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Spiritual leader works tirelessly for his sect and all peoples

The Muslim's spiritual leader Aga Khan greets people at the airport Sunday evening after his arrival in Calgary.

The Aga Khan's visit to Calgary today marks a significant event for the city's small but influential Ismaili community. For the first time in 16 years, they will have the chance to meet and worship with their spiritual leader.

The Aga Khan is visiting as part of a 16-month celebration in honour of his 50th anniversary as imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.

CALGARY - Calgary's close-knit Ismaili Muslim community is on pins and needles in anticipation of Sunday's visit by the Aga Khan, spiritual leader for the world's 15 million Ismailis.

The Aga Khan, who began his weeklong Canadian tour in Ottawa on Nov. 18, will fly into Calgary Sunday evening. The 24-hour Calgary stop, his first visit here in 16 years, will include a meeting with Lt.-Gov. Norm Kwong.

The highlight will be the Aga Khan's gathering with the community on Monday afternoon. More than 14,000 faithful are expected to pack the venue for his address and prayer session.

With tears in his eyes and his voice quivering, Nash Jetha speaks quietly when asked why he came to see the Aga Khan's arrival Sunday night in Calgary.

"I am here for the greatest moment of my life," he answers.

Having never had the opportunity to see the Ismaili spiritual leader in person, he said just being in the presence of his holiness was incredible.

"Emotionally, it was overwhelming. Since I was a young boy, he has always been our pillar," said Jetha, who came from Edmonton to be at the arrival.

What may often sound to Canadians like a discordant cacophony of voices from our diverse cultures and interest groups is apparently music to the ears of the Aga Khan.

In an exclusive interview on Sunday with Canwest News Service, the hereditary leader of the world's 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims held up Canada -- a country he has visited often and has maintained a close relationship with throughout his 50-year reign -- as a model with much to teach the world.

The Western world should accept that Islam does not separate the world from
faith.

He considers himself a spiritual leader as opposed to a powerful
businessman. He is interested in fighting poverty by promoting
self-sufficiency to people and culture. He believes that calling upon faith
in conflict situations affects all religions. The Aga Khan, spiritual leader
of the Ismaili Muslims, 71 years of age, rarely gives interviews. During his
passage through Lisbon, some days ago, he spoke to P2.

*By António Marujo and Faranaz Keshavjee*

Hamilton - A memorandum of understanding has been signed by McMaster University and the Aga Khan University for a new stage to a 25-year collaboration which has developed international nursing schools.

The last leg of the Aga Khan's tour commemorating his golden jubilee ended yesterday in Vancouver where he thanked Canada for offering Ismaili Muslims a chance to live in a safe society.
'I have to thank you for two reasons,' he began. 'Not only because you've received these men and women in Canada but you have given them the wherewithal to return to their countries in your cause. Bring back to Africa, bring back to Asia, bring back to East Africa the pluralism, the values of Canada, the knowledge society which you have created here in Canada.'

Arrivée de l'Aga Khan lundi soir à Vancouver

Le chef spirituel des musulmans ismaéliens, l'Aga Khan, a été accueilli chaleureusement à Vancouver, lundi soir. Plus de 5000 personnes sont venues le saluer à son arrivée dans un hôtel du centre-ville. Certains ont attendu plus de deux heures, à la grande surprise des organisateurs de la visite à Vancouver.

De 25 000 à 30 000 personnes étaient attendues mardi soir au stade BC Place où l'Aga Khan devait s'adresser à ses disciples.

His Highness the Aga Khan is in Canada for a 10-day visit from November 18 to November 26, 2008 and returning on December 6 to officially open the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat located on Sussex Drive in Ottawa. The Aga Khan is visiting the Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver as part of a series of visits around the world to mark his Golden Jubilee year

Toronto, Nov 20 (IANS) The Aga Khan, the spiritual head of Shia Ismaili Muslims, is on a eight-day official visit to Canada to meet his followers and the country's leaders to discuss collaboration for work in developing countries.
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), founded by him, is the world's largest non-governmental organisation (NGO), spending about $500 million a year on poverty alleviation and education development programmes in developing countries.

Special to Globe and Mail Update
My interest in His Highness the Aga Khan, and in his vision, dates back to 1957. Then, as a young university student, I read about Prince Karim, who had suddenly inherited his grandfather's mantle as the imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismailis. His grandfather had been a remarkable figure of worldwide renown. The young prince was still a student at Harvard, and I remember thinking, 'How does he feel about inheriting this enormous responsibility as the leader of the Ismailis at the age of 20?'

Burnaby Now
A big day for Burnaby's Ismaili Muslim community is just around the corner.

The Aga Khan comes to B.C. Place Stadium Nov. 25, part of his Golden Jubilee visit.

Farid Damji, a volunteer with the Ismaili Council of B.C., said the Burnaby-based council plans to shuttle local residents to B.C. Place.

It's estimated that close to half of B.C.'s 20,000 Ismailis live in Burnaby.

'It's a very special event for the community,' Damji said in an interview.

'(The Aga Khan) is a direct descendent of the prophet Mohammed. It's a tradition that goes back 1,400 years.'

TORONTO - Canadian Ismaili Muslims are marking a half-century of leadership of the Aga Khan, as the spiritual leader to millions around the globe embarks on an eight-day visit across the country to mark the milestone.
The Aga Khan, imam to 15 million Ismaili Muslims, including between 80,000 to 100,000 in Canada, will meet with government leaders and dignitaries as he commemorates the occasion of his Golden Jubilee.

The Aga Khan met Wednesday with Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean at Rideau Hall. He was slated to next visit Toronto to meet Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Officials with McMaster University and Pakistan's Aga Khan University are signing an agreement today to continue their decades-long partnership.
The collaboration between the two schools started shortly after the AKU was founded in the early 1980s. In addition to exchanges of faculty and students, McMaster president Peter George said the two institutions collaborated on the construction of Aga Khan's nursing school in Pakistan in the 1980s.

The partnership also led to the creation of a woman and health leadership program in the 1990s.

CALGARY --Calgary's close-knit Ismaili Muslim community is on pins and needles in anticipation of today's visit by the Aga Khan, spiritual leader for the world's 15 million Ismailis. The Aga Khan, who began his weeklong Canadian tour in Ottawa on Nov. 18, will fly into Calgary this evening. The 24-hour Calgary stop, his first visit here in 16 years, will include a meeting with Lt.-Gov. Norm Kwong.

The spiritual leader of the world's 15 million Ismaili Muslims says he sees real prospects for new bridges and better relations between Muslim states and the West.
The Aga Khan, touring Canada as part of his celebration of 50 years as Ismaili Muslim leader, said despite the West's 'failure' in Iraq and ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan, there are reasons for hope.

One, he said, is growing acceptance on both sides of the divide for his urgent call to combat what Harvard professor Samuel Huntington dubbed 'the clash of civilizations' and the Aga Khan terms 'the clash of ignorance.'

It

VANCOUVER, B.C. - The leader of the world's 15 million Ismaili Muslims says Canada's pluralism is a model to the world.

The Aga Khan thanked Canada for welcoming Ismailis, a moderate group within the Shia wing of Islam, who were forced to flee persecution and conflict in their own countries over the years.

14,000 Ismaili Muslims expected for prayer session
Calgary's close-knit Ismaili Muslim community is on pins and needles in anticipation of today's visit by the Aga Khan, spiritual leader for the world's 15 million Ismailis.

The Aga Khan, who began his weeklong Canadian tour in Ottawa on Nov. 18, will fly into Calgary this evening.

The 24-hour Calgary stop, his first visit here in 16 years, will include a meeting with Lt.-Gov. Norman Kwong.

Tomorrow (November 25) will mark an important day for the estimated 15,000 members of the Ismaili community in Vancouver as they celebrate Aga Khan