Deedar Visit to East Africa Jamats July 2011

Dates, testimonies, articles, descriptions
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

kmaherali
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Video: Mawlana Hazar Imam at the Tanzania Jamati Institutional Dinner

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1235/Vide ... hip-dinner

Mawlana Hazar Imam joined the leadership of the Tanzanian Jamat for a dinner on 7 July 2011 in Dar es Salaam. Marking the special occasion, Ismaili youth performed dances representing cultures from different parts of the world and President Aitmadi Jehangir Bhaloo presented a gift to the Imam on behalf of those in attendance.
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Post by kmaherali »

SHORT ESSENTIAL READINGS VII
In Celebration of His Highness the Aga Khan’s Visit to East Africa
ASPECTS OF THE ‘DIDAR’


http://simerg.com/2011/07/16/preparing- ... rue-faith/
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Post by Admin »

Mowlana Hazar Imam left Nairobi yesterday. he will be a couple of days with his family in one of the lodges up to 20th July when he will be returning at Mombasa for more ceremonies.

Kampala Jamatkhana decorated in line with the auspicious happiness of the Jamat on the visit of the Imam on 12th and 13th July 2011 in Uganda.

Image

Celebrations on 16th July 2011 at Parklands Jamatkhana at the end of the first part of the visit of Mowlana Hazar Imam in Kenya.

Image
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Post by kmaherali »

Mawlana Hazar Imam attends Kenyan Jamati Institutional Dinner
Mawlana Hazar Imam addresses those gathered for the Kenya Jamati Institutional Dinner. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for Kenya

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1236/

Nairobi, 16 July 2011 — Mawlana Hazar Imam joined Jamati and institutional leaders at a dinner held in Nairobi this evening.

“I want to tell you how happy I am at the occasion of my renewal of my visits to my Jamat,” said Mawlana Hazar Imam during his dinner remarks. “I have had such a wonderful time in East Africa, in Tanzania, in Uganda and here in Kenya. And when I look at you and I remember all the work that you have done with me over the years, I have expressed my deepest gratitude and my deepest admiration.”

Aitmadi Zul Abdul, President of the Ismaili Council for Kenya presented a gift of a Qajar manuscript of Nasir Khusraw’s Diwan to Mawlana Hazar Imam on behalf of those in attendance. Nasir Khusraw is considered one of the foremost poets of the Persian language and a major Ismaili thinker and writer. The Persian manuscript dates from AH 1257 (1841 CE).

The evening’s entertainment began with a performance by students from the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi, who presented a vocal piece created by the Canadian Ismaili Muslim Youth Choir. The interfaith chant invoked the spirit of pluralism, drawing on spiritual sounds from Muslim, Christian, Vedic and Jewish traditions.Another feature of the evening was a performance of two songs by well-known Ismaili Bollywood music artists Salim and Sulaiman Merchant.

Mawlana Hazar Imam is currently in Kenya to meet with the Jamat, after having visited with Jamats in Tanzania and Uganda. While in Nairobi, Hazar Imam will also preside over the opening of the Aga Khan University Hospital’s Heart and Cancer Unit, and the groundbreaking of the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications.
Also see:
» Gallery: Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Jamati visit to Kenya
» Mawlana Hazar Imam arrives in Kenya

TheIsmaili.org will continue to provide updates on Mawlana Hazar Imam’s East Africa visit in the coming days.
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Video: Mawlana Hazar Imam at the Uganda Jamati Institutional Dinner

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1237/Vide ... nal-Dinner

On Tuesday, 12 July 2011, Mawlana Hazar Imam attended a dinner with the Jamati and institutional leaders of Uganda held at the Kampala Serena Hotel. During the evening, President Huzur Mukhi Mohamed Lalani presented Hazar Imam a gift of an incense burner cover from Khorasan shaped in the form of a horse head, on behalf of those gathered.
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Miracle in Mombasa - 21st July 2011

Post by Indigo »

It was very disheartening indeed to see what kind of car had been provided for the Imam's visit to Mombasa as of 20th July 2011. All the windows, and the wind screens (front and behind) were fully tinted...completely tinted so that no murid, waiting on the roadside to catch a glimpse of his or her beloved Imam, would be able to do so. So completely tinted was the car that it was impossible to even know whether the Imam seated inside was looking out atthe gathered jamat by the roadside or not. 
This fact was proudly proclaimed during the security briefing by the NRM Chairman; a fact confirmed by many of those in attendance. "No one will be able to see Bapa wave at them from the car ha ha ha."
This situation had to be borne with for a full day and a half. It was refreshing to note thatthe faithful were still not deterred. They turned up in good numbers at the airport and at the Aga Khan Academy, waved at the Imam's car when it passed them and said shukar: even seeing the car in which the Imam is seated is a blessing, carrying hopes in their hearts that the Imam would have seen them from inside the car, or would at some point, show His mercy and perhaps lower down His window as He did in Tajikistan during the Golden Jubilee. This did not happen but...
Lo and behold! 
When the Imam arrived for the afternoon session on 21st July at Tudor Jamatkhana, HIS CAR HAD CLEAR WINDOWS AND WINDSCREENS (negligible tint). The ecstasy, joy and excitement of the jamat gathered outside across the road was a sight to behold. Mowla waved happily at everybody, both upon arrival and on departure and the entire gathering outside was extremely happy and thankful for this wonderful miracle.
It soon became known, through very reliable sources that Mowla Himself requested for His car to be changed as He wished His murids to be able to see Him... Mashallah, shukranlillah, alhumdulilah.

"No mountains, no valleys, no oceans, no deserts can prevent Mowla's love from reaching the jamat," so what is a tinted window?!

Leaders and those who planned this should wake up and take notice and be regretful of their shameful endeavours to stop murids from having a glimpse of their Imam, whom they love and cherish. Particularly, this was so in Nairobi on 14,15 and 16th July. We did not care nor mind that this time Nairobi Jamat had not made any arrangements of meals for the visiting jamats but it was shocking to see the elaborate arrangements that had been made to ensure that no visiting jamat could catch a glimpse of the Imam anywhere. 

How can such meanspiritedness exist in a community that is led by our most loving Imam?! The entire situation in Nairobi reminded me of Mussolini and Hitler. Hats off to Dar Es Salaam and Kampala, where the jamats were so happy and grateful at having been blessed with kamkaj after so long, they wholeheartedly welcomed visiting jamati members and openly allowed them to catch glimpses of the Imam wherever they could so long as the organisation of the ceremonies went on smoothly. Which it did. 

Kenyan leaders should beware. Open your hearts and accept the fact that the Imam loves to see His jamats. Otherwise, just as Mowla discarded the tinted car this afternoon, it will not take Him long to discard the lot of you and bring in new leaders who will understand the emotional attachment between the Imam and His jamat. And who will not begrudge ordinary jamati members from trying to catch a glimpse of the Imam in His passing car or from a distance wherever possible during the Imam's blessed visits in this region

Once again, I bow down to our lord, Shah Karim Al- husseini, for showing His immense love and affection and mercy this afternoon in Mombasa...je je mangu te tuhi deve, eva, eva, laad ladaave"
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Post by Admin »

These people from RMT do not know that Imam has said that His happiness comes from the happiness of His Jamat.

Maybe they should read the Farman if they can find it in the "officially approved" Farmans

Maybe they should continue reading and see what Imam said makes him unhappy!!!!!

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Indigo
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Mowla lauds Catering Committee, Kampala 13/7/11

Post by Indigo »

Mukhisaheb of Kampala presented ladies of the catering committee to the Imam just before His departure from the Jamatkhana grounds. The Imam was very happy to see them and said, "I am very happy with your services; you are feeding the jamat, you are feeding the Imam."
He then gave them many blessings.

Just thought I would share this with everyone - one of the beautiful moments of the Imam's East African Visit, July 2011.
jdessa15
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Post by jdessa15 »

did Imam share any new guidance for the Jamat in Kenya, or was it same things he said in Uganda and Tanzania?
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

As received:
========


Summary of Deedar - points that i recall:


I stand to be corrected in any way or form - please do elaborate on these notes and help me recall some of the things I missed

Dressed in white long khameez, white trousers and white shoes.

Walkabout and then a strong, firm almost a glide up the steps, portly in a royal way and his dignity shining benignly like an eternal sparkler with soft light rays glowing out of a human frame, I should think!

TILAWAT WAS BY FARZANA ESMAIL(SURNAME?) (ZULEIKHA'S DAUGHTER - IT WAS EXCELLENT). AYAH OF NOOR - TRANSLATION WAS PHENOMENAL - EMOTIVE AND DISTINGUISHED, THE BOTH OF THEM.

GINAN (KHUB MIJALAS) BY THREE WOMEN IN SYNCHRONY

ALL WERE MOST RESPECTFUL TO THE HUZURPURNUR AS THE MASTER OF THE AGE AND TIME SAT ON HIS SIMPLE WHITE THRONE GILT EDGED, PATIENT, SOLEMN AND WITH SUCH DEEPLY REFLECTIVE AND GRAVE ASPECTS ON HIS HOLY FACE, LISTENING THROUGH THE RENDITIONS IN SUCH SOLICITOUS AND MOVING EXPRESSIONS THAT IT WAS HEART-BURSTING.

40 countries represented - very happy to note this
best loving blessings to be taken back to all home countries
volunteers who always make it possible to make such (impromptu) visits to the jamat so smooth, fulfilling the expectations of such large gatherings without a hitch - so many blessings he sent around

furlough from visiting jamats now returning to visit them starting with 'eastern african' jamats so he expects to return
leaders have done an excellent job around the world in the way they have upheld their responsibilities - commends and thanks them, for this has underpinned/ enabled dynamic opportunity for growth
tkn - special thanks to this category who have already been deployed and expects that all those who have not yet been selected will soon be selected to have their special areas of expertise and experience put to use
soon the at the hospital (heart and cancer centre for non-communicable diseases) will be opened (it opens on 25th I believe)
jamat is very individualistic and that makes him very happy... BUT... work together and in the case of 'families or individuals' find a way to work in groups to create 'capacity' but always embed all arrangements with viable exit strategy so that no one loses out
never to forget duality of life spiritual and material
do not get hypnotised (used that word two or three times) by the material world, and fall prey to the allurements of the material life, for example being fashionable (women were smiling at that time around where I was sitting).
best loving blessings for so many things, especially for a, b (lost recall as they are probably the usual main ones baraka and success in spiritual lives, sorry) but I remember c - it was unity and the last one was mushkil asaan and then also for all the ruhani.

he walked around the triple mandap with beneficent comportment whispering barkat wala blessings and sweet khanavadhans, making eye contact here and there. The triple hall comprised of the re-decorated car park complex and two tents and he walked along a complex route which I am ashamed to say I can't even remember. How they planned his route but it was quite a walk (perhaps 200 metres coming in and 75 metres on departure) and he seemed to have covered every red carpet runner that was laid out! I can't retrace his steps (but something along the lines of the rough diagram attached). He moved softly treading the carpet with his white shoes - it was really captivating to get glimpses of him and his footfalls (I only saw his feet as he took to climb the steps of the stage. Watching the whole ceremony with the Mukhi and Kamadia then the Mukhiani and Kamadiani following most humbly taking their places as spiritual children was entrancing.

He sat with the leaders in the conference (?) room attached to the pavilion hall for must be 30 minutes, while we stood and witnessed the ginans, giriyazari and shukraan ji tasbihs.

I met two of my atheist friends there. One I had not met for v long and I was rather amazed to see him and the other said, "I feel sad because I was not able to share what the people were feeling - and was outside the..." I think he was not able to "get wet" because his reality forbade him to enter that spiritual (from his view perhaps imaginery) space.

I was totally uplifted and many many people were in tears before and after.

In one case a woman from Karmali Jafferali family who was looking for transport at Pangani last night said, "I was actually here for a wedding the last two weeks and someone told me only yesterday that Mowla is coming". In another case, one Alim Walji who is with the UN in DC just happened to be here during this time on another mission (official) and he had employed one Hanif Rahemtulla to help him with some of the technical work. He asked Hanif during the lattter minutes of their stint, "but you know the Aga Khan is meeting his followers -- by the way are you perhaps an Ismaili by any chance...?" Hanif was Ismaili. "Mawla is giving deedar (etc)". Upon discovering that Hanif was indeed Ismaili he brought him to the registration tent a couple days ago. Total coincidence.

There were probably many incidences like that.

My brother Salim arranged the flight and bus transport from MSA and I bumped into him on my little escape from the deedar hall to go get my Saida 3.5 years from the nursery. He had two suitcases just as my car (driven by Ayonga) was leaving through the exit gate. We met right there on the driveway as the car approached us. We ran after it and threw his bags in there. Coincidence? After lunch I went to the Sports Club to take Mum home and told Ayonga to meet me there. Mombasa coaches were leaving imminently and the bags were in the car. Where was Salim? Well his twins came down the stairs at the club at that moment of reflection and said their nanimaa's driver was in the club parking with the pickup. Ayonga arrived to fetch my mother and Salim showed up too. Coherence? They took their bags and loaded the pickup a few yards away and said goodbye.

food - mutton pilau, chevdo, cachumbari, mohanthaal, and special potato curry and crisps too for seniors and special needs.

wheeling in and out was really well organised for the seniors and special needs.

well that's just a small hesitant and blurred glimpse of my deedar.
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Post by Admin »

I think Mowlana Hazar Imam used 2 expressions that I have never heard him use up to now:

1) Something like Spiritual Ethics

2) Something line social fashion which has to be avoided.

We'll have to find the exact words from audio ;-)
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Post by kmaherali »

Kibaki lauds Aga Khan efforts

PHOTO | PPS President Mwai Kibaki with the Aga Khan at his Harambee House office on Friday where the Aga Khan briefed him on the Heart and Cancer Centre to be opened at the Aga Khan University Hospital.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Kibaki+lau ... index.html
.
By NAIROBI PPS
Posted Friday, July 22 2011 at 21:00


President Kibaki on Friday commended the Aga Khan Development Network for its contribution to the country’s health and education sectors.

Speaking at his Harambee House office during a meeting with the Aga Khan, President Kibaki noted that no significant development could be achieved without adequate education and proper healthcare.

The Head of State welcomed the Aga Khan University Hospital’s move to establish an ultra-modern Heart and Cancer Centre in Nairobi.
Improving lives

The President pointed out that the heart and cancer centre would go a long way towards improving the lives of Kenyans by enabling them to access high quality healthcare services.

The Aga Khan assured President Kibaki that the heart and cancer centre would be accessible to the poor through the Aga Khan University Hospital’s Patient Welfare Programme.

He also pledged his continued support to the country’s education and health sectors.

The Aga Khan is in the country for the official opening of the US$50 million state-of-the-art Heart and Cancer Centre at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi.
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Post by kmaherali »

Mawlana Hazar Imam meets with President Kibaki in Nairobi

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1238/Mawl ... in-Nairobi

Mawlana Hazar Imam takes in a performance by members of the choir at the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa. Photo: Ejaz Karmali

Nairobi, 22 July 2011 — Mawlana Hazar Imam met with His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki at Harambee House in Nairobi today. Continuing his Jamati visit to Kenya, Hazar Imam had returned to the capital after spending a few days in Mombasa where he met with the Jamat and visited the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa.

At the Aga Khan Academy, Mawlana Hazar Imam met with the Academies Unit, Planing and Construction Management staff and architects to review plans for future development, including the addition of a nursery school and a faculty village. Children from the school choir, which had been practising during school holidays ahead of the Kenya National Music Festival taking place next week, performed two songs for Hazar Imam.

Mawlana Hazar Imam is in Kenya to meet with the Jamat after having visited with Jamats in Tanzania and Uganda. While in Nairobi, Hazar Imam will also preside over the opening of the Aga Khan University Hospital’s Heart and Cancer Unit, and the groundbreaking of the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications.
Also see:
» Gallery: Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Jamati visit to Kenya
» Mawlana Hazar Imam attends Kenyan Jamati Institutional Dinner
» Mawlana Hazar Imam arrives in Kenya

TheIsmaili.org will continue to provide updates on Mawlana Hazar Imam’s East Africa visit in the coming days.
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Video: Mawlana Hazar Imam at the Kenya Jamati Institutional Dinner

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1240/

Mawlana Hazar Imam joined Jamati and institutional leaders at a dinner held in Nairobi on 15 July 2011. Hazar Imam was presented with a Qajar manuscript of Nasir Khusraw’s Diwan on behalf of those in attendance. Guests were entertained by performances of students from the Aga Khan Academy, Nairobi, and well-known Ismaili Bollywood music artists Salim and Sulaiman Merchant.
Important_Information
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further Didar and Padramni programs

Post by Important_Information »

YAM to the world Jamat. Information about further Didar and Padramni programs.
My dear brothers and sisters,
I had a chance to be present in one of the recent meeting with our Imam at East Africa. MHI clearly mention to the jamati leaders that “I will be visiting my Jamat in the months ahead and there will be more visits in the years ahead”.

Next day while discussing this with one of the very important and well known Jamati leader; said to me that MHI has program that in next few years MHI will be visiting many different countries for Jamati work and Deedar, there will be several visits within next 3 to 4 years.

So I would like our world jamat to know that MHI will be visiting for Jamati work in most of the countries where His Jamat reside. East Africa was just the beginning of this world Jamati work and Didar program.

I am getting some unconfirmed news about from Sep Padramni to India, Canada, Bangladesh and so on. But we must wait for confirmation.
Mubaraki to the world Jamat
Kasim Ali
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Post by Sonagoli »

any news about Pakistan visit...??
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

His Highness the Aga Khan
Speech by His Highness the Aga Khan at the Foundation Ceremony for the AKU Graduate School of Media and Communications (Nairobi, Kenya)

27 July 2011


Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

Rt. Honorable Raila Amolo Odinga, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya
Minister for East African Community and Acting Minister for Higher Education,
Science and Technology, Hon. Professor Helen Jepkermoi Sambili
Honorable Ministers
Your Excellencies, Members of the Corps Diplomatique
Chairman and Members of the Board of Trustees of the Aga Khan University
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

As Chancellor of the Aga Khan University, I am enormously pleased to welcome you all most warmly, not only as participants in this Foundation Ceremony - but also as continuing friends of our Graduate School of Media and Communications.

That name of the School signals its place as an institution of advanced, post-graduate and professional learning. It also signals the School’s focus - not only on traditional news media - but on a broadening range of communication challenges.

We dedicate today the physical site for this School - an ideal location for the cutting-edge facilities that will be constructed here. But, beyond the physical planning, there are other Foundation stones that we also celebrate today - plans for the programmes the School will launch - the faculty and staff that will work here - the curriculum they will offer and the research they will carry out.

Let me also mention two older Foundation stones - strong pillars that have been in place for some time - which also support the creation of this School.

One, of course, is the Aga Khan University - now 27 years old and growing steadily from its base in health sciences and teacher education into new fields of learning, including new campuses and programmes here in East Africa.

The other Foundation stone is even older - an enterprise I launched here in Nairobi more than fifty years ago. I am referring of course to the Nation Media Group - now majority-owned by public shareholders, with an expanding presence throughout East Africa.

The Aga Khan Development Network thus comes to this project with useful experience both in the field of education and the disciplines of the media. We look forward now to continuing this learning experience.

The most important thing we can learn - or teach - at any School - in a world of perpetual change - is the ability to go on learning. None of us have all the answers - quite often we don’t even know what questions to ask. Nor can we discern the road ahead by looking in a rear-view mirror. Past lessons must constantly be renewed and reapplied, as we adapt to new technologies and new expectations.

The years immediately ahead will be a time of breath-taking change for Africa - and for the field of media. I believe that Africa can emerge from this transformation as the home of some of the most capable, innovative, constructive and respected media enterprises in the world.

Helping to advance that vision is what our new Media and Communications School is all about.

Even as our School builds on strong existing Foundations - it will also break new ground. Let me mention just five of the most important ways in which the School, we hope, will be truly distinctive.

In the first place, the School will work on the newest frontiers of media technology - with state-of-the-art equipment and innovative pedagogies - producing professional graduates who can not only operate across today’s multiplying media platforms, but can also help develop the media platforms of tomorrow.

This does not mean that we will ignore old skills and values. Our core concern must always be the ability of our students to think critically and creatively, to pursue the truth ethically and responsibly, and to articulate ideas clearly and vividly. Even as communicators learn new ways to “get a story out - and get it heard” we must also remember that our first obligation is to present the story correctly. At the same time, however, we want all of our students to be at home and at ease with the newest media technologies.

The second distinctive emphasis of our School will be its sharp focus on the singular challenges facing media in the developing world. This will mean exploring local and regional realities in all of their complexity. And then, instead of relying heavily, for example, on the perspective of Western news agencies for information about developing societies, our students will be better able to share an indigenous sense of these realities with audiences all around the world.

One place where this emphasis will be the most evident will be our use of the case study method - a technique that is often employed at law schools and business schools. Case studies can be wonderful teaching tools. But the key for our new School will be to prepare case studies that relate specifically to the developing world, and indeed to Africa. It occurs to me, for example, that a case study on how media cover African election processes might be of particular value. As part of the new school, we have already set up an African Case Development Centre working in close alliance with Columbia University. We look forward to cooperating with other academic institutions as our work moves forward.

A third special element of the School will be one of the first programmes in this region in the field of Media Management. In my view, the quality of media depends not only on those who produce the content - writers and artists and editors. It also depends on those who manage media enterprises - and on the proprietors who own them. Media institutions cannot play their role as responsible and independent information sources if they are economically insecure and thus vulnerable to a variety of distorting influences. And yet relatively few proprietors and managers are sufficiently prepared for their increasingly demanding roles.

Let me put this challenge into historical perspective. One of the inheritances of the African colonial period was an absence of indigenous, independent media enterprises - and, thus, of effective media entrepreneurs.

A half century later, healthy, African media companies are no longer such a rarity, but they are still in short supply. And the remedy to this situation will lie not just in more and better content producers, but in stronger media management.

The role of media owners and managers has been prominently exposed in the news this month as result of the so-called hacking controversy in the British press. It is impossible to judge the specifics of that situation from a distance. But one lesson that I would commend to you is the importance of establishing an on-going culture of responsibility within any media enterprise.

The Nation Media Group decided to address this matter, proactively, at an early date, by creating a detailed set of editorial conduct guidelines - a code that has been adopted by our shareholders, enforced by our directors, and incorporated in our training programmes. No such code – and I want to be absolutely clear on this - no such code can eliminate errors. Errors are part of every human profession. Butwe feel that such guidelines can help to build responsible media cultures. That objective will be an important area of emphasis for our programme in Media Management.

And here I would just divert for a moment. It was a source I think of great satisfaction in the media field when not so long ago, elections were organised in the Republic Democratic du Congo, and the UN guidelines for media behaviour during those elections were read as if they had been copied from our own guidelines. So that was a demonstration I think that we are trying to bring to Africa the best of the industry.

A fourth distinctive dimension of the Graduate School of Media and Communications will be interdisciplinary study. The new School will work closely with other faculties of the Aga Khan University so that media students can deepen their knowledge in fields such as health, economics, political science, religion, and environmental studies. Our students will learn to combine their command of effective communication skills with a more sophisticated understanding of the subjects about which they are communicating.

The pursuit of this goal is particularly important at a time when information is flooding over all of us in ever-greater quantities. Someone has said that plugging into the media today can sometimes be like trying to drink water from a high-pressure fire hose!

In such a world, effective communicators must truly be effective educators - providing background as well as foreground, the big picture as well as the close-up detail. And this will be true not only for journalists, but also for communication professionals in government, at NGO’s, in the business sector, at entertainment and cultural organisations -and with a host of civil society institutions. In brief, the School of Media and Communications is designed to serve a very wide range of constituencies - engaging a broad array of disciplines.

Fifth and finally, we like to say that our School will be demand-driven - which means that it will be flexible, evolving with the changing needs of both our students and their eventual employers. Masters degrees offerings will be central, but professional and continuing education courses will also be important. We believe this approach will attract outstanding students - and produce outstanding graduates.

We hope to enlist talented students of various ages and from many countries - helping to motivate the best and the brightest young people to enter the media professions. We also hope to involve people who are already in a mid-career situation - as well as those who would like to change careers and move into the communications arena.

These, then, are five ways in which the Graduate School of Media and Communications will seek to embrace the future. We might think of them as five new foundation stones that we will now put in place: an emphasis on new technologies, a focus on the developing world, a new programme in media management, an inter-disciplinary emphasis, and a governing perspective which is demand-driven and broadly responsive.

Allow me to conclude by mentioning one other word that I trust will permeate everything we undertake at this School - and that is the word “quality.” Above all else, when people think in years to come about the Aga Khan University’s Graduate School of Media and Communications, I would like them to think of its dedication to uncompromising quality.

It is with these thoughts in mind that I thank you again for joining us at this moment of foundation and dedication. With your support – and management reminds me I should add the word financial - intellectual and moral - this ambitious endeavour will surely thrive - making a major impact on the quality of media - and thus the quality of life - throughout this region - and across the world.

Thank you.

http://www.akdn.org/Content/1061
Indigo
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Milestone Visit

Post by Indigo »

Our beloved Mawlana Hazar Imam concluded His 25 day visit to East Africa yesterday, leaving Nairobi in the morning at approximately 9:30am. The Imam, accompanied by Princess Zahra, arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport at approximately 10:10am and from there went by helicopter to the site allocated for the Aga Khan University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He left KIA at approximately 4:30pm.

Mashallah! This was indeed a very unique visit and surely blessed is the entire East African community. It is indeed very rare in this age and time for the Imam to spend so many days in one particular region of the world, and for this extremely generous and merciful visit, we bow down and offer our deepest and most heartfelt shukranas to our beloved Imam. 

I was very very happy that the Imam took the time during this visit to take a break from His heavy schedule of jamati visits and official functions and meetings and spend time in lodges, both in Tanzania and Kenya, to rest and have personal time. For this, I offer shukranas and consider it a very great blessing that our beloved Imam remained within our midst and took a holiday. 

The jamati visits were outstanding. All the jamati ceremonies took place in very intimate gatherings and everyone got the chance to obtain a close up view of the Imam. Also after a very long time, the Imam came to jamatkhanas and to add to the splendour of this unique occasion was the Imam's radiant joy and happiness. He was literally glowing with love, affection and happiness, and the crowning jewel were the three darbars in which the Imam looked so very majestic and dazzling in a brand new white sherwani. The most beautiful and awesome sight that I have seen to date!

Our leaders too were very blessed during this visit with the Imam accepting to attend banquets in all three cities, during which He was very happy with the contribution made by the leadership. 

Mowla's visit was also a blessing to the indigenous communities of Kenya and East Africa in general with the opening of the new Heart and Cancer Unit and the groundbreaking of the AKU's Graduate School of Media and Communications in Nairobi. The Imam also visited the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa and the Bujagali Power Project in Jinja, all of which will benefit the entire community at large. 

All in all, it was the most milestone occasion in East Africa! Mowla came and showered His love and noor and affection over all, giving everyone a chance to make a fresh new beginning with all the misdeeds of the past washed away. I appeal to all my brothers and sisters in East Africa to take maximum benefit of this immense blessing and try our best to honour the Imam by becoming good and praiseworthy momins. A special appeal to the NRM of Nairobi: I appeal to them to soften their attitudes towards the jamat, allow jamati members to catch glimpses of their beloved Imam wherever possible and to carry out their duties with respect, humility and dignity. The demeanour of the NRM in Nairobi was the only negative factor during this entire visit, especially so during the opening of the Heart and Cancer Unit at the Hospital, afterwhich the Imam attended His next function in a very sombre mood (Please see photographs of the Imam at the groundbreaking ceremony of the School of Media and you will see what I mean). Security should understand that the Imam loves to see His jamat as evidenced by the change of cars in Mombasa from tinted to untinted, and the Imam does not like His jamat to be upset and unhappy for having missed to see Him due to unnecessary toughness by the young boys in security who have as yet a lot to learn about how to respect the emotional attachment jamat have with their Imam which is a mutual attachment; the Imam too loves to see His jamat. 

Otherwise, as I have said over and over again, this was a unique, special, most  blessed, most happy, milestone once-in-a-lifetime occasion...forever imprinted in our hearts and memories. Allahu akbar, subhanallah, Shukranlilah alhamdulillah. Mubaraki to one and all!
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Post by Admin »

I would add to this the meeting of the Board of Trustee of AKU in Nairobi as well as the visit by Princess Zahra of the Aga Khan Academy in Nairobi.
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Post by kmaherali »

Mawlana Hazar Imam departs Kenya; visits Arusha at the end of his East Africa visit
Also see:
» AKDN coverage: Press release and photographs

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1244/Mawl ... rica-visit

Mawlana Hazar Imam is greeted by Ambassador Saidullah Khan Dehlavi, Chairman of the Aga Khan University Board of Trustees at the site of the University’s Arusha campus. Photo: Zahur Ramji


Nairobi, 28 July 2011 — As Mawlana Hazar Imam prepared to depart Nairobi, senior Jamati leaders bid him farewell at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Thursday. Hazar Imam’s departure marked the end of his 24-day visit to the Jamats of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Prior to leaving East Africa, Mawlana Hazar Imam stopped over in Arusha, where he travelled by helicopter to the site of the planned Aga Khan University campus. When developed, the campus will house the University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences in East Africa.
Mawlana Hazar Imam met with Ambassador Dr. Richard Sezibera, the Secretary General of the East African Community at the Arusha International Conference Centre. Photo: Zahur Ramji
Mawlana Hazar Imam met with Ambassador Dr. Richard Sezibera, the Secretary General of the East African Community at the Arusha International Conference Centre. Photo: Zahur Ramji

In the afternoon, Mawlana Hazar Imam met with Ambassador Dr. Richard Sezibera, the Secretary General of the East African Community at the organisation’s headquarters in the Arusha International Conference Centre. Hazar Imam briefed the Secretary General on the progress of various Aga Khan Development Network projects in East Africa, and discussed the contribution that the Arusha campus of the Aga Khan University will make to the region.

The Secretary General hailed the establishment of the new campus, saying that it would contribute to the creation of an East African identity.

“Your Highness, your vision is very exciting and compelling, and we [the East African Community] support these noble objectives meant to develop the region as a unit,” said the Secretary General. He called on the Community to work closely with AKDN in the areas of education, research and healthcare.

Mawlana Hazar Imam departed Arusha in the evening, drawing his East Africa visit to a close.
Mawlana Hazar Imam waives as he prepares to depart Nairobi at the conclusion of his Jamati visit to Kenya. Photo: Aziz Islamshah

http://www.theismaili.org/cms/1244/Mawl ... rica-visit
kmaherali
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Post by kmaherali »

Imamat in Ismaili Qasidas
Posted by Malik Merchant, Editor under Uncategorized

In Celebration of His Highness the Aga Khan’s Recent Visit to East Africa


http://simerg.com/2011/07/31/imamat-in-ismaili-qasidas/
agakhani
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Admin, What do you thing?

Post by agakhani »

Brother Admin and readers,

Is it ok to forward any farmans via e-mail?, How can we know that requesting person is Ismaili or not? I heard from a reliable sources that USA councils already made announcement in JK for not circulate any farmans via e-mail.
and I think Mowla bapa also want same way, I need more clarification in this matter.
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Post by Admin »

There was a time people were sending farman via post office. Then came the fax, they were sending the Farmans to their Ismaili brothers and family by Fax machine. This is the time of email. Ismailis have never shy away from new means of communication.

There is no conflict between science and faith. If someone wants to tell you not to use the email to send Farmans to people you know that they are Ismailis then the farman of Mowlana Sultan Muhammad shah who said that people who stop you from reading farmans are themselves evil.

Please do not follow people who try to stop you from getting farmans of your Imam. Without Farmans, there is no ismailism. If you come accross people who want to restrict you from reading the farmans of your Imam, send them to hell :-)




:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Post by agakhani »

If you come accross people who want to restrict you from reading the farmans of your Imam, send them to hell
I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT NOT READING FARMANS OF OUR HAZAR IMAM I READ ON AND OFF AND EVERY ISMAILI SHOULD READ FARMANS MORE OFTEN MATTER OF FACT EVERYDAY, but my question was is it ok to forward recent farmans of Hazar Imam which I received few days ago (many thanks to the sender) but I choose to follow my council's instruction so this chapter is close for now.
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Post by Admin »

It is always better to follow the Imam's instructions.
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Post by jdessa15 »

Council is appointed by Imam. I am not sure if we should send Farmans by e-mail, but if council says no, then we should not.
agakhani
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Post by agakhani »

That is correct jdessa15, we should respect our council's instruction as well because it comes from Mowla bapa.
It is always better to follow the Imam's instructions.
Admin, Of course you are 100% right bro, but how do we know what Imam want regarding his farmans, whether he like to send his farman via internet or not? Mowla bapa doesn't come in our contact or in our touch, so we can't ask himabout his wish, therefore we have to rely on what our council say, I think council receives all instructions from Imam and after that they make annoucement in jk.

The recent announcement I heard about not sending any farmaan via internet was last year, I think it was during that lawsuit filled by Mr. Jiwa in Canada, in that announcement it was clearly stated and prohibited to print, send or distribute any farmans.
but question arise here and bro Admin is absolutely right if we can not print, fax, mail or e-mail any farmans then how can we spread Ismailism? is this fair? I haven't seen any new farman books in last 10 years, so how can we read these new farmans during this period?
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Post by Admin »

Mr Jiwa has NEVER filed any suit against Hazar Imam. he has never even participated remotely to publish one page of Farman. He was falsely accused because our leaders thought he was involved in publishing Farmans. Hazar Imam will never do such a blunder to accuse an innocent Murid who is one of his loyal follower.

This showed that many times some people from Council mislead the jamat into believing that whatever they say under the name of the Imam comes from the Imam. Here they have made the Jamat believe that Imam is suing his Murid, even worse, they made the Jamat think that these Murids are suing the Imam.

Why not look into the farmans on what they say about distributing Farmans to Ismailis. Why not stick to these instructions?
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Post by jdessa15 »

http://www.vancouverite.com/2010/04/23/ ... ral-court/

The Aga Khan has followed up on his lawsuit for copyright infringement of his writings by serving a writ to Toronto lawyer Alnaz Jiwa.
THE RESPONSE BY JIWA AND TAJDIN – SEE THIS STORY
The Aga Khan, one of the world’s wealthiest philanthropists and spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims, is suing for copyright in the Canadian Federal Court over a book produced by Jiwa and Nagib Tajdin. The 1,500-page volume is a compilation of the Aga Khan’s written instructions and advice to his community.
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