Alberta Foundation of the Arts and has been a NAIT board member since 2017. Jivraj was awarded a NAIT Honorary Bachelor of Technology degree in 2011 for her contributions to the advancement of the IT industry in Canada.

NAIT also welcomes Jason Pincock to the Board of Governors for a three-year term starting August 15, 2022. Pincock is currently the Chief Executive Officer for DynaLIFE Medical Labs.

With Jivraj’s chair appointment, NAIT says goodbye to chair and long-time board member, Ray Pisani. Pisani joined NAIT’s Board of Governors in 2013 and was appointed chair in 2019. He was a strong guiding hand through budget reductions and the pandemic. He helped welcome NAIT’s current president and CEO, Laura Jo Gunter, and provided valuable input on the Minister of Advanced Education’s Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs strategy.

Quotes
“On behalf of NAIT, I am pleased to welcome Yasmin as the new board chair. As a member of NAIT’s Board of Governors for the past five years, Yasmin has a deep understanding of our polytechnic’s vision. Her board experience, paired with her in-depth knowledge in a broad range of technologies and business models, make her a great fit for this role. I am confident that the board is in good hands with Yasmin and look forward to working with her to deepen our impact on learners, their careers and the industries we support.” - Laura Jo Gunter, NAIT President and CEO on new NAIT board chair, Yasmin Jivraj


“I’m very honoured and excited to be NAIT’s next Board of Governors chair. Post-secondary education shapes industries and fuels the economy, and I have seen first-hand the role NAIT has played in this by producing exceptional talent and critical innovation. I look forward to working with the board and NAIT leadership as we look toward the future of education and industry, transforming our polytechnic approach to continue to fuel the workforce and economy as we have for the past 60 years.” - Yasmin Jivraj, NAIT Board of Governors Chair


“We are so grateful for Ray’s many years of service to NAIT. As one of our strongest supporters, he was a dedicated and active board member, and his strong governance perspective earned him the board’s respect and admiration as board chair. We can’t thank him enough for his years of leadership.” - Laura Jo Gunter, NAIT President and CEO on former NAIT board chair, Ray Pisani

About NAIT
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a leading Canadian polytechnic, delivering education in science, technology and the environment; business; health and skilled trades. With over 34,000 credit and non-credit students and a 98 per cent employer satisfaction rate, NAIT grads help fuel the economic engine of the province. NAIT also contributes to Alberta's prosperity by helping businesses and communities become more competitive through industry-driven research and corporate training. Recognized as one of Alberta's top employers, NAIT provides outstanding returns on investment for its graduates, industry partners, the provincial government and the people of Alberta.

Media inquiries
Nicole Graham
NAIT Media Relations
C 780.916.8307 E media@nait.ca
kmaherali
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Gifts from Amin: Ugandan Asian Refugees in Canada (Studies in Immigration and Culture, 18)

Post by kmaherali »

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Pre-order Price Guarantee. Details

In August 1972, military leader and despot Idi Amin expelled Asian Ugandans from the country, professing to return control of the economy to “Ugandan citizens.” Within ninety days, 50,000 Ugandans of South Asian descent were forced to leave and seek asylum elsewhere; nearly 8,000 resettled in Canada. This major migration event marked the first time Canada accepted a large group of predominantly Muslim, non-European, non-white refugees. Shezan Muhammedi’s Gifts from Amin documents how these women, children, and men―including doctors, engineers, business leaders, and members of Muhammedi’s own family―responded to the threat in Uganda and rebuilt their lives in Canada. Building on extensive archival research and oral histories, Muhammedi provides a nuanced case study on the relationship between public policy, refugee resettlement, and assimilation tactics in the twentieth century. He demonstrates how displaced peoples adeptly maintain multiple regional, ethnic, and religious identities while negotiating new citizenship. Not passive recipients of international aid, Ugandan Asian refugees navigated various bureaucratic processes to secure safe passage to Canada, applied for family reunification, and made concerted efforts to integrate into―and give back to―Canadian society, all the while reshaping Canada’s refugee policies in ways still evident today. As the numbers of forcibly displaced people around the world continue to rise, Muhammedi’s analysis of policymaking and refugee experience is eminently relevant. The first major oral history project dedicated to the stories of Ugandan Asian refugees in Canada, Gifts from Amin explores the historical context of their expulsion from Uganda, the multiple motivations behind Canada’s decision to admit them, and their resilience over the past fifty years.

https://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Amin-Ugand ... 0887552838
kmaherali
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Shining Stars - Sarfaraz and Deedar represent Pakistan at International Level

Post by kmaherali »

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Sepak Takraw, a unique sport, also known as kick volleyball, is a team sport, played with a ball made of rattan or synthetic plastic, between two teams of two to four players on a court, resembling a badminton court. Unlike volleyball, in Sepak Takraw, players are not allowed to use their hands to play with the ball and are required to use their feet, head, knees and chest to volley the ball. An emerging sport in Pakistan, Sarfaraz Rehman and Deedar Rani Durdana Khan represented Pakistan at the King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship in Thailand.

Sarfaraz Rehman

31-year-old Sarfaraz Rehman from Karachi won a bronze medal for Pakistan at the 35th King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship in Thailand, where he was awarded the highest scorer. He has represented Pakistan on various international platforms, including Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia, the 31st King’s Cup Sepak Takraw 2016 and the 34th King’s Cup Sepak Takraw 2019.

Sarfaraz also received a gold medal in National Beach Volleyball in 2019 stemming from his time representing Karachi University at the HEC Volleyball Championship in 2011, 2013 and 2016. He was also a gold medallist in Sepak Takraw at the 17th Sindh Games in 2018 and was Awarded Excellence in Sports 2017-2018 by the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan.

A Physical Education teacher at The City School, Sarfaraz serves as a volleyball coach with the Institute of Business Management where he has been training teams and preparing for national competitions. Since 2017, he has been a trainer for men and women’s volleyball for the National Games.

Sarfaraz carries a passion for enhancing his skills. He has done multiple online and on-site skills development courses, including the Online Volleyball Level One course from Italy in 2022, Throwball International Level One course in Karachi in 2018 and Football D-Certification in 2018.

Deedar Rani Durdana Khan

Hailing from Damas, Ghizer, Deedar Rani Durdana Khan, 25, is the first Sepak Takraw female player from Gilgit-Baltistan to represent the Pakistan women’s team at the King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Deedar has been a sports enthusiast since childhood. She participated in events conducted by Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board in various games, including throwball, cricket, volleyball and athletics. In 2016, she represented Gilgit-Baltistan in the 400m race in Josh Games held in Islamabad.

Along with her studies, Deedar works as a sports trainer at True Care Academy in Karachi. She was coaching her team in a Kho-Kho tournament when she first heard about the unique sport, Sepak Takraw. The name attracted her and she started practising. Later, in the trials, she was selected for the 15-member Pakistan team for King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship.

https://the.ismaili/pakistan/our-commun ... onal-level
kmaherali
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Prince's Trust Canada Appoints Farah Mohamed as CEO

Post by kmaherali »

TORONTO, ONTARIO (October 3, 2022) – Prince’s Trust Canada (PTC), HM The King’s flagship charity in Canada, has appointed Farah Mohamed as Chief Executive Officer. Mohamed succeeds retiring CEO Sharon Broughton.

Prince’s Trust Canada, a national charity with a mandate to create more sustainable, equitable and future-ready communities, currently focuses on supporting young people between the ages of 18 and 30 and Veterans. Placing a premium on preparing for and improving access to purposeful employment and providing skills development and mentorship, last year the organization assisted more than 1,450 young people and 550 Veterans.

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“I am honoured to be named CEO of Prince’s Trust Canada and look forward to continuing to break down systemic barriers that stand in the way of young people and Veterans reaching their full potential,” says Mohamed.

“Mohamed’s rich global perspective, environmental mindset, extensive experience bridging the educational divide for women and girls, and shared vision for a sustainable world makes her the ideal choice for PTC’s next CEO,” says PTC’s Chair, Mark Fell. “Together, we can build on the strategic groundwork we have laid and continue to help young people and Veterans in Canada access the competencies and resources they need to gain meaningful employment in green and socially responsible industries, and ultimately, build a more resilient future for everyone.”

Mohamed brings more than 25 years of experience creating and leading national and international organizations and social impact initiatives and as an independent director for boards and charitable organizations. She comes to PTC from Canada’s Forest Trust Corporation where she served as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that, she was CEO of Malala Fund, where she led global efforts to further Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai’s mission to educate millions of girls. She also founded FORA, previously called G(irls)20, to cultivate a new generation of leaders by empowering girls and women through education, entrepreneurship, and global experiences. She is a board member for Music Canada, RefugeePoint and Cameras for Girls.

Prince’s Trust Canada is a national charity whose vision is a sustainable future for Canada, where young people and communities thrive. Through innovative partnerships and guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, our programs help young job seekers and Veterans to explore, prepare for and gain access to purposeful employment for a more economically, socially, and environmentally just future. Our work is inspired by our Founder and President, His Majesty The King, and is driven by his vision for a more sustainable future. Further information is available at princestrust.ca

Prince’s Trust Group

Prince’s Trust Canada is a member of The Prince’s Trust Group – a global network of charities including the work of Prince’s Trust U.K., Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, U.S.A. and Prince’s Trust International. Together, we are providing meaningful support for young people, military communities, and environmental projects around the world. We draw on the strength and experience of a global network while developing and implementing solutions relevant to people living in Canada.

https://www.princestrust.ca/en-CA/News/ ... s-we-j-(1)
kmaherali
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The Ismaili of Central Asia

Post by kmaherali »

The Ismaili of Central Asia
Daniel Beben
Subject:

Central Asia, Modern Central Asia since 1750, Precolonial Central Asia, c. 750-1750,Middle East, ReligionOnline Publication Date:

Apr 2018DOI:

10.1093/acrefore/9780190277727.013.316

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Asian History

Summary and Keywords

The Ismailis are one of the largest Muslim minority populations of Central Asia, and they make up the second largest Shiʿi Muslim community globally. First emerging in the second half of the 8th century, the Ismaili missionary movement spread into many areas of the Islamic world in the 10th century, under the leadership of the Ismaili Fatimids caliphs in Egypt. The movement achieved astounding success in Central Asia in the 10th century, when many of the political and cultural elites of the region were converted.However, a series of repressions over the following century led to its almost complete disappearance from the metropolitan centers of Central Asia. The movement later re-emerged in the mountainous Badakhshan region of Central Asia (which encompasses theterritories of present-day eastern Tajikistan and northeastern Afghanistan), where it was introduced by the renowned 11th-century Persian poet, philosopher, and Ismaili missionary Nasir-i Khusraw. Over the following centuries the Ismaili movement expanded among the populations of Badakhshan, reaching a population of over 200,000 in the 21stcentury. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Ismailis suffered a series of severe repressions, first under local Sunni Muslim rulers and later under the anti-religious policies of the Soviet Union. However, in the decades since the end of the Soviet period,the Ismailis of the region have become increasingly connected with the global Ismaili community and its leadership. While many aspects of the history of Ismailism in the Badakhshan region remain obscure and unexplored, the discoveries of significant corpuses of manuscripts in private collections since the 1990s in the Badakhshan region have opened up wide possibilities for future research

The entire article can be accessed at: https://www.academia.edu/36561784/The_I ... card=title
kmaherali
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Naim Ali, CEO of Calgary’s SM2 Capital Partners, on immigrant success story

Post by kmaherali »

East African family fleeing political unrest rebuilds in Canada, creating a successful business, including car rental, commercial real estate and hotels

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Two generations of SM2 Capital’s leaders – In front, from left: founders and board directors Shiraz Ali and Mohamed Ali. In back, from left: Jamil Ali, President and COO; Riz Bharmal, CFO; Naim Ali, CEO; and Hafiz Ali, Chairman and CIO. Courtesy of SM2 Capital Partners

Naim Ali, a next-generation member of a successful Calgary enterprising family, describes the long journey from the founders fleeing political unrest in East Africa to a successful and harmonious transfer of leadership of the family business.

How did the first generation in your family come to start a family business in Canada?

“The Ali family’s story started in a small village in Tanzania with two brothers, Shiraz and Mohamed Ali, and their parents, Fatima and Hussein.

Their lives began in extreme poverty as they lived and worked inside a small retail shop. However, through perseverance and hard work, they were able to send Mohamed to Nairobi, Kenya, and the United Kingdom for an education.

Shiraz and Hussein remained in Tanzania and built businesses in printing, manufacturing, and import/export industries. Unfortunately, in the early part of the 1970’s, their success was halted due to the political unrest of Idi Amin’s dictatorship in Uganda and the threat of persecution of non-African nationals in east Africa.

It was during this time that the family made the courageous decision to leave behind their businesses. They fled to Canada for peace and the hopes of a stable future.

In 1973, SM2 Capital Partners (the Canadian version) was created to fulfil a handshake deal to purchase the Budget Rent A Car franchise for Calgary.

Mohamed’s and Shiraz’s days began at the crack of dawn, as they opened and serviced rental counters and ended late at night washing cars. On weekends, the brothers would negotiate financing agreements, execute on fleet purchases, and assess new business opportunities.

Twenty-five years later, the SM2 Capital portfolio would be composed of Budget Rent A Car, parking lots in downtown Calgary and airport parking (Calgary Park & Jet), commercial real estate and hotels.

Almost fifty years later, and in the spirit of intrapreneurship, SM2 Capital is led by the rising generation of the Ali family, Naim Ali, Hafiz Ali, Jamil Ali, and Rizvan Bharmal.

We value our people as our company’s destiny. We have also led acquisitions and growth in different sectors, including insurance (Fortress Insurance Company), gaming (Cash Casino Calgary, Cash Casino Red Der, and Ace Casino Airport at YYC), and hotels in the United States.

Lastly, the rising gen oversees the Ali family office, and investments in real estate (such as greenfield developments, hotels in London and Paris, industrial warehouses across Canada, student housing, and senior care facilities), venture capital, private equity and public market securities.”

How did your founding family member’s experience shape your own values?

“I will always be grateful to my mother and father for the incredible influence each of them had on shaping my core values.

First, as hard as both my parents worked in their respective domains, they instilled in me the core value of kindness. Early in my life, there was a recognition of the existence of a melody of humanity, and that kindness was the backbeat of that melody.

Even as our wealth increased and their status elevated in the community, neither of my parents veered from kindness as a key aspect of their core value system. To me, they showed an authentic curiousness for the stories that people around them were compelled to tell them.

Second, my father taught us the value of courage. He bought and started businesses with limited knowledge and financing as a newly arrived immigrant in Canada. He learned how to lead a company and then became a leader in our Ismaili community. He learned to ski at the age of thirty on two wooden planks. These are but a few examples I draw upon that built a foundation around the core value of courage.

I leaned into this courage by exploring the world, creating relationships by opening my heart, taking chances down winding paths, connecting with people, and having tough conversations with my founders over the direction of our business. Courage gave me the strength to face my fears and celebrate the opportunities in business and in life.

Lastly (and I must admit that it me took me a long time to define this core value), my father always encouraged me to do my best.
It took me a long time to understand this core value because, growing up, I thought he was demanding perfection. I thought that that perfection meant him not tolerating my mistakes. And that really was not the case at all.

My father did his best in everything that he did, from how he treated his employees to how he conducted himself as a husband and a father. Going to bed each night and closing your eyes with the feeling that that you have done your best that day is an incredibly self-satisfying way to living a balanced life and being a good human being. That is the work ethic he instilled in me, to do your best, each and every day.

Each morning, when my six-year-old son and my four-year-old daughter leave for school, I ask them what are your intentions today? Their responses are based on our family motto: Be Kind, Be Courageous, and Do your Best. I hope this mindset helps our children live their best life, whatever path they choose. And I am so thankful that I can articulate how my parents acted in their own lives and pass those values down to their grandchildren. For my parents, passing down core values is the true definition of passing down wealth.”

What was it like growing up in a family business environment?

“Like many children in family businesses, my early memories of family time were going to Shiraz and Mohamed’s offices with my brother and my cousins. We played on their speakerphones (landlines!), pushed each other in circles on offices chairs, and scribbled ‘important memos’ on office stationery.

During a summer vacation, when I was 10 years old, I had my first job at Budget Rent A Car. I worked with the shift of employees that started at 6 a.m. to clean and prepare cars and trucks for rental. I never missed a day because it was exciting to handle all the equipment, from the gas pumps to the spray washers. I was also allowed to park the cars and trucks on the lot or drive them through the car wash.

As I got older, I remember feeling guilty or trying extra hard for others to like me when they would make a comment about being part of the [successful] ‘Budget Rent A Car family.’ I did not understand why I was sometimes singled out like that when other children were not identified by the work their parents did.”

When did you feel your own entrepreneurial interests start to take shape, and how did your family support you in your earlier years?

“After spending my education and the first part of my career away from Calgary, my entrepreneurial interests began to take shape when I returned to work for the family firm in 2010.
First, I was supported through my studies as I embarked on the Executive MBA at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. Simultaneously with my EMBA, I was working for the family on hotel acquisitions in the U.S. Midwest and given all the related decision-making on our U.S. hotel acquisitions.

I was directly applying the lessons from my EMBA classroom (literally, overnight) to the businesses we were starting in St. Louis, Missouri. Looking back, I greatly admire Mohamed and Shiraz for trusting me to handle our hotel acquisitions in such a new and foreign landscape.

Often, I imagine that my journey in the Midwest may have been like what my father may have encountered when he first moved to Canada. The big difference was that Mohamed and Shiraz supported me with their decades of business experience. As well, SM2 would also write the equity cheques when I requested money to buy a hotel.”

How did your educational choices play into your business trajectory?

“Like many immigrant families, education was (and still is) a priority for my family. In addition to our undergraduate degrees, my brother (the Chief Investment Officer for SM2 Capital) holds a master in real estate finance from the London School of Economics, and I have a Juris Doctor and an Executive

From the outset, education was the tool that gave us the opportunity to create great relationships and to work in the global marketplace.
My brother spent over 15 years in the European real estate department with the Carlyle Group in Paris, Milan, and London. I learned the intricacies of secured debt, securitizations, and M&A by immersing myself in the corporate law departments of Wall Street law firms.

These experiences empowered us with valuable business experience and in an international setting. In dynamic environments, like New York and London, we explored the arc of a business deal as it develops its own structure and framework, from acquisition analysis to accessing capital markets to the management of assets. In fact, the careers that we started almost prevented us from coming back home due to the exciting nature of our work and the cities in which we lived.

There is no doubt that the experience was invaluable. However, the experience that I returned with was in direct contrast to my founder’s business philosophy. They were very much focused on the details of the operations of their individual businesses.

These two different perspectives gave our family great strength as we developed our strategic plans for the existing portfolio. We started having discussions around the trajectory of our existing businesses, how we would invest in new businesses, manage assets, and allocate new capital.

These were discussions that our founders had never had with the rising gen. These discussions really pushed everyone in the family to reflect upon what each of us wanted for our businesses and for us, as self-determined humans.

We became unified as a family that runs businesses and not a business that runs a family, but it was not easy. It took time and intentional conversations.”

What supports and training other than formal education did you find valuable?

“I cannot overemphasize the importance of peer networks and the Family Enterprise Canada organization (FEC) that helped us in the development of our business continuity planning. FEC gave us a safe space to learn from other family businesses and family offices. These conversations were with were with next gens, third generation or fourth generation family members who were key stakeholders in their own entities.

Through the FEC network, I had intentional conversations around how to mitigate business, financial, ownership, management, and family risks in business families. These conversations changed our business trajectory and the subsequent milestones that we are even trying to achieve today.”

Did you turn to any advisors along the way?

“In 2017, we held our first family shareholder meeting and our first family council meeting. We used advisors in the room for two full days to help our family, comprised of two founders and our cousin consortium (five of us), listen to one another.
This was extremely helpful because it laid the foundation for conversations that the Ali family could have around how the rising generation, or the next gen, was going to transition to the now generation

It also helped our founders think about what their lives would look like as they transitioned to different roles and responsibilities in the business. After 45 years of being the key stakeholders in every aspect of the business, and their own self-identities being tied to the family business, Mohamed and Shiraz contemplated a re-wiring (not a retiring) of their own mindsets.

I believe that this would have been impossible to accomplish without the help of advisors, based on the complexities of family dynamics that naturally occur in families, which are only more magnified by the fact that we were all working together.”

Did you feel pressure to achieve, coming from a successful family business background?

“There has been an underlying current of pressure throughout my life with respect to what I thought was expected of me in my family business.
When I joined the family business, I felt that I was under the proverbial microscope. As a result, my decision-making framework came from a defensive perspective. Sometimes in meetings with my father, I would argue vehemently for positions opposite of his simply to prove that I had something to offer. This did not serve me well and created more pressure on me to perform. I was exhausted.

To ‘get it right’ for me, I had to re-align myself with my core values and change my mindset.

One of the best things I did for our family business was to join the CEO roundtable [TEC Canada], led by Lorna Johnston [founder of The Change Institute]. In my CEO peer group, I talked about the pressures that I was feeling with other CEOs and learned to leverage my own skillsets to become the CEO I wanted to be.

As well, this gave me the confidence to have difficult conversations around transition and leadership with my founders.

Often, the pressure on next gen leaders comes from a lack of communication between founders and the next gen. Both parties have expectations and if you don’t discuss what those expectations are, it is extremely hard to build the necessary relationships to define a strategic direction for a family business.

In addition, today I am very intentional about balancing my passion for leading our company with leadership development, my own family, playing sports, and spirituality.”

Do you have advice for next generations in enterprising families, whether they choose to be involved in their family businesses or start their own?
“In my life, I have been in positions of apprehension when I was not sure if my vision would be heard by my founders. Some of the worst decisions I made were those decisions that I made out of fear.

Whatever one’s choices are, whether to be involved in the family business or pursue interests outside, the only way that I know how to be seen and heard with respect to one’s own ideas and dreams is to intentionally open the lines of communication.

It has been fascinating to compare how I think a conversation is going to go versus how it actually goes in real life. More often the not, the real-time conversation goes much better than how I imagined it would.

One aspect with business (any business) is that if one is not interested or passionate about it, equity could be eroded to the point of destruction.

The hope I have for my children is that they follow a journey that allows them to leverage their own strengths. If that is outside the portfolio of SM2, that is fine. I believe that by following their own path they will build equity in their own personal balance sheets.

My hope is that the personal equity they build in themselves will empower them to impact the world with their own strength, power, and self-expression.”

https://canadianfamilyoffices.com/famil ... cess-story
kmaherali
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Six leaders honoured by SFU for the inspiring difference they are making

Post by kmaherali »

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We are proud to recognize Amyn and Shein Rajan as the 2023 recipients of the President’s Distinguished Community Leadership Award. We are also excited to honour three recipients of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Service Award: Elizabeth Model, for her contributions toward the growth of Surrey; Kali Stierle, for her service and dedication to the Indigenous student community at SFU and beyond; and SFU Black Caucus (founding members Henry Daniel and June Francis), for building a better SFU through equity and racial justice.

These prestigious annual awards celebrate the inspiring difference that our community members are making to shape a brighter future. Our honourees this year truly exemplify the university’s deep commitment to advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Because of their exceptional leadership, SFU—and the world—are in a better place.

Amyn and Shein Rajan
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2023 PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS

In 2014, SFU computing science alumnus Amyn Rajan (BSc ’93), who was a recipient of the $12,000 Gordon M. Shrum Entrance Scholarship in 1986, stated that his goal was to give back to the university a hundredfold what he had received through the scholarship—a remarkable goal that he and his wife Shein have since doubled.

In 1972, both Amyn and Shein and their families were thrown out of Uganda, the country of their birth, by dictator Idi Amin. Canada graciously welcomed them along with many other immigrants and refugees with open arms. Both of their families struggled to establish themselves in Canada. Amyn’s family lost their house the year he graduated from high school, and his family’s business went bankrupt at the same time he graduated from SFU. The entrance scholarship that SFU awarded Amyn was critical in helping him get a solid education and setting him up for success in life.

Amyn went on to start his first company, Orbital Technologies, in 1997. Amyn and Shein married in 2001 and continued their business success with two other companies: Simba Technologies and Bit Quill Technologies. They are proud to have built three very successful technology businesses in Vancouver, creating new jobs and employing more than 300 people.

As followers of the Aga Khan and using their Shia Ismaili Muslim ethics, the Rajans have committed to giving back both time and resources to SFU, Canada and the wider community.

The couple has uplifted the SFU community in many meaningful ways, from supporting women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and undergraduate entrance scholarships, to fostering an understanding of Muslim societies and developing a thoughtful partnership with Aga Khan University and The University of Centra Asia through student exchanges and collaborations that address pressing global issues like pluralism, climate change and environmental sustainability.

The Rajans have also served as advisory members for SFU’s Power of Engagement 50th anniversary campaign and, since 2011, Amyn has been part of SFU’s Faculty of Applied Sciences External Advisory Board and served as its chair for eight years.

Their impact extends beyond SFU, having contributed to initiatives such as the World Partnership Walk, Aga Khan Foundation Canada, Ismaili Centres in Toronto and Houston, and the Aga Khan Museum. The couple’s commitment to building greater diversity and inclusion in education, as well as the technology industry at-large, have transformed countless lives throughout British Columbia. Amyn currently serves on multiple boards, including the Scleroderma Association of B.C. where he is actively raising funds for research into this rare and dangerous disease.

SFU is proud to recognize Amyn—our very own distinguished alumnus—and Shein for their inspiring philanthropy and dedication to community, education and equity.

http://www.sfu.ca/dashboard/faculty-sta ... -cdsa.html
kmaherali
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MEET BC TECH’S FIRST INNOVATORS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Post by kmaherali »

Honourees include leaders from BC Tech Association, CIBC, D-Wave.

In partnership with the Government of British Columbia, tech industry association BC Tech has unveiled eight inductees for the first year of its BC Innovators Hall of Fame.

According to BC Tech, the BC Innovators Hall of Fame recognizes the leaders that have left a legacy on the province and who have helped enrich its technology and innovation ecosystem.

Here are the first eight inductees for BC Innovators Hall of Fame:

Firoz Rasul

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After a 15-year tenure as president of Aga Khan University, a private research university based in Pakistan, Firoz Rasul announced his retirement in 2021. Prior to Aga Khan, he was CEO and chairman of Burnaby, BC-based Ballard Power Systems, which offers clean energy hydrogen fuel cell solutions.

Rasul was also appointed president of sales and marketing for mobile data products manufacturer MDI in 1981, until its takeover by Motorola in 1988.

https://betakit.com/meet-bc-techs-first ... inductees/
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The Lalji family are generous supporters of BC Women’s Health Foundation.

Post by kmaherali »

WOMEN’S HEALTH CHAMPION

The Women’s Health Champion is awarded to an individual, family or organization who is dedicated to advancing women’s health and contributed to transforming healthcare for women. They have inspired the community to ensure all women at all life stages have access to the highest quality healthcare when, where and how they need it. They are selected by a committee comprised of BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI), Foundation and Glow Committee leaders.

This year, we will pay tribute to two Women’s Health Champions who have philanthropically, or through their life’s work, improved the health of women in BC.

Lalji-Family

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Women’s Health Champion, Community Leader: Lalji Family

The Lalji family are generous supporters of BC Women’s Health Foundation.

In the 1970s, the Laljis fled violence in Uganda and found peace and safety in Canada. Grateful for their lives, today, the Laljis are honoured to give back to those just beginning theirs. In 2018, Lalji family support helped open the Urgent Care Center, which serves pregnant patients through to post-birth at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre. Today, thanks in part to their philanthropy, the BC Women’s Maternity Urgent Care Centre is the province’s only urgent care centre dedicated to caring for pregnant and postpartum women up to 6 weeks post-birth, and cares for more than 10,000 patients annually.

Thanks to the generosity of the Laljis and their successful real estate business, Larco Investments, the family has invested in women as a cornerstone of society and is passionate about fostering healthy families all across BC.

https://www.bcwomensfoundation.org/event/glow/
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Institute for Canadian Citizenship Announces New Chair to Succeed Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul

Post by kmaherali »

Toronto, ON — The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) announced today that after founding the organization and serving as co-Chairs for 16 years, the Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul have passed the torch to a new generation of leadership. Mr. Irfhan Rawji, a Calgary-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, has been named Chair of the ICC.

To honour their ongoing legacy, the ICC is launching the TheDifferenceMakers.ca, a campaign inspired by the stories of real Difference Makers who make Canada stronger and more vibrant.

As a refugee who rose to become Governor General, Madame Clarkson founded the ICC with Mr. Ralston Saul, to continue the centuries-old Canadian tradition of welcoming immigrants not just as residents, but as citizens. This work remains critical, especially in light of recent research by the ICC revealing newcomers’ growing disillusionment with Canada. Citizenship adoption rates declined 40% between 2001 and 2021. 30% of newcomers under 30 plan to leave Canada within two years.

“We started the Institute for Canadian Citizenship to ensure that the Canada in which a refugee girl could become Governor General would never become a country of the past,” said Mme Clarkson and Mr. Ralston Saul. “But our dream is in jeopardy,” they added. “A strong and effective ICC is our legacy to Canada.”

Mr. Rawji is Managing Partner at Relay Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, and is the founder and Executive Chair of MobSquad, an innovative Canadian start up that helps software engineers from around the world immigrate to Canada. He has been serving on the ICC’s Board of Directors since its founding.

“Immigrants aren’t the cause of Canada’s failings. In fact, they’re a big part of the answer.” concluded Irfhan Rawji, ICC’s new Chair. “But we need to deliver on our promise to immigrants. If we fail, Canada’s prosperity and dynamism will suffer. The ICC is leading the effort to turn restore the promise of Canada to newcomers. I am honoured and humbled to be entrusted with the opportunity to safeguard and advance the vision of our founders, who are, simply put, exceptional Canadians.”

The ICC will be hosting its annual Gala on February 6, 2024.

Full bios and high-resolution photos are here:

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https://icc.createsend1.com/t/y-i-xlkuyhl-l-n/

Irfhan Rawji is the Founder & CEO of MobSquad. This innovative Canadian start-up ensures high-calibre software engineers with U.S. work visa challenges remain working with their current company but near-shored from Canada. MobSquad also forms near-shore teams of software engineers in Canada for North American clients on an exclusive, long-term basis.

Irfhan is also a Managing Partner with Relay Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm with US$600MM of assets under management. In addition, Irfhan has prior experience at McKinsey & Company, Birch Hill Equity Partners, Onex Corporation (TSX:ONEX) and Parkland Corporation (TSX:PKI).

Irfhan is presently Board Chair of The Organic Box, Alberta’s largest organic food hub, offering home delivery as well as click-and-collect grocery services. Additionally, Irfhan is Board Chair of Activate, a partnership between the Government of Canada, private investors and the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canadaaimed at reducing the incidence of stroke; Activate represents an innovation in social finance as Canada’s first social impact bond. Irfhan is also a Director of Sage Properties, a Calgary-based real estate investment corporation, is Board Chair of The Logic, a digital media publication focused on the innovation economy, is a Director at Alate Properties Inc., an early-stage property technology investment firm, is a Director of PBA Land & Development, a Calgary-based Western Canadian property development firm, and is a Director of Canadian Western Bank (TSX:CWB), a Schedule I Canadian bank explicitly focused on business owners.

Irfhan is actively involved in civic affairs as Past Chair of Glenbow Museum, Board Member of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Board Member of Business and the Arts, Board Member of Venture for Canada, and Board Member of CIFAR. Additionally, Irfhan serves as Chair of the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Impact Fund Advisory Committee, as an advisor to the Canadian government’s Impact and Innovation Unit within the Privy Council Office, and as a member of the New Economy Advisory Committee of the Alberta Securities Commission. Irfhan is also on the National Advisory Committee of The Walrus and is an Advisor to the Canadian Urban Institute. Previously, Irfhan has served on the boards of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada (Board Chair), the Harbourfront Centre (Director, Treasurer), imagiNation150 (Director, Treasurer), the Harvard Business School Global Alumni Board (Director), Creative Calgary (co-Founder and co-Chair), Chatter Research (Director, sold to Stingray Media, TSX:RAY), and member of and Finance and Investment Sub-Committee Chair of the Calgary 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Bid Exploration Committee.

Irfhan holds an MBA with High Honors from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar and holds a BCom with Honors from the University of British Columbia, where he was a Westbrook Scholar. He is a recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Award of Merit, the Sauder School of Business’ Teaching Excellence Award, Business, and the Arts’ Arnold Edenborough Award, and is a member of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 (2017).
kmaherali
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OPEN LETTER to PM Justin Trudeau

Post by kmaherali »

Today the 31st of October is the 51st anniversary of my arriving in Canada as a refugee from the ethnic cleansing and massacres of Uganda.

I recall we felt that we had entered the gates of heaven. In this beautiful multicultural country of Canada which was now our new home. Pierre Trudeau was the PM - considered a world statesman (regardless of domestic policies). He had shown moral and Independant leadership with regards to Canada’s foreign policy. He took Independant stand on issues of international significance like the apartheid in South Africa, Cuban blockade to name just a couple. Different morally from the policies of the US or UK at that time. Canada had a reputation of “Peacemaker” “Honest broker” Non violent non warmongering nation. I recall even before we came to Canada we were aware of Canada’s peaceful and humanitarian approach to international issues. I recall even then how we looked differently upon the Canadians who came to our countries as opposed to the Americans. I know of many Americans who were travelling across our countries would put Canadian flags on their backpacks or suitcases to avoid negativism directed at the US.

Move forward now to my 51st anniversary as a Canadian

I was watching live the debate in the UN General Assembly on the Israeli - Gaza issue and I must say I was utterly devastated and for the first time embarrassed to be a Canadian - to hear the words coming from Bob Rae Canada’s representative at UN delivering his amendment to the main ceasefire resolution.

The embarrassing Canada amendment was voted down soundly and the main resolution calling for immediate ceasefire was overwhelmingly passed by majority of all the countries of the World.

The rebuttal on behalf of the nations sponsoring the adopted ceasefire / humanitarian resolution to Canada’s failed amendment sounded so much like what Pierre Trudeau would have said in front of the world and not what the world hurled at Canada.

There is absolutely no daylight now between US foreign policy or international actions and Canada!
Obediently Canada or UK or Australia now take turns being the mouthpiece of these policies, literally regurgitating the same words and phrases. Internationally Canada is not looked upon as a peacemaker or a honest broker. Canada has lost its moral standing and goodwill in the world.

Many Canadians feel that your leadership (or lack of) is to blame. Almost all of us new Canadians were defacto Liberals during the Pierre Trudeau and Chretien years.
We put our faith and support behind you with the false assumption that your heritage would make you stand for moral and ethical leadership.
Alas you have completely disappointed us and destroyed our faith in your type of Liberal party.
We will speak at the ballot box.

Loyal grateful Canadian

Alnoor Abdulla MD
FRCP,FACC,FACP, FCCP
Recipient Governor General’s Medal “Service to Canada” 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alnoor-a ... member_ios
kmaherali
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

Post by kmaherali »

Husein Moloo | Top 40 Under 40 2023

His fast-growing virtual care company helps people from underserved communities gain access to medical care.

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Age: 39

Job title: CEO and Co-Founder, PurposeMed

Why he’s a 2023 Top 40 Under 40: His fast-growing virtual care company helps people from underserved communities gain access to medical care.

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Right this minute, somewhere in Canada, someone is seeking medical care in a hospital emergency room because they couldn’t access appropriate care anywhere else. Husein Moloo is trying to change that.

In 2019, while working as a hospitalist physician for Alberta Health Services, Moloo co-founded PurposeMed Inc., a virtual care company that provides specialized medical care for underserved communities. PurposeMed operates three services: Freddie, which delivers HIV prevention medication (PrEP) to 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians; Frida, which provides diagnosis and treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and Foria, a virtual care service for transgender Canadians.

In 2021, PurposeMed provided care to about 1,000 patients a month.That figure rose to 10,000 in 2023. The company now has 200 full-time employees. This growth led Kitchener, Ont.-based accelerator Communitech to declare PurposeMed a top tech performer with the potential of achieving $1 billion in revenue.

PurposeMed is the latest in a string of successful business ventures from the born-and-raised Calgarian. As a high-school student, Moloo and his father launched a company selling burnable CDs. After reaching $500 million in sales, they licensed the technology to another company in 2007 and founded Highpoint Developments, a real-estate development company. Moloo remains the CEO at Highpoint.

Moloo decided to pursue medicine when his brother developed leukemia as a child. “I saw how physicians treated him and I wanted to have that effect on other folks,” he says. He has since stepped away from clinical care to focus on PurposeMed, which provides a different kind of satisfaction. “When we get patient reviews saying how we’ve changed someone’s life, that really shows that what we’re doing matters,” he says.

Thank Yous
“My wife, Catherine; my parents, Imi and Nina; my brothers Rahim and Ali; my in-laws Henry and Jane; my co-founders Pete and Amaan.”

https://www.avenuecalgary.com/top-40-un ... ein-moloo/
kmaherali
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

Post by kmaherali »

Women in Law Leadership Presents the 2024 Rosalie Silberman Abella Award Recipient
Nurjehan Mawani, C.M., LL.D (hon)

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Nurjehan Mawani C.M, LL.D. (hon) is a lawyer, public servant, diplomat and global Canadian. She is a trailblazer and champion of justice, gender equity, and inclusive development who has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of immigrants and refugees in Canada, and to advance rights and educational opportunities for women and girls internationally.

Under her leadership as the Chairperson and Chief Executive of the Immigration Refugee Board, Canada became the first country internationally to recognize gender-related persecution as a ground for refugee status under the Geneva Convention. As Commissioner of the Public Service Commission of Canada she championed equity, inclusion, and representation in the Public Service. From 2005-2019, she went on to serve as Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network, first to the Kyrgyz Republic and then Afghanistan. In both countries, she partnered with multiple stakeholders to improve quality of life, ensuring that women’s voices were included to advance equitable development as a path to peace, progress, and stability.

Nurjehan has received many prestigious honours for her contributions to public service, international development and the advancement of women including the Order of Canada and the Public Service of Canada Outstanding Achievement Award, as well as several honorary doctorates. Among her many recognitions, she received the Human Rights Award from the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the UNIFEM Canada Award for “an innovative ability to bridge law and policy and for far-reaching effects of the guidelines impacting the lives of thousands of refugee women and girls”.

Nurjehan currently serves on a number of boards, including as Governor and Vice-Chairperson of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), sits on Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Environment’s External Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Victoria Forum. She is a founding member of the International Association of Refugee and Migration Judges and a Senior Fellow at Massey College – where she serves on the Anti-Black Racism Advisory Council, the Senior Advisory Board of the Afghan Women’s Fellowship Program, and is the inaugural Chair in Global Engagement. In this role, she mentors Junior Fellows – connecting them to changemakers in Canada and around the world to build leadership and foster a deeper understanding of global issues.

Born in Mombasa, Kenya, Nurjehan attended the Inns of Court School of Law in England and was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1968. She was subsequently admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1973 and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1985.

https://womeninlawleadership.ca/ontario/
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Re: Ismaili Community in Contemporary Situation

Post by kmaherali »

Kisumu tycoon Gilani to be buried on Sunday

Amin, who owns Mayfair Holdings, died on March 2 aged 70 in the United Kingdom, where he was receiving treatment

In Summary
- The funeral will then be held on Sunday at 1.30 pm at Kisumu Jamatkhana, before departure at 2.30 pm for the cemetery
- Kisumu governor Anyang' Nyong'o mourned the death of Amin

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Kisumu businessman Amin Gilani who died in United Kingdom on March 2, 2024.
Kisumu businessman Amin Gilani who died in United Kingdom on March 2, 2024.


Kisumu business tycoon Amin Gilani will be buried in Kisumu on Sunday.

Amin, who owns Mayfair Holdings, died on March 2 aged 70 in the United Kingdom, where he was receiving treatment.

He will be buried according to the Ismailia rites at the City’s cemetery.

The family said a fundraising (Dilsoji) will be held on Saturday at Kisumu Jamatkhana, after prayer (Jamati) ceremonies.

The viewing of the body (Samar and Ziyarat) will take place at the same place after prayers (Jamati) ceremonies.

The funeral service will then be held on Sunday at 1.30 pm, before departure to the cemetery at 2.30 pm.

“The Jamat (Islamic community) is requested to forgive the departed soul for any ill will or hurt that may have been caused knowingly or unknowingly and pray for the eternal peace and rest of the soul. Ameen,” the statement reads.

Amin was the executive director of Mayfair holdings, parent company of Sunblest Bread, Imperial Sarova Hotel and Imperial Express Hotel in Kisumu.

He is survived with two children and wife Munira Gilani.

Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o mourned him as an astute businessman who has impacted many lives in Kisumu and beyond.

In a statement by the county communications unit, Nyong'o said the sudden demise of the tycoon has robbed Kisumu of a great investment partner.

"I have learned with deep shock about the death of Gilani. Please accept our prayers and deepest sympathy on behalf of the people of Kisumu. May his soul rest in peace," he said.

Gilani's business enterprises have employed hundreds of people and contributed greatly to Kisumu county’s investment profile, especially in tourism and manufacturing sectors.

The governor and wife Dorothy said they learnt with great shock the unfortunate passing of Amin.

"A few days ago, Dorothy and I were at the Kisumu International Airport seeing off Amin's wife Munira Gilani as she was rushing to London to be with her beloved husband. Now the Almighty has taken him" he said.

Condolence books have been opened at the Imperial Express Hotel, Imperial Sarova Hotel and Sunblest Offices.

Leaders from Kisumu and residents have sent condolences to the family.

On Tuesday, locals streamed to Mayfair holdings offices to sign condolence books.

Nyong'o mourns Kisumu billionaire Amin Gilani https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2024-03 ... in-gilani/
Gilani, the Mayfair Holdings executive director died in the United Kingdom.
NEWS3 DAYS AGO

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2024-03 ... on-sunday/
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