Ismailis celebrate golden jubilee
50 years of leadership from the 49th Imam the Aga Khan
Cheryl Chan
The Province
Thursday, July 12, 2007
More than 15,000 people crowded into B.C. Place yesterday to celebrate 50 years of leadership by the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims.
“It’s a significant milestone for us,” said Farid Damji of the Ismaili Council for B.C., which organized the event.
“It’s not just one year, but 1,400 years of leadership that we’re celebrating here today.”
The Aga Khan became the 49th Imam on July 11, 1957, after his grandfather died. A much-loved and revered figure, he is known for his business acumen as well as his philanthropic works.
Spokesman Farid Damji speaks to the media about Vancouver’s Ismailis celebrating the Aga Khan’s golden jubilee, as the inside of B.C. Place Stadium is being prepared for the event.
Photograph by : Jon Murray, The Province
The Vancouver celebration was one of many held worldwide yesterday. Similar celebrations were held in such countries as Afghanistan, India, Tanzania and the U.K.
The Province – Related Post: Pictures: Golden Jubilee Celebrations from BC Place Canada
The Aga Khan marked his golden jubilee with a private ceremony at his estate in Aiglemont, France, with prominent leaders of the worldwide Ismaili community in attendance.
Among the Canadian delegation was Mohammed Manji, current president of the Ismaili Council for Canada, and Farouk Verjee of West Vancouver, the council’s past president.
Vancouver has up to 20,000 Ismailis, the second-largest community in Canada after Toronto.
The B.C. Place celebration was devoted to prayer and reflection, but also to celebration and community. “It’s a family-oriented day for sure,” said Damji.
The centre of B.C. Place was transformed into a blue-carpeted prayer area. The stage was decorated in green and gold with a Fatamid floral design.
As the Aga Khan’s address from France was broadcast on two gigantic screens, the crowd hushed to listen. In the hour-long speech, the Aga Khan spoke about the values of tolerance and pluralism, and the significance of education and civil society.
The Aga Khan will visit over 25 countries, including Canada, during his jubilee year. Specific dates and locations have not been released.
At 9 p.m., a parade and a marching band kicked off the evening’s program at B.C. Place.
Performers from East Africa, Central Asia, North America and the Indian sub-continent took the stage. Everyone then joined in for the Dandia Raas, a communal dance, until the early hours of the morning.
Volunteer Nashina Devji drove four hours from Penticton to participate in the daylong event.
“It’s an amazing experience to be part of something that celebrates values of being Canadian and Muslim,” said the 29-year old lawyer.
Devji said she’s looking forward most to the community spirit: “Everyone’s here — my family, friends. For me, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
chchan@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Province 2007
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