Aga Khan’s gift to Canada appreciated
The Editor,
The events of September 11, 2001 have changed the world drastically.
The ever-present threat of terrorism has made individuals, communities and nations very cautious.
So far, Canada is very fortunate to have been spared. Yes, we have had some incidents or attempts to disrupt our lives. However, on the whole, we have been lucky.
This doesn’t mean that we should become complacent. Those days are gone. We live in a very different kind of environment now.
The on-going conflict in places like Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East makes one appreciate the peace, stability and freedom we enjoy in this country.
Yes, like every other nation, we do have our problems. However, compared to others, they are very minor.
Naturally, as citizens and residents of this country, most of us think very highly about Canada. However, it goes without saying that despite all of our problems, Canada is one of the best if not the best country to live in.
It lends a lot of credibility to our sense pride in this country when a highly respected world leader like the Aga Khan validates our opinion about Canada.
Not only that, the Aga Khan, leader of 20 million Shia Ismaili Muslims worldwide, has entered into a long-term partnership with Canada.
The establishment of the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa, earlier this month, was a great credit to this country’s policy of inclusion, cultural diversity, values and respect for human rights.
This venture is a joint partnership between the Canadian government and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
The Global Centre for Pluralism will be housed in the former Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
It will be funded through an endowment seeded with $30 million from the federal government and $10 million from the AKDN.
Announcing the establishment of the Global Centre for Pluralism, Prime Minister Stephen Harper paid a well-deserved tribute to the Aga Khan for choosing Canada as the home for the Centre.
It is a remarkable civic venture. On his part, the Aga Khan stated that he chose Canada for this unique initiative as he is fascinated by this nation’s experience as a successful pluralistic society.
The cultural diversity of Canadian society is second to none. As a matter of fact, it is a great model for others.
This is something that all us can be rightly proud of.
Indeed, Canada is a wonderful country.
As Canadians with very diverse religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, it is up to us to ensure that it stays that way.
Balwant Sanghera
President Richmond Multicultural Concerns
Society
Ismailimail 