77-year-old Aga Khan is hereditary spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims
By Trinh Theresa Do, CBC News Posted: Feb 27, 2014
The Aga Khan encouraged Canadians to continue embracing diversity Thursday morning in Parliament, in a speech espousing the need for an improved global civil society.
“One key to Canada’s success in building a meritocratic civil society is your recognition that democratic societies require more than democratic governments,” the spiritual leader said before members of both houses.
The hereditary spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims spoke at length about improving societies through institutions outside of government.
“The sad fact behind so much instability in our world today is that governments are seen to be inadequate to these challenges. A much happier fact is that, in the global effort to change this picture, Canada is an exemplary leader,” he said.
The Aga Khan said the world needs to look beyond the government and private sector. He spoke of the Ismaili community’s Aga Khan Development Network, which has been supporting economic development, education and health care, among other things, in countries around the world.
“Increasingly, I believe, the voices of civil society are voices for change – where change has been overdue. They have been voices of hope for people living in fear,” he said in his speech.
Ismailimail 