I have spoken about our strength as a global and pluralistic Jamat, but arguably our superpower is our centuries old tradition of volunteerism. To volunteer may sound small, but at its core, it is one of the largest and loudest act. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) tells us that the best of people is the one who benefits others the most.

Of my late father’s many lasting legacies, Global Encounters represents a very significant one. Shah Karim created GE as a tool for the Jamat, as an opportunity. He wanted the diversity and the pluralism within our Jamat to be felt and to be practiced. He wanted to encourage excellence, to build understanding and cohesion and to strengthen the forces that bring us closer together. This is a legacy that our present Imam, Mowlana Shah Rahim and our Jamat all together will honour and build on.

I began by speaking of hope. The hope I refer to is not an idle wish. It is the hope one feels when there is strong evidence for optimism. It is the hope our Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, has called “probably the single most powerful trampoline of progress”. That is the hope that I believe unites us today.