Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

A reception at Toronto’s City Hall brought together city councillors, civic leaders, and special guests to celebrate a decade of cultural and community-building efforts in the city.

The event marked the 10th anniversary of three institutions in the city: the Aga Khan Museum, the Ismaili Centre and the Aga Khan Park, and underscored the strong relationship between the Ismaili Imamat and the City of Toronto. Prince Amyn, who serves as Board Chair of the Aga Khan Museum, is in Toronto for events to mark the museum’s 10th anniversary.

Mayor Chow noted the significant value that Imamat institutions have added to the city’s social and artistic landscape, and offered special appreciation to Prince Amyn for his deep engagement with the Aga Khan Museum. “We look forward to many many years of working together,” she added.

Prince Amyn expressed gratitude to Mayor Chow for the city’s ongoing support, and highlighted the shared values between the Ismaili Imamat and the city, including pluralism, inclusivity, and good governance.

“One of our aims is to improve the quality of life of all the people around us,” he said. “I hope that whatever we do here will be of benefit to the city and to the country in general.”

For more than five decades, the Ismaili community has become an integral part of Toronto’s social fabric, helping shape the city’s cosmopolitan identity. Its institutions, with their architectural beauty and role as hubs of learning and engagement, have become landmarks in the city’s civic life. Their work goes beyond local engagement, and contributes to global conversations about peaceful coexistence.

Over the past ten years, the Ismaili Centre, Aga Khan Museum, and Aga Khan Park have hosted numerous events and programmes that have helped to promote understanding and dialogue between cultures through art, education, and public space.

Looking ahead, Generations Toronto, a multigenerational housing development, will create a vibrant community whose goal is to enhance the dignity of human life. The complex will include affordable housing; a long-term care facility; a clinic with primary and mental health care services; and spaces for cultural, social, and educational programming.

In recognition of Hazar Imam’s work to improve the quality of life in Toronto and beyond, the city honoured him with significant acknowledgments in 2022, including the Key to the City, and the honorary renaming of a portion of Wynford Drive to Aga Khan Boulevard.