His Highness the Aga Khan arrived in Ottawa today as part of an international celebration of his Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years as spiritual leader of the global Shia Ismaili Muslim community. The visit takes place at the invitation of the Government of Canada and includes an official dinner at Rideau Hall on May 2, hosted by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, the Governor General of Canada, meetings of the Global Centre for Pluralism; and community gatherings in Vancouver and Calgary.
The visit is an acknowledgment of the strong relationships between the Aga Khan and Canada over the course of the past six decades.
Source: CNW / OTTAWA / May 1, 2018
“The Diamond Jubilee provides an opportunity for people everywhere, here in Canada and elsewhere, to re-dedicate themselves to the ethics and values that underpin our partnerships with communities around the world to help improve quality of life. It is an opportunity to give back and look forward,” said Mahmoud Eboo, Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Representative to Canada.
Remarking on the importance of this visit, Malik Talib, President of the Ismaili Council for Canada added that the visit was “an opportunity to celebrate the deep and lasting relationships he has built with Canadian institutions over his 60 years of service and to recognize the contributions of Ismaili Canadians from coast to coast.”
Source: CNW / OTTAWA / May 1, 2018
“So many Canadians across the country have strong affinity and engagement with the Aga Khan’s institutions and the causes he champions.”
The Aga Khan was greeted on arrival by the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie; Marc-André Blanchard, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations; various members of Parliament and other civil society leaders.
The Aga Khan is an honourary Canadian citizen and Companion of the Order of Canada, and in February 2014, became the first faith leader to address the Canadian Parliament. He has partnered with Canadians institutions and governments on a wide variety of projects in Canada and globally to promote inclusive, sustainable development and improve quality of life.
Source: CNW / OTTAWA / May 1, 2018
The Aga Khan was greeted by Marc-André Blanchard, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations.
“So many Canadians across the country have strong affinity and engagement with the Aga Khan’s institutions and the causes he champions, including a commitment to pluralism,” said Khalil Shariff, CEO of Aga Khan Foundation Canada. “These partnerships have improved the lives of millions around the world and continue to promote our shared Canadian values of humanitarianism.”
The lasting collaboration between Canadians and the Aga Khan is rooted in what His Highness has called “a remarkable convergence of values,” embodied in a mutual dedication towards improving the condition of society’s most vulnerable, and a respect for diversity and human dignity.
Source: CNW / OTTAWA / May 1, 2018
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