On 23 July, in the afternoon, Mawlana Hazar Imam arrived in Calgary for the second part of his visit to Canada. Hazar Imam, accompanied by Prince Irfan and Prince Sinan, was welcomed at the airport by Government representatives including The Honourable Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board, Government of Canada, and The Honourable Salma Lakhani, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, along with a delegation of Jamati leaders.
Mayor of Calgary Jeromy Farkas presented Hazar Imam and the two princes with the city’s iconic white hats — a Calgary tradition dating to the 1950s — as a gesture of welcome and friendship.
“The white hat is one of the most recognizable symbols of our city,” said Mayor Farkas. “It stands for generosity, integrity, and the belief that every person deserves to feel welcome and to belong.”
Mayor Farkas also paid tribute to Hazar Imam’s leadership: “Your commitment to pluralism, education, service, and human dignity,” he said, “has left a lasting mark around the world, including right here in Calgary through the remarkable contributions of our beloved Ismaili community.”
With roots in the region stretching back more than five decades, the Ismaili community across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba has built a lasting presence. Among the most visible expressions are Generations Calgary — the first development of its kind in Canada — and the Aga Khan Garden, a stunning feat of Islamic landscape architecture that stands as the northernmost of its kind in the world, located at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.
Additional photos at The.Ismaili
Ismailimail 