Ismaili Centre Conversations

In the first installment of a five-part series, Onstage Conversations 2022, Dr. Amyn B. Sajoo talks with Dr. Ulrike al-Khamis, Director & CEO of the Aga Khan Museum. The conversation focuses on the role of art in bridging divides as societies become more polarized by words and images. The series is presented by Simon Fraser University in partnership with the Ismaili Centres.

The Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center USA together with the Ismaili Centre Toronto present a discussion in recognition of the International Day of Tolerance. In a discussion with three representatives of the Aga Khan Development Network, Dr. Mahmoud Eboo, Diplomatic Representative to Canada, Sheherezade Hirji, Diplomatic Representative to Afghanistan, and Munir Merali, Diplomatic Representative to the People's Republic of Bangladesh, illustrate how local contexts shape the work of the AKDN and provide an understanding of the broader connection between the global projects.

Dr. Ulrike Al-Khamis, CEO of the Aga Khan Museum, speaks with Christopher Wilton-Steer, photographer of The Silk Road: A Living History exhibition about his 40,000 km journey across the historic silk route and his experiences witnessing the intricate connections between distant cultures. Created in collaboration with the Aga Khan Foundation, the exhibition features photographs from Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, India, and China.

Milad-un-Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is commemorated as a joyous occasion by almost two billion followers around the world. During his lifetime, the Holy Prophet established a paradigm of life for Muslims, embracing a harmony between spiritual and material, respect for the dignity of all human life, and equitable social order. His model of leadership, rooted in honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness, serves as an exemplar to this day, for millions. ​ On Sunday, October 17, we commemorate this historic occasion with inspiring remarks from special guests Dr. Aman Haji and Professor Adel Iskandar, as well as poetry and visuals to lift the spirit as we honour the Prophet's legacy.

Photographer Gary Otte has taken many thousands of photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visits to his Jamats, his meetings with world leaders, and AKDN projects across the world. In this exclusive interview, Mr. Otte describes his motivation to compile a visual record of Hazar Imam’s life and work, centered around photos taken by him and other photographers over the course of eight decades. The book, entitled Depth of Field, is now available to pre-order from The Ismaili Shop.

Panelists from diverse industries, and at varying stages in their careers, share their experiences of career pivots highlighting the importance of adaptability, resilience, and lifelong learning.

In a conversation with Zahra Jivan, city builder and civic leader Zahra Ebrahim share stories from her projects to show the link between design and justice, and especially how we can frame problems in a people-centered manner to enable individuals to design their own solutions.

In this episode of Visionary Voices, Khalil Shariff, CEO of Aga Khan Foundation, Canada explores the topic of resilience in the face of crisis.

The pandemic has forced institutions of higher learning to re-think their future by challenging the suitability, viability, and sustainability of university-operating models. Institutions must reassess and adapt their strategies if they are to survive and thrive after the pandemic. Farah Nasser moderates a discussion between Dr. Jay Johnson, President of Simon Fraser University; Dr. Mohamed Lachemi, President of Ryerson University; Dr. Graham Carr, President of Concordia University and Dr. Deborah MacLatchy, President of Wilfrid Laurier University.