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kmaherali
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Editorial: Going for a walk can help raise awareness of global poverty
Vancouver Sun editorial

http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/edi ... story.html


‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day,” runs the old proverb. “Show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Those wise words are something the Aga Khan Foundation has taken to heart, as its development initiatives are designed to foster self-sufficiency. The initiatives, which operate in more than a dozen low-income countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Egypt, Mozambique, Mali and Uganda, focus specifically on revitalizing rural economies, ensuring clean water and sanitation, strengthening community-based organizations, and educating boys and girls and men and women.

Yet as worthy as these initiatives are, most Vancouverites cannot simply drop everything and move halfway across the world to help out. But that doesn’t mean there is no way to contribute to the programs that are making such an enormous difference around the world.

So, how exactly can you contribute? Well, let’s consider some more wise words, this time from Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”

In this case, the small group of thoughtful, committed citizens were members of Vancouver’s Ismaili Women’s Organizing Committee. In 1985, a group of volunteers from the committee wanted to help people in the impoverished countries in which the volunteers were raised.

So with the simple words “rain or shine, walk with your family, bring your lunch,” they persuaded nearly 1,000 people to join them in a walk to raise awareness about global poverty.

Those first steps raised more than $50,000, and also gave birth to the World Partnership Walk, an initiative of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada.

The walk, which symbolizes the commitment of Canadians to alleviating global poverty, now attracts tens of thousands of Canadians each year, making it the largest and most successful event of its kind in Canada.

In the nearly 30 years since then, the walk has raised more than $75 million for its international development programs. In 2012 alone, the walk raised more than $7 million, and drew almost 40,000 people in 10 cities across Canada.

So if you want to make a difference, head to Lumbermen’s Arch in Stanley Park on May 26, where the walk will begin. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and the ribbon cutting, followed by the walk, begins at 10:40 a.m. For more, go to www.worldpartnershipwalk.com.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun


Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Ed ... z2ThnE19us
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AKFC and thePanel present Digital Diplomacy

November 19, 2015 - Digital diplomacy, or what some call “Twiplomacy”, is using the medium of digital technology to directly connect with a foreign population to achieve international objectives. With more than 1 billion people using Facebook, Twitter, Qzone or Snapchat daily, digital connectivity has made the world smaller and, in the process, changed the daily lives of billions of people; linking rural farmers to markets in Bangladesh, offering e-health services to women and children in Tanzania and improving access to information to hold government accountable to citizens worldwide.

These developments have not been limited to individuals. State and non-state actors are increasingly using these platforms to speak directly to citizens. Some target direct action, such as international NGOs like the International Committee of the Red Cross using Twitter hashtags to direct donations to specific humanitarian crises. Other forms of digital diplomacy are broader, speaking more to general foreign policy positions, such as the Government of Canada’s direct engagement of the Iranian people through Twitter.

There is no denying that connectivity and the use of digital diplomacy is ushering in an era of social change. This is not without its consequences, as the diffusion of ideas, thoughts and sentiments has led to social unrest, violence and radicalization.

Is digital diplomacy truly the game changer some say it is? What are some of the latent risks posed by such an open approach? What benefits does it offer? And, how might Canada successfully use it to forward our foreign policy goals?

Register Here

Thursday November 19, 2015
Networking Reception: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Event Start: 7:00 PM


Check out our new blog on Exploring the Digital Diplomacy!

John Stackhouse
Senior Vice President, Office of the CEO, RBC and former Editor-in-Chief of the Globe and Mail

Taylor Owen
Professor of Digital Media and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia, Senior Fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at the Columbia School of Journalism, and Founder of OpenCanada.org

Martha McLean, Co-founder, Digital Diplomacy Coalition, Ottawa Chapter and Deputy Director, Online Communications and Engagement, Global Affairs Canada

Sébastien Beaulieu, Executive Director, Middle East Relations, Global Affairs Canada and former Canadian Ambassador to Tunisia

http://akfc.ca/en/events/item/194-thepanel2015
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Post by kmaherali »

Connected communities, brighter futures

When you live in a remote location, getting to a hospital or school can be difficult. Travel can involve dangerous roads, expensive transportation and long distances. That lack of infrastructure also limits your ability to access food – or to find markets for your crops and products. Many remote communities in developing countries don’t have access to phones or internet – or to reliable sources of electricity – compounding their isolation.

Connecting remote communities with the tools for better health, education and food security saves time, money—and lives.

http://www.akfc.ca/en/component/k2/item ... -221722829
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Be an Artist for Change: Enter the Together Art Contest!
http://together.akfc.ca/exhibit/en/abou ... rt-contest

Attention artists

Aga Khan Foundation Canada is looking for talented Canadians to create a piece of artwork for our traveling exhibition. Together: An exhibition on global development is an interactive, bilingual experience for all ages, sparking discussions on how Canadians are driving positive change around the world. Visitors are invited to climb aboard and explore a custom-built transport truck with 1,000 square feet of exhibition space, travelling coast-to-coast for two years.

What will you create?

We want you to create a piece of art showing why you care about global development. We will then ask Canadians coast to coast to vote on their favourite entries. You can encourage your friends and family to vote too! This is a chance to showcase your artistic talents and share your vision of global development, positive change, and working together as global citizens. If chosen, your artwork will be prominently displayed in the exhibit, where it will be seen by people who want to learn about and take action on the world’s biggest challenges—like alleviating global poverty and working with those in the world’s poorest regions to improve their lives.

Entry and Timeline
1.Submit a digital image of your artwork (minimum resolution of 300 DPI) along with an artist statement of 150 - 200 words that tells us about your piece and what inspired you. You have from January 5, 2016 until February 2, 2016 to submit your entry. Submissions should be sent by email to exhibit@akfc.ca. No submissions will be accepted after 11:59 pm EDT on February 2, 2016.
2.Artwork will be posted online February 4, 2016. A link will be sent to all participants for the voting platform on the 4th. Voting will be open from February 4 to February 25, 2016 and will be promoted widely throughout Canada.
3.Finalists will be announced in March, 2016 via email.

Rules and Regulations
•Each contestant may submit only one (1) entry that is a 2-dimensional artwork in any medium (photography, drawing, painting, digital artwork, etc.) The artwork will then be reproduced and enlarged for display in the exhibition.
•Any work submitted must be an original concept and creation of that contestant. If your artwork includes images or photographs, you have to prove that you have permission to include it in your artwork; otherwise your submission will be disqualified.
•You must be a resident of Canada, age 16+.
•Immediate family members of AKFC staff are ineligible to enter the contest.
•You can’t use vote-getting websites, or offer any special incentives to get votes. Mobilize your networks to get people to vote for your artwork based on its merits!
•The winning artwork will be on display in the travelling exhibition from April to November 2016. All entries will be posted online. Winning entries may be used in connection with the contest and promotion for 12 months from the date winners are notified. Artwork provided to the exhibition will be returned to the winning contestant by December 31, 2016.
•You retain the original artwork and copyright to your artwork.
•Eligible entries will be posted online from February 4 to February 25, 2016 for voting.

Judging
•The top ten submissions with the most votes will be finalists in the contest. If you are not in the top ten, there’s still a chance to make it into the finals. A judge will pick three other entries they think should be in the finals and considered for the top prizes. Then, our judges will pick the top three out of 13 finalists.
•A jury appointed by Aga Khan Foundation Canada will determine the winners of the first, second and third prizes.
•Entries will be judged on the basis of creativity, quality, and originality. The artwork will also be judged on the basis that best demonstrates a positive vision of global collaboration for a better world.
•Decisions of the judges are final.

First Prize:

Your artwork displayed in the Together exhibition travelling through Western and Central Canada in 2016.

A $500 gift certificate for art supplies.

Travel and two night accommodation to launch of exhibition in the spring of 2016 in British Columbia

A behind-the-scenes visit to the exhibition before the launch to learn about how Canadians are driving positive global change around the world.

Second Prize:

A $300 gift certificate for art supplies.

Third prize:

A $200 gift certificate for art supplies.

All prizes are non-transferable and must be accepted as is. They may not be substituted for cash or any other items or exchange.

About Together: An exhibition on global development

Developed by Aga Khan Foundation Canada –and featuring the work of over 20 organizations – the exhibition explores how Canadians are working together to alleviate global poverty.

Together has travelled to six provinces and reached close to 15,000 people since it launched in Ottawa in April 2015. In 2016 the exhibit will travel to central and western Canada. You can also see this Storify of our journey across eastern Canada.

Do you have questions?

Please send questions to: exhibit@akfc.ca.
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Aga Khan Foundation and Canadian Association of Journalists announce Fellowships for International Development Reporting

OTTAWA, Feb. 1, 2016 /CNW/ – From Liberia to Kenya, and all the way to the tiny island nation of Kiribati, three Canadian journalists are about to spread out across the globe to bring the world’s stories home to Canadians.

Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists are pleased to announce that this year’s Fellowships for International Development Reporting will be awarded to freelance journalist and Ottawa Citizen columnist Shannon Gormley, CTV’s Kayla Hounsell, and freelance journalist Marc-André Sabourin.

They will each receive $25,000 to report from the developing world.
■Gormley will travel to Kiribati to report on the intersection of migration and international law for populations affected by climate change. Her reporting will be published by the Ottawa Citizen.
■Hounsell‘s project for CTV’s W5 will look at the long-term impacts of the Ebola outbreak. She will report from Liberia, a country that lost more lives than any other West African nation, with nearly 5,000 deaths.
■Sabourin will explore a model of low-cost private education in Kenya, and its impacts on the quality of schooling for poor communities. His reporting will appear in L’actualité.

“The developing world is evolving at a rapid pace, and journalists play an important role in making sense of the complex dynamics at work,” said Khalil Z. Shariff, AKFC’s chief executive officer. “This program invests in journalists who want to tell stories that illuminate the process of global development for Canadians.”

“These important stories will give Canadians a deeper understanding of pressing issues in places where we don’t often find Canadian correspondents,” said CAJ President Nick Taylor-Vaisey. “The CAJ applauds AKFC’s solid commitment to ambitious, global journalism, and we can’t wait to see what Shannon, Kayla, and Marc-André produce.”

An independent selection committee, chaired by Taylor-Vaisey, chose the fellows. The jury included Anyck Béraud, Radio-Canada; Jean-Thomas Léveillé, La Presse; Stephen Puddicombe, CBC; Rachel Pulfer, Journalists for Human Rights; and Robert Steiner, Munk School of Global Affairs.

Source: Canadian Association of Journalists
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Post by kmaherali »

Real time update from East Africa

Hello everyone,

I am travelling in Mozambique and Tanzania with Aga Khan Foundation Canada volunteers and fundraisers, visiting communities and individuals whose lives have been transformed thanks to your support of AKFC. We are providing real time updates on our World Partnership Walk Facebook page. If you don't already, please go to Facebook.com/wpwalk and hit "Like" to see those updates.

Salaama (as they say in Mozambique).

Sincerely,

Shakeel Bharmal
Chief Operating Officer
Aga Khan Foundation Canada
www.akfc.ca
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Aga Khan Foundation Canada’s Together truck rolling into Vancouver to end global poverty

| by ismailimail
|Posted on April 18, 2016


Together: An exhibition on global development is an interactive, bilingual experience, featuring powerful photography, a global citizen quiz and an interactive world map.

Visitors are invited to climb aboard and explore the custom-built truck with 1,000 square feet of exhibition space, travelling coast-to-coast over the next two years.

The truck was developed by the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), and features the work of 21 Canadian organizations working to reduce poverty around the world.

The Together Truck will be open to the public, completely free, in the following locations around Vancouver, as well as others further afield. Full schedule at together.akfc.ca.

Vancouver Public Library
Where: 350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
When: April 28, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 29 and 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Mulgrave School
Where: 2330 Cypress Bowl Lane, West Vancouver
When: May 2 and 3, 3 to 5 p.m.

Ismaili Centre Burnaby
Where: 4010 Canada Way, Burnaby
When: May 26 and 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

World Partnership Walk
Where: Lumberman’s Arch – 3301 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver
When: May 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Source: vancitybuzz.com
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Video: Aga Khan travelling exhibit arrives in Vancouver

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/local ... story.html
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Post by kmaherali »

How Canadians can be better global citizens

The Aga Khan Foundation Canada launches its ‘Together: An Exhibition on Global Development’ tour in Vancouver. Christine McGuire tells Global News viewers about an interactive bus rolling through Vancouver, discussing Canada’s role in global development.

http://globalnews.ca/video/2669004/how- ... l-citizens
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Post by kmaherali »

WALK WITH US

When we step forward together, we can make a world of difference. Join tens of thousands of Canadians who are fighting global poverty and inspiring hope.

https://www.worldpartnershipwalk.com/en/
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

As received:

You are part of a wonderful relationship

Yesterday afternoon His Highness the Aga Khan had an opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Speaking to the special relationship the AKDN has with Canada he said:

“I hope this wonderful relationship can continue for the benefit of all the people that we care about both in Canada and abroad. Your partnership, your help, your support has been extremely important. Thank you very much.”

An important example of the partnership His Highness spoke of is the one between the Canadian Government and Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC). Together, through our joint funding agreements and strategic partnerships we are improving the quality of life for millions of people in Africa and Asia. AKFC’s role in these agreements are a direct result of your support for World Partnership Walk and World Partnership Golf. Whether you are a fundraiser, a donor, a sponsor, a volunteer or all of the above, thank you for being part of this partnership. We hope that OUR wonderful relationship with YOU can continue for the benefit of all the people WE care about.

If you haven’t already this year, there is still time to participate in this relationship by joining or donating to World Partnership Walk. Click here.

Kind regards,

Khalil Shariff
Chief Executive Officer
AGA KHAN FOUNDATION CANADA

An Agency of the Aga Khan Development Network
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World Partnership Walk expected to draw thousands


Thousands of people will walk together through Stanley Park on Sunday to raise money for the fight against global poverty.

The 32nd annual World Partnership Walk is an initiative of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada and is the country’s biggest event to raise funds for global development. The walk takes place in 10 cities across Canada, including Vancouver and Victoria.

Since the walk began, it has raised more than $95 million — including $7 million last year — and 100 per cent of the donations go to support programs that help transform the lives of more than seven million people in 14 countries in Africa and Asia.

Events and activities are planned throughout the day at Lumbermen’s Arch in Stanley Park.

Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. and there will be a VIP breakfast. Opening ceremonies take place at 10:15, followed by a warm-up led by the YMCA Healthy Heart Program. Ribbon cutting at the start line is at 10:45 and the five-kilometre walk begins at 10:50.

Following the walk, there will be ambassador recognition and team awards, lunch, live entertainment and kids’ and team activities. Tours of Together: An Exhibition on Global Development (which are free) begin at 10:30 a.m. and continue until 2:30 p.m. Closing remarks will end the day at 4 p.m.

Register, donate or find out more at worldpartnershipwalk.com.

jensaltman@postmedia.com

twitter.com/jensaltman

http://www.leaderpost.com/news/local+ne ... story.html
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Editorial: Walking for a good cause

http://www.vancouversun.com/literacy/ra ... story.html

As the global population marches relentlessly toward eight billion, the possibility of declining agricultural production triggered by climate change casts the long and deepening shadow of food insecurity. Nowhere is this a more troubling prospect than in the arid regions of Africa, particularly in the sub-Saharan states.

That continent’s population is projected to double between now and 2050, a period in which North America’s population will grow by less than one per cent while Europe’s is expected to decline by four per cent.

Yet some crop scientists are forecasting that over the same span, droughts, desertification and loss of arable land will result in diminished yields for crucial commodities. Wheat production might fall by 17 per cent, for example, millet by 10 per cent and sorghum by 15 per cent. One scientific study tracked crop yields for the past 30 years and found that as global temperatures rose, production of key cereal commodities fell. Another study links declining rice yields to higher night-time temperatures. It forecasts a 10-per-cent decline in grain yields for every degree that temperatures rises during summer dry seasons.

This is a concern for all, but some regions will suffer greater consequences more rapidly. Among the most vulnerable is Mozambique. It’s estimated 64 per cent of the population is already exposed to chronic food insecurity. Half that country’s people live in poverty, malnourishment and endemic illiteracy. Almost half have no access to safe water. The United Nations ranks the destitute nation 165th of 169 countries on its human development index. It’s a country cursed by natural disasters of Biblical proportions. Locusts, floods, droughts: millions of poor farmers have been plagued by 15 catastrophes over the past 25 years.

Residents of Metro Vancouver will be asked to help do something to assist the people of Mozambique by turning out Sunday for the World Partnership Walk, the Aga Khan Foundation’s annual fund-raiser for good works. This year, the foundation is focused on building food security and raising incomes for the impoverished farmers of Mozambique.

The foundation’s Canadian arm has been working with its counterpart there since 2010 to improve conditions in seven of the most stricken districts. The approach is holistic, attacking the complex problem of food insecurity and poverty on inter-related fronts. For example, although agriculture is a main focus because it’s the primary activity and livelihood for most of the population, adult literacy, household nutrition, family health, educating girls, developing markets for produce and establishing community-based savings and credit institutions are all integrated components of the program. Initially, the project will reach 35,000 households but the plan is launch a process that will continue to grow on its own.

Canadians have shown their approval of this kind of approach to international development. The Aga Khan Foundation’s World Partnership Walk is now Canada’s largest event for raising awareness and funds for global progress. Tens of thousands of us turn out each year — Sunday marks the 31st such walk — and have raised $90 million for programs such as the one in Mozambique. Walks in 10 cities raised $7 million in 2014. The Aga Khan Foundation points out it spends not a dime of contributions on administration; every cent raised goes to the target program.

This year’s World Partnership Walk convenes at 10 a.m. at Lumbermen’s Arch in Stanley Park. There’ll be live multicultural entertainment, a tropical fruit and snack bar, exhibits and talks about the impact the program is achieving and the chance for a lovely five-km walk with plenty of your nicest, most engaging and generous neighbours.

For more information about World Partnership Walk, visit the website www.worldpartnershipwalk.com

******
Regina’s Mayor Fougere proclaims Sunday, May 29th as World Partnership Walk Day
ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/05/28/reginas-mayor-fougere-proclaims-sunday-may-29th-as-world-partnership-walk-day/
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Photos: World Partnership Walk in Stanley Park

Hundreds of people participate in the World Partnership Walk presented by the Aga Khan Foundation at Stanley Park, in Vancouver, BC., May 29, 2016.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/photos+ ... story.html

Victoria World Partnership Walk raises $150,000

VIDEO at:
http://www.cheknews.ca/victoria-world-p ... 00-180878/

More than 1,000 people came out for Victoria’s World Partnership Walk on Sunday.

The popular walk, now in its 32nd year in Victoria, is aimed at ending global poverty, one footstep and fundraising pledge at a time.

Victoria’s walk is one of 10 walks taking place across Canada this weekend.

It’s the largest fundraiser in the country aimed at reducing global poverty.

More than 1.5 billion people, including many children, live in poverty.

The World Partnership Walk has raised more than $95 million in the last three decades, with all funds going directly to programs run by the Aga Khan Foundation aimed at improving health and education.

“It’s all about reaching across the world, tapping someone on the shoulder and telling them, you matter,” says Victoria World Partnership Walk chair Zen Tharani. “We don’t know you but you matter because we are Canadians and we are here to help you and this is how we put our values into action.”

The Victoria walk raised more than $150,000, easily beating last year’s total by about $20,000.

CHEK News’ Tess van Straaten was the emcee for the event, which was held at the University of Victoria campus.
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‘Together’ mobile exhibition on global change makes stop in Calgary

Hundreds of Calgarians stepped forward in support of the World Partnership Walk at Prince’s Island Park Sunday.

The walk is in support of fighting global poverty and to be a positive force of change in the world.

One of those forces was front and centre on display at the event, after travelling across Canada.

The ‘Together’ exhibit is a customized mobile vehicle designed to spark the conversation about the role Canadians can play to help reduce global poverty.

The interactive exhibition is housed in a 53-foot, custom vehicle. With 1,000 square feet of exhibit space that features powerful photography, film and audio that bring the individual stories behind global change to life.

‘Together’ was created by the Aga Khan Foundation Canada and also shows the work of 21 Canadian organizations that are helping improve quality of life in the developing world.

“It’s really showing how the role of Canada and Canadians is transformative in the developmental world and changing lives, ” said Jennifer Pepall, from Aga Khan Foundation Canada. “They [visitors] can explore some of the ways they can be agents of change and take actions themselves. There’s lots of hands on activities [inside the vehicle] for people to describe their visions of what a better world looks like.”


“You learn explore and share.”

The exhibit is partly funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

In 2015, the exhibit on wheels traveled across Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, and this year it will travel to central and western Canada.

The Together vehicle is free for the public to visit and will be in Calgary for a few weeks. For more information about where you can find it, visit their website.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2742675/toget ... n-calgary/
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The 32nd World Partnership Walk takes place in Edmonton

'I don’t think anything speaks more to Canadian values than helping people live with hope, and dignity.'

By Emily Fitzpatrick, CBC NewsPosted: Jun 05, 2016 10:39 PM MT|Last Updated: Jun 06, 2016 6:47 AM MT

Randy Boissonnault, MP for Edmonton Centre, helps start Edmonton's World Partnership Walk. (CBC)

Canadians all over the country put foot to pavement for poverty today.

In Edmonton, thousands gathered at the Alberta Legislature grounds for the World Partnership Walk. The goal was to raise an impressive $800,000 for the Aga Khan Foundation.

TheFoundation operates in 30 countries from Asia to Africa and works to end global poverty.

The money raised will go to education, health, food and economic programs to help impoverished people across the globe.

Sarah Hamilton is one of the organizers of the walk, and each year is impressed by how many come out to support the cause.

"I don't think anything speaks more to Canadian values than helping people live with hope and dignity.'​

Sarah Hamilton said she is impressed by how many come out to support the cause.

Attiya Hirji works with the foundation and has visited a number of the countries they work alongside with. She's seen first hand the impact it has.

"We actually employ locals who speak the local dialect," said Hirji. "So these individuals are introducing programs, and customizing them to fit the needs of all of these locals."

"That ensures long term and sustainable solutions to some of the problems affecting those in developing countries."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ ... -1.3617430
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The Aga Khan Foundation Canada took a giant swing at world poverty last week and raised a record $510,000 at its annual golf event at The Derrick.

“We have to thank co-chairs, former deputy prime minister and lawyer Anne McLellan and ATB president and CEO Dave Mowat, for taking the game to the upper echelons of our community,” says Salim Chatur, convener of the Ismaili annual World Partnership in Golf tournament.

“Our event has been held in seven cities across Canada since 2000, with net proceeds supporting health, education, rural development and strengthening civil society in poor and vulnerable communities in Africa and Central Asia.

“The world poverty rate fell 50 per cent between 1990 and 2010, bringing 663 million people out of poverty. But despite these advances, 1.5 billion people still live on less than $1.15 per day.”





Calgary lawyer, volunteer and philanthropist Brian Felesky told 175 golfers and guests that terrorism, oppression and poverty can only be defeated by education, and pluralism is the only way to fight racism.

Keynote speaker Felesky, a founding member of Awali (Swahili for “the beginning) with business gurus Jim Gray and Sherali Saju, initiated professional development for teachers in East Africa.

A donation of $25,000 from Awali helped swell this year’s funds.

CN Canada joined Orbis Engineering, represented by CEO Amin Kassam, as a signature sponsor this year and donated $25,000.

CN CEO Mike Cory added another $5,000 to the CN total and then chipped in $2,500 personally

http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu ... r-on-track
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AKFC and CAJ announce third cycle of $25,000 international development reporting fellowship

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business ... ilter=5611

OTTAWA, Aug. 8, 2016 /CNW/ - Captivating stories from across the developing world are waiting to be told. Make your pitch to tell them.

Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists are pleased to announce the third cycle of the Fellowship for International Development Reporting. This unique opportunity challenges journalists to push the boundaries of development reporting and dive into the complex issues facing the developing world.

The $25,000 fellowship offers recipients the chance to undertake a substantial overseas reporting project that helps Canadians develop a greater understanding of development issues. The parameters are simple: story pitches must be about a development issue within a developing country or region. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that apply a new lens to daily foreign coverage and explore fresh perspectives on global issues.

Applications are welcome from Canadian citizens and permanent residents with at least five years of experience as working journalists, including freelancers and staff reporters. The deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. ET on September 12, 2016.

"The developing world is evolving at a rapid pace, and journalists play an important role in making sense of the complex dynamics at work," said Khalil Z. Shariff, Chief Executive Officer of AKFC. "This fellowship supports journalists who want to tell stories that illuminate the process of global development for Canadians."

Three fellowships were awarded in the second cycle: freelance journalist and Ottawa Citizen columnist Shannon Gormley, CTV's Kayla Hounsell, and freelance journalist Marc-André Sabourin. Their reporting projects range from migration and climate change (Gormley) to the long-term impacts of Ebola in Liberia (Hounsell) and low-cost private education in Kenya (Sabourin). They join past fellows Mellissa Fung and Marc Ellison.

"These journalists are travelling to corners of the world mostly forgotten by Canadian newsrooms," said CAJ president Nick Taylor-Vaisey. "And if not for AKFC's continued commitment to development journalism that matters, Canadian audiences may never hear crucial stories like these."

Administration and funding for the program is provided by AKFC with additional funding from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. The fellowship selection committee is led by the CAJ. Fellows' work is editorially independent and remains the property of the fellows and any associated media outlet.

Comprehensive information on the program and how to apply is available on both the AKFC and CAJ websites.

AKFC is a non-profit international development agency, working in Asia and Africa to find sustainable solutions to the complex problems causing global poverty. Established in 1980, AKFC is a registered Canadian charity and an agency of the worldwide Aga Khan Development Network.

The CAJ is Canada's largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing more than 600 members across the country. The CAJ's primary roles are to provide high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest advocacy.

SOURCE Canadian Association of Journalists

*******

Bus exhibit raising awareness on global issues rolls into Regina

The 53-foot custom mobile exhibit uses photos, film and audio to help bring stories of global change to life

A multi-media museum on wheels has rolled its way into Saskatchewan.

The 53-foot, custom mobile exhibit is called Together: An exhibition on global development.

Through photos, film and audio, the bus will help bring stories of global change to life. It features the work of 21 Canadian organizations.

"The goal of the exhibit is to increase our Canadians' awareness about the importance of the global issues and also we're actually trying to inspire the audience to be more active agents of change," said Francois Grenier with Aga Khan Foundation Canada.


The bus had a plethora of multimedia displays. (Brian Rodgers/CBC)

He said the bus is designed to spark conversations about the role Canadians can play in reducing global poverty.

"We are also trying to network with people from around Canada, you know, to hear what they have to say," he added.

The bus will be in Regina on Sunday at the Queen City Ex from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. CST.

It will be at the Saskatoon Ex on Tuesday.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon ... -1.3710952
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Aga Khan Foundation Canada's interactive traveling exhibition on global development work drew hundreds to Museum Square

A travelling museum took up residence in Woodstock’s Museum Square over the weekend.

The Aga Khan Foundation Canada’s “Together” exhibition has been crisscrossing the country in a 53-foot custom tractor trailer, and it drew hundreds of visitors during a two-day visit to the Friendly City.

“Festivals, fairs, middle schools, stampedes, farmer’s markets, car shows, Canada Day, fundraisers – you name it, we’ve been there,” said tour manager Francois Grenier. “It was a long road, but it was awesome.”

There’s just one more stop for the exhibition, which highlights Canada’s role in international development projects across the globe. After it rolls out of Woodstock, the truck will finish up its journey in Windsor.

More...
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Crafting brighter futures


Weaving a Brighter Future: Apendiwe’s story

Apendiwe Momade sits in the shade outside her home in rural Mozambique, next to a billowing pile of dried grass.

Her legs are outstretched on one of her homemade mats, her fingers a blur as she expertly twists the grass into intricate patterns. For Apendiwe, learning to weave was just another household skill, passed down from generation to generation.

“These things are useful to us,” she says. “They are useful even when we die.”

More...
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Carving out a better life

Several wooden spoons and forks are perched on a table as Fatima puts the finishing touches on another one. Around her, other carpenters are carving signs, measuring material, and smoothing out large pieces of wood for new projects. Working in a comfortable rhythm, they all appear at ease in the workshop.

http://www.akfc.ca/en/component/k2/item ... -225618353

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Giving a gift of empowerment

December 8, 2016 - Holidays are a time of giving, to be shared with family and friends. But in Ghiramara, a rural village in Bangladesh, strong family ties bond the community together throughout the year. In this village, parents and grandparents go above and beyond to craft a brighter future for their children – literally!

Aga Khan Foundation Canada supports programs designed to educate families on parenting skills, nutrition, and hygiene, and to encourage parents – both fathers and mothers – to play an active role in their child’s development. Sometimes, that means putting local crafting skills to good use.

In villages like Ghiramara, it’s not unusual to see mothers sew fish made of felt, or fathers craft bows and arrows out of local materials like bamboo. Often, these toys are given to a local preschool to enrich the classroom and give children new opportunities to play and learn.

http://www.akfc.ca/en/component/k2/item ... -225618353
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Attention artists and photographers,

As part of Canada’s 150th anniversary, Aga Khan Foundation Canada is looking for talented Canadians to create a piece of artwork or submit a photograph for our traveling exhibition, Together: An exhibition on global development. Housed in custom-built transport truck with 1,000 square feet of exhibition, Together is an interactive, bilingual experience for all ages, sparking discussions on how Canadians are driving positive change around the world.

What will you submit?

We want you to create a piece of artwork or snap a photo that will tell us:
1.Why you care about global development;
2.How Canadians are contributing to a more peaceful, prosperous, pluralist, and equal world for all as part of Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Themes can include, but are not limited to: inclusion and diversity, gender equality, innovation, partnership, and peace and stability.

We will then ask Canadians coast to coast to vote on their favourite entries. You can encourage your friends and family to vote too! This is a chance to showcase your talents and share your vision of global development, positive change, and working together as global citizens for Canada’s 150th anniversary. If chosen, your art will be prominently displayed in the exhibition. It will inspire people who want to learn about and take action on the world’s biggest challenges—like alleviating global poverty and working with those in the world’s poorest regions to improve their lives.

Entry and Timeline
1.Submit a digital image of your artwork or photograph (minimum resolution of 300 DPI) along with an artist statement of 150 - 200 words that tells us about your piece and what inspired you. Please include in the email your full name and city of residence. You have from January 3, 2017 until January 26, 2017 to submit your entry. Submissions should be sent by email to christine@akfc.ca. No submissions will be accepted after 11:59 pm EDT on January 26, 2016.
2.Submissions will be posted online on February 2, 2017. A link will be sent to all participants with voting information on February 2. Voting will be open from February 2 to February 23, 2017 and will be promoted widely throughout Canada.
3.Finalists will be announced in March, 2017 via email.

Rules and Regulations
•Each contestant may submit only one (1) entry that is a 2-dimensional artwork in any medium (photography, drawing, painting, digital artwork, etc.) The artwork will then be reproduced and enlarged for display in the exhibition.
•Any work submitted must be an original concept and creation of that contestant and stated so in the email submission; otherwise your submission will be disqualified.
•You must be a resident of Canada, over the age of 16.
•Immediate family members of AKFC staff are ineligible to enter the contest.
•Eligible entries will be posted online from February 2 to February 23, 2017 for voting.
•You can’t use vote-getting websites, or offer any special incentives to get votes. Mobilize your networks to get people to vote for your artwork based on its merits!
•The winning submissions will be on display in the travelling exhibition throughout the 2017 tour. Submissions that reflect the contest theme will be posted online.
•Winning entries may be used in connection with the contest and promotion for 12 months from the date winners are notified. Artwork provided will be returned to the winning contestant by December 31, 2017.
•You retain the original artwork and copyright to your artwork.

Judging
•The top ten submissions with the most votes will be finalists in the contest. If you are not in the top ten, there’s still a chance to make it into the finals. The judges will pick three other entries they think should be in the finals and considered for the top prizes. Then, our judges will pick the top three out of 13 finalists.
•A jury appointed by Aga Khan Foundation Canada will determine the winners of the first, second and third prizes.
•Entries will be judged on the basis of creativity, quality, originality and connection to the contest themes.
•Decisions of the judges are final.

First Prize:
•Your artwork displayed in the Together exhibition for the 2017 tour.
•A $500 gift certificate for art supplies.
•Travel and two night accommodation to launch of exhibition in the spring of 2017.
•A behind-the-scenes visit to the exhibition before the launch to learn about how Canadians are driving positive global change around the world.

Second Prize:
•A $300 gift certificate for art supplies.

Third prize:
•A $200 gift certificate for art supplies.

All prizes are non-transferable and must be accepted as is. They may not be substituted for cash or any other items or exchange.

About Together: An exhibition on global development

Developed by Aga Khan Foundation Canada –and featuring the work of over 20 organizations – the exhibition explores how Canadians are working together to alleviate global poverty.

Together has traveled to ten provinces and reached close to 40,000 people since it launched in Ottawa in April 2015. See highlights of the Together tour here.

In 2017, as part of Canada’s 150th celebrations, the Together exhibition will be touring across the country to celebrate Canada’s leadership in promoting a more peaceful, prosperous, pluralist, and equal world.

Questions?

Please send questions to: christine@akfc.ca.

http://together.akfc.ca/exhibit/en/abou ... -225618353
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Post by kmaherali »

For 28 years, Aga Khan Foundation Canada’s International Youth Fellowship Program has brought the best of Canada to the world to change people’s lives for the better. The Fellowship offers an international development training program and an eight-month overseas placement to recent university graduates and young professionals who are 30 years of age or younger.

Find out how you can join us in making a difference in the world. We will be hosting two online information sessions for our 2017 International Youth Fellowship Program.

Each session will be led by two former Fellows: Lauren Stanley and Jamie Charlebois on January 10, and Jessica Poulin and Elizabeth McSheffrey on January 12. They will discuss their experiences with the program and answer participants’ questions. Please note that the sessions will be held in English.

The sessions will take place Tuesday, January 10 and Thursday, January 12 from 6:00PM to 7:00PM ET on YouTube.


International Youth Fellowship 2017 Information Session
Scheduled for Jan 10, 2017
.
Aga Khan Foundation Canada

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUp1PgB ... -225618353

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International Youth Fellowship 2017 Information
Scheduled for Jan 12, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t59BMKp ... -225618353

Website:

https://youthfellows.akfc.ca/?utm_sourc ... -225618353
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$50,000 for the best in global development journalism

December 8, 2016 - Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) and the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) are thrilled to announce two new recipients of the Fellowship for International Development Reporting. Journalists Frédérick Lavoie and Jennifer Yang will each receive $25,000 to report on critical global issues.

Jennifer Yang will report for the Toronto Star on Rh disease, which kills an estimated 100,000 infants in the developing world each year and causes brain damage in many that survive. It is a little-known disease in Canada, thanks to a team of Canadian researchers who contributed to its eradication in wealthy countries decades ago.

“Rh disease is the kind of story that can be a tough sell in this era of shrinking newsroom budgets. The problem is complex, the victims are far away, and the story is expensive to report from the field,” says Yang. “I hope my project will shed light on an important but little-known public health issue, while drawing attention to the gross inequities that allow preventable illnesses to persevere in the world’s poorest communities.”

Yang is working in partnership with the Global Reporting Centre.

Frédérick Lavoie’s project will explore complex issues of development in Bangladesh, and how they link back to an essential element: water. Through profiles of Bangladeshis from different walks of life, the challenges of water management – and the impacts of water and the environment on poverty – will be illuminated. His project will be published in Le Devoir.

“The issues Bangladesh is facing are the same ones that might affect the rest of the world over the next few decades. That’s why it’s so important to study this country’s challenges today,” says Lavoie.

An independent selection committee, chaired by Nick Taylor-Vaisey, president of the CAJ, selected the fellows. The jury included Jane Armstrong, CBC; Anyck Béraud, Radio-Canada; Pierre St-Arnaud, La Presse Canadienne; and Robert Steiner, Munk School of Global Affairs.

AKFC and the CAJ partner to manage the Fellowship for International Development Reporting. It is jointly funded by AKFC and Global Affairs Canada.

http://www.akfc.ca/en/news/item/296-glo ... journalism
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What the World Needs Now: Pluralism


With waves of displaced peoples leaving their homelands and many Western countries closing their borders, who is there to help bridge the divide? Khalil Shariff believes Canada has an important and unique role to play in this new world; that we must harness the aspirations of young people to become thoughtful, engaged global citizens, and develop a vision for the kind of global leadership Canada ought to be exercising.

khalil-shariff-newKhalil Z. Shariff is the Chief Executive Officer, Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC). Khalil joined AKFC as CEO in 2005. He was previously with the Toronto office of McKinsey & Co., an international management consultancy. Throughout his career, Khalil has cultivated his interest in international development and conflict resolution issues. He holds a BA in International Relations and Economics from UBC, and a JD magna cum laude from Harvard Law School.

http://cannexus.ca/cannexus17-spark/
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Join #AKFC150 in embracing diversity & building a more peaceful, equal & pluralist world for all for #Canada150 http://thndr.me/BNZwyy

Canadians. We are a country of leaders, innovators, and global citizens.

We understand that our differences make us stronger. And we want to contribute to a more peaceful, prosperous, equal, and pluralist world for all.

For more than 35 years, Aga Khan Foundation Canada has brought the best of Canada to the world to change people’s lives for the better.

And now, for Canada’s 150th anniversary, we invite you to join us to make an even bigger difference in the world – and celebrate all the ways that we are Canadian.

On February 5th, the first day of International Development Week, we will spread the message that we have the power to make the world a better place for all.

Join us.

HOW TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT:


1.At the top of this page, support our Thunderclap Campaign via Twitter, Facebook, or both, and get the word out to your friends and followers to join you.
2.Watch our Canada 150 video and share with your networks.
3.Make your mark by visiting http://www.akfc.ca/en/get-involved for suggestions of how you can make a difference.
4.Watch as everyone's messages are simultaneously shared around the world on #AKFC150 and #Canada150 on February 5, 2017.

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/513 ... -225618353
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Together Art and Photo Contest


View this email in your browser

Together banner

As part of Canada’s 150th anniversary, Aga Khan Foundation Canada invited artists and photographers from across the country to create a piece of artwork for our travelling exhibition, showing why they care about global development.

Now we need your help! We are asking Canadians coast-to-coast to vote on their favourite entries. The top ten submissions with the most votes will be finalists in the contest. The winning artist will have their art displayed in Together: An exhibition on global development, attend the launch of Together’s 2017 tour, and receive a $500 gift certificate for art supplies.

Cast your vote for your favourite artwork now!

http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=d96 ... e8802394e0
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Post by kmaherali »

http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=d96 ... e8802394e0

Harvesting Hope in a Changing Climate:
Avelino’s Story

The rains in northern Mozambique have changed since Avelino was a child. But he and other farmers learned to grow more with less rain... and protect the environment at the same time.

WATCH AVELINO'S STORY »

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Seed Capital: Investing in innovative local solutions for climate change resilience

Hilary Clauson is a program officer with Aga Khan Foundation Canada.

In July 2016, high in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan, Program Officer Hilary Clauson saw firsthand how local knowledge and entrepreneurship can yield innovative solutions to some of the most pressing development challenges.
LEARN MORE »

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Make a difference today. Cast your vote now!

As part of Canada’s 150th anniversary, Aga Khan Foundation Canada invited artists and photographers from across the country to create a piece of artwork showing why they care about global development. The winning submission will be featured in our travelling exhibition, Together: An exhibition on global development.

Now we need your help! We are asking Canadians from coast to coast to vote on their favourite entries. The top ten submissions with the most votes will be finalists in the contest.
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Post by kmaherali »

Lessons from my daughter

The other day my daughter asked me what would happen if there was a fire at the fire station. I told her another fire station would come out to help. She thought about my answer for a moment. Then she asked what would happen if there was a fire at all the fire stations… I paused and said well, then we would have a problem. Her response... “Yes, we would!”

As Canadians we believe in a more peaceful, prosperous, and equal world. But these days, it’s easy to feel like all the world’s fire stations are on fire. We need the global leadership of Canadians now more than ever.

For more than 35 years, Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) has brought the best of Canada to the world to change people’s lives for the better. And now, for Canada’s 150th anniversary, we invite you to make an even bigger difference in the world by joining over 40,000 Canadians at AKFC’s 2017 World Partnership Walk – Canada’s largest movement to fight global poverty.

This year, let’s work together to put out the world’s fires. Together, we can show the world that Canada is here for them! Learn more.

Khalil Z. Shariff
Chief Executive Officer, Aga Khan Foundation Canada

https://www.worldpartnershipwalk.com/en/
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Post by kmaherali »

Our toilet transformed our lives

Every day starts and ends with water. We use it to wash the sleep out of our eyes and make coffee first thing. We use water to nourish ourselves, hydrate ourselves, and keep ourselves clean. We rely on water in so many ways, and it’s easy to take it for granted when we have reliable access to clean water. But for many around the world, it’s a daily struggle.

Until earlier this year, Sumitra Devi and her family of nine did not have access to a toilet in their own home. But thanks to a sanitation initiative supported by Canadians, their family learned about the importance of sanitation and was able to build a toilet and washing station on their property.

The toilet has been life-changing for their entire family, allowing them to be safer, cleaner, and healthier in their own home.

To mark World Water Day, we are exploring the connections between clean water and sanitation—and celebrating the role that women like Sumitra play in improving the health of their families, their communities, and their environment. We’re also inviting you to support more initiatives like this.

Empower others like Sumitra to build better futures for their family by joining our 2017 World Partnership Walk. This spring step forward with over 40,000 Canadians across the country to fight global poverty

https://www.worldpartnershipwalk.com/en/
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Post by kmaherali »

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things

Several years ago, I visited Aga Khan Foundation Canada’s development programs in Cabo Delgado, one of the poorest regions of Mozambique. There, I met an inspiring young man named Bacar—an ordinary person doing extraordinary things.

Bacar shared his powerful personal story with me. Just a few years previously, he struggled to earn a living; today, he has four thriving businesses.

Bacar’s entrepreneurial journey began in a community workshop—part of an AKFC-supported initiative to improve food security, nutrition, and incomes in Cabo Delgado. The workshop focused on the high nutritional value of the leaves of the fast-growing, drought-resistant Moringa tree. Bacar saw an opportunity.

He planted his first Moringa trees and began selling the leaves. His business grew as quickly as his trees, even attracting the attention of the President of Mozambique. When the local Aga Khan Foundation field officer brought him to meet Bacar, the President was so impressed that he promised to help Bacar build a mill to process the leaves.

With the mill enabling him to increase production, Bacar decided to build more demand for Moringa leaves: first opening a cooking school, then a restaurant, and finally a retail kiosk. Four thriving enterprises that all began with a small nutrition workshop that sparked Bacar’s entrepreneurial spirit. Empowering women and men to unlock their potential to build a better future: that’s how development happens!

Stories like Bacar’s inspire me to get up every morning and support the fight against global poverty. As Canadians, we all want to contribute to a more peaceful, prosperous and equal world. For Canada’s 150th anniversary, what better way to celebrate than by empowering more individuals like Bacar to build brighter futures? We can provide the spark together. Join me and thousands of other Canadians at AKFC’s 2017 World Partnership Walk. Learn more and register today!

Shakeel Bharmal, Chief Operating Officer
Aga Khan Foundation Canada

https://ecenter.akfc.ca/index.php/en/?o ... =component
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