Competing for Success | Adam Bhaloo | TEDxYouth@FortWorth
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... zp_yewLScU
At 13, Adam loves math and science. He wants to share the connections in simple problems and wants us to see the value of competing. At 13, Adam loves math and science. He wants to share the connections in simple problems and wants us to see the value of competing This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
THE YOUTH
Sports Fellowship brings Basketball athletes from USA to Pakistan
As part of the process to keep the youth fit, active and motivated, The Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan organised a Sports Fellowship basketball coaching programme in Gilgit and Karachi.
In collaboration with AKYSB for USA, professional coaches and elite athletes from the USA were invited to help train participants who were interested to learn the sport of basketball. The aim was to provide our participants with professional coaching and consultation with respect to the tactics and strategies required to excel.
With 108 participants from Gilgit and Karachi, including 50 young women, the basketball camp catered to an age group from 8 to 25 years. This camp aimed to introduce and fine-tune these young people's athletic skills while promoting a healthy lifestyle and inculcating comradery and life skills with leadership training sessions. Amongst the list of coaches were players like Asad Meghani and Danish Pradhan, gold medalists at the Golden Jubilee Games in Dubai. Pradhan, the USA team’s coach, has more than 10 years of experience in the field of basketball coaching. Other elite players, such as Anil Hemani and Zain Motani, gave local athetes the benefit of their immense expertise to help the participants’ progression over the duration of the camp.
The Sports Fellowship basketball coaching programme concluded with a closing ceremony at the Aga Khan University Sports and Rehabilitation Centre in Karachi, which was attended by participants, elite athletes, leaders from YSB USA and Pakistan and Hafiz Sherali, President, Ismaili Council for Pakistan. The partnership between YSB Pakistan and YSB USA sparked an interest in our youth in the sport of basketball and was also an opportunity to appreciate the cultural diversity of our Jamat. Furthermore, with the next Jubilee Games on the horizon, competitive teams have been identified for both the mens and womens competitions.
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/sports-fel ... rce=Direct
As part of the process to keep the youth fit, active and motivated, The Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan organised a Sports Fellowship basketball coaching programme in Gilgit and Karachi.
In collaboration with AKYSB for USA, professional coaches and elite athletes from the USA were invited to help train participants who were interested to learn the sport of basketball. The aim was to provide our participants with professional coaching and consultation with respect to the tactics and strategies required to excel.
With 108 participants from Gilgit and Karachi, including 50 young women, the basketball camp catered to an age group from 8 to 25 years. This camp aimed to introduce and fine-tune these young people's athletic skills while promoting a healthy lifestyle and inculcating comradery and life skills with leadership training sessions. Amongst the list of coaches were players like Asad Meghani and Danish Pradhan, gold medalists at the Golden Jubilee Games in Dubai. Pradhan, the USA team’s coach, has more than 10 years of experience in the field of basketball coaching. Other elite players, such as Anil Hemani and Zain Motani, gave local athetes the benefit of their immense expertise to help the participants’ progression over the duration of the camp.
The Sports Fellowship basketball coaching programme concluded with a closing ceremony at the Aga Khan University Sports and Rehabilitation Centre in Karachi, which was attended by participants, elite athletes, leaders from YSB USA and Pakistan and Hafiz Sherali, President, Ismaili Council for Pakistan. The partnership between YSB Pakistan and YSB USA sparked an interest in our youth in the sport of basketball and was also an opportunity to appreciate the cultural diversity of our Jamat. Furthermore, with the next Jubilee Games on the horizon, competitive teams have been identified for both the mens and womens competitions.
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/sports-fel ... rce=Direct
What is Youth Philanthropy to a Youth | Maya Tharoo | TEDxSugarLand
What is youth philanthropy? How is the youth of today changing the world and the entire landscape of philanthropic behavior? In this talk we take a look at how and why the youth is approaching giving in the modern world. As it turns out, the youth may be larger donors, smarter donors, and more engaged in the causes they support. Maya is 14 years old and is in the 9th grade. Since the age of seven she has been deeply involved in volunteering and philanthropy work with the Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. When she was 9 she founded Miracle Makers Foundation, whose goal is to support preemies and their families globally. In 2014 she was awarded the Orlando Community Builder Rising Star Award from Mayor Buddy Dyer and in 2018 the Disney Dreamer and Doer Shining Star Award for Orange County.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8ZJTvYQDe8
What is youth philanthropy? How is the youth of today changing the world and the entire landscape of philanthropic behavior? In this talk we take a look at how and why the youth is approaching giving in the modern world. As it turns out, the youth may be larger donors, smarter donors, and more engaged in the causes they support. Maya is 14 years old and is in the 9th grade. Since the age of seven she has been deeply involved in volunteering and philanthropy work with the Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. When she was 9 she founded Miracle Makers Foundation, whose goal is to support preemies and their families globally. In 2014 she was awarded the Orlando Community Builder Rising Star Award from Mayor Buddy Dyer and in 2018 the Disney Dreamer and Doer Shining Star Award for Orange County.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8ZJTvYQDe8
Global Encounters Expedition: Kenya 2018
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIaDcrTCsuo
Over the course of two and a half weeks, I had the opportunity to visit Kenya and participate in the Global Encounters Expedition camp. Global Encounters is an international program for Ismaili Muslim youth focused on service, leadership development, cultural exchange, and global citizenship. Over the past seven years, nearly 1,000 participants from 33 countries have made lifelong friendships with their peers from around the globe, contributed over 30,000 volunteer hours to local schools and communities, and transformed the way they think about the world.
During my time in Kenya, I got to volunteer at the Mombasa Children's Home, an orphanage for Mombasa kids ages 3-17, and learn about their way of life. While we were there, we got to meet such intelligent and motivated children who had great aspirations in life but not the proper resources to get there. There are many children in the home who are in need of sponsorship for their education. If you would like to donate to help these brilliant kids reach their greatest potential, please donate to the GoFundMe link: https://www.gofundme.com/global-encou...
Kenya is full of such rich culture and history, especially for the Ismaili faith. The Global Encounters family visited 7 Jamatkhana's in Mombasa and Nairobi and learned a lot about the history and story of each Jamatkhana. We also got to experience the works of the AKDN and the impact on the Kenyan community by visiting the Aga Khan University Hospital, National Media Group printing press, and even staying for a week at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa.
It is said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. However, during this camp we went from strangers to family in less than 17 days and now many of us are closer than ever! We may have not been able to spend the holidays and New Years with our families back home but we have been able to make a new family and create many new memories with everyone during this camp. I highly encourage everyone to visit Kenya if they are able to or just volunteer in your own community because change starts with YOU!
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIaDcrTCsuo
Over the course of two and a half weeks, I had the opportunity to visit Kenya and participate in the Global Encounters Expedition camp. Global Encounters is an international program for Ismaili Muslim youth focused on service, leadership development, cultural exchange, and global citizenship. Over the past seven years, nearly 1,000 participants from 33 countries have made lifelong friendships with their peers from around the globe, contributed over 30,000 volunteer hours to local schools and communities, and transformed the way they think about the world.
During my time in Kenya, I got to volunteer at the Mombasa Children's Home, an orphanage for Mombasa kids ages 3-17, and learn about their way of life. While we were there, we got to meet such intelligent and motivated children who had great aspirations in life but not the proper resources to get there. There are many children in the home who are in need of sponsorship for their education. If you would like to donate to help these brilliant kids reach their greatest potential, please donate to the GoFundMe link: https://www.gofundme.com/global-encou...
Kenya is full of such rich culture and history, especially for the Ismaili faith. The Global Encounters family visited 7 Jamatkhana's in Mombasa and Nairobi and learned a lot about the history and story of each Jamatkhana. We also got to experience the works of the AKDN and the impact on the Kenyan community by visiting the Aga Khan University Hospital, National Media Group printing press, and even staying for a week at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa.
It is said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. However, during this camp we went from strangers to family in less than 17 days and now many of us are closer than ever! We may have not been able to spend the holidays and New Years with our families back home but we have been able to make a new family and create many new memories with everyone during this camp. I highly encourage everyone to visit Kenya if they are able to or just volunteer in your own community because change starts with YOU!
A dialogue of religious experiences
To mark World Interfaith Harmony Week, The.Ismaili is pleased to share a story from Portugal, where last year, a group of Ismaili students and their Catholic friends and neighbours came together to visit the Sanctuary of Fátima, one of the most significant holy sites in the country.
Assured of the potential a visit of this kind would have in developing a spirit of tolerance, respect, and pluralism, religious education teachers from both communities planned the visit with the aim of allowing students to engage in a dialogue of religious experience.
The exchange between the two communities began with an emblematic gift from the Ismaili students: an olive tree, the universal symbol of peace and friendship. The planting of the olive tree in the S. Tomás de Aquino Parish garden provided an opportunity for the students to learn about one another while deliberating on concepts such as pluralism and social conscience and reflecting upon their shared religious heritage, one another’s principles and ethical values.
According to legend, the Sanctuary of Fátima takes its name from a North African girl captured during the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula, and has become one of the most significant and symbolic sites of pilgrimage in Portugal. It accommodates several buildings and monuments, and attracts approximately four million Roman Catholic pilgrims from all around the world every year to express their devotion.
The students’ programme included a quiz, a visit to the Chapel of Apparitions followed by a moment of contemplation, a tour of the exhibition Fatima: Light and Peace, lunch at the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, and a scavenger hunt through which students and teachers explored the different spaces and monuments within the sanctuary. On their way back home, both communities shared a prayer.
Secondary teacher Shabnam Gulamhussen said of the visit: “Due to its history and religious symbolism, this collective exploration enabled students to deepen their understanding of some basic tenets of their religious traditions, namely the role of pilgrimage as a spiritual journey.”
Students also shared their impressions of the experience. Shahiza Jivraj, aged 15, remarked that the trip to Fátima was a “space to reflect on what is common and different in our religions and that despite our differences, we can live as brothers and sisters.”
In the same vein, Rania Husseine, 12 years, said, “It was wonderful to learn about our common values on a date so special to them.”
Finally, Noor Hassam, 14, noted how this programme “opened our horizons towards other cultures and traditions and fostered new relationships.”
As their teacher Shabnam highlighted, “Interfaith dialogue is dialogue of learning; while facilitating cultural and religious understanding, it will help our youth become more confident in articulating their religious identity.”
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/our-stories/dialogu ... xperiences
To mark World Interfaith Harmony Week, The.Ismaili is pleased to share a story from Portugal, where last year, a group of Ismaili students and their Catholic friends and neighbours came together to visit the Sanctuary of Fátima, one of the most significant holy sites in the country.
Assured of the potential a visit of this kind would have in developing a spirit of tolerance, respect, and pluralism, religious education teachers from both communities planned the visit with the aim of allowing students to engage in a dialogue of religious experience.
The exchange between the two communities began with an emblematic gift from the Ismaili students: an olive tree, the universal symbol of peace and friendship. The planting of the olive tree in the S. Tomás de Aquino Parish garden provided an opportunity for the students to learn about one another while deliberating on concepts such as pluralism and social conscience and reflecting upon their shared religious heritage, one another’s principles and ethical values.
According to legend, the Sanctuary of Fátima takes its name from a North African girl captured during the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula, and has become one of the most significant and symbolic sites of pilgrimage in Portugal. It accommodates several buildings and monuments, and attracts approximately four million Roman Catholic pilgrims from all around the world every year to express their devotion.
The students’ programme included a quiz, a visit to the Chapel of Apparitions followed by a moment of contemplation, a tour of the exhibition Fatima: Light and Peace, lunch at the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, and a scavenger hunt through which students and teachers explored the different spaces and monuments within the sanctuary. On their way back home, both communities shared a prayer.
Secondary teacher Shabnam Gulamhussen said of the visit: “Due to its history and religious symbolism, this collective exploration enabled students to deepen their understanding of some basic tenets of their religious traditions, namely the role of pilgrimage as a spiritual journey.”
Students also shared their impressions of the experience. Shahiza Jivraj, aged 15, remarked that the trip to Fátima was a “space to reflect on what is common and different in our religions and that despite our differences, we can live as brothers and sisters.”
In the same vein, Rania Husseine, 12 years, said, “It was wonderful to learn about our common values on a date so special to them.”
Finally, Noor Hassam, 14, noted how this programme “opened our horizons towards other cultures and traditions and fostered new relationships.”
As their teacher Shabnam highlighted, “Interfaith dialogue is dialogue of learning; while facilitating cultural and religious understanding, it will help our youth become more confident in articulating their religious identity.”
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/our-stories/dialogu ... xperiences
New York Youth at State Senator Anna Kaplan’s Swearing-in
"When volunteers are taken seriously, the quality of their contribution and their own sense of satisfaction literally soar," said Princess Zahra Aga Khan at the International Association for Volunteer Effort World Conference in Edmonton, Canada, on August 25, 1998.
On January 6, 2019, six local high school Jamati youth volunteers from Long Island represented the Ismaili community at Anna Kaplan's formal admittance to the New York State Senate. Kaplan was officially elected on November 6, 2018, as the State Senator for New York’s 7th Senate District. With 55 percent of the vote, she is the highest ranking Iranian-American elected official in the state.
The youth appeared bright and early to help Senator Kaplan's team plan a smooth inauguration day. They greeted arriving guests, checked them off registration lists, assisted with coat checks, and guided them to their seats. They were there to ensure everything was done appropriately, with politeness, respect, and humility. The smiles on their faces expressed how happy they were to be there and part of New York history. Khushi Monteiro, one of the volunteers, described this experience as “one-of-a-kind, where I really got to meet someone who is an inspiration, and who takes a lot of initiative for the betterment of the community.”
Sarah Kudchiwala was touched by this event, saying “it was a unique way for me to not only see my community doing something great, but be a part of the people coming together in support for someone as influential as Anna Kaplan.” Volunteer Alina Lakhani described it as a “special opportunity for the Ismaili youth to be involved with the community and serve together.”
The Ismaili youth on inauguration day left with a sense of commitment towards civic affairs.
https://the.ismaili/usa/new-york-youth- ... s-swearing
"When volunteers are taken seriously, the quality of their contribution and their own sense of satisfaction literally soar," said Princess Zahra Aga Khan at the International Association for Volunteer Effort World Conference in Edmonton, Canada, on August 25, 1998.
On January 6, 2019, six local high school Jamati youth volunteers from Long Island represented the Ismaili community at Anna Kaplan's formal admittance to the New York State Senate. Kaplan was officially elected on November 6, 2018, as the State Senator for New York’s 7th Senate District. With 55 percent of the vote, she is the highest ranking Iranian-American elected official in the state.
The youth appeared bright and early to help Senator Kaplan's team plan a smooth inauguration day. They greeted arriving guests, checked them off registration lists, assisted with coat checks, and guided them to their seats. They were there to ensure everything was done appropriately, with politeness, respect, and humility. The smiles on their faces expressed how happy they were to be there and part of New York history. Khushi Monteiro, one of the volunteers, described this experience as “one-of-a-kind, where I really got to meet someone who is an inspiration, and who takes a lot of initiative for the betterment of the community.”
Sarah Kudchiwala was touched by this event, saying “it was a unique way for me to not only see my community doing something great, but be a part of the people coming together in support for someone as influential as Anna Kaplan.” Volunteer Alina Lakhani described it as a “special opportunity for the Ismaili youth to be involved with the community and serve together.”
The Ismaili youth on inauguration day left with a sense of commitment towards civic affairs.
https://the.ismaili/usa/new-york-youth- ... s-swearing
The kids are alright: How these entrepreneurs plan to beat diabetes
“We’re not inventing a completely new drug, we are re-purposing the delivery device"
It’s 9:45 p.m. on a run of the mill Tuesday and Shaan Hooey is tired.
It’s been a long day for the Canadian entrepreneur who spent most of it talking to investors and answering media calls but you wouldn’t know it by how excited he is when discussing his medical startup, GlucaMed. The company has created its first prototype for an injectable pen that contains glucagon, a medication used to treat low-blood sugar in Type 1 diabetics.
From his home, Hooey describes over the phone how he and his partner, Sameer Jessa, managed to get the business off the ground in great detail. But, perhaps, the most compelling part of his story is that the co-founders behind this game-changing piece of technology are only 15 years old.
“Innovation is my motivation,” he says, with a laugh. “I was inspired to create the [Glucopen] because my sister has diabetes and I saw the pains she had to go through. I saw when she would have to sit on the sidelines [because of] low blood sugar and I thought there had to be a better way.”
Jessa agrees.“I’ve actually met with Shaan’s sister and I’ve seen how she’s struggled with her diabetes,” he says. “No diabetics should have to live with their life in danger.”
More...
https://dmz.ryerson.ca/how-these-entrep ... -diabetes/
“We’re not inventing a completely new drug, we are re-purposing the delivery device"
It’s 9:45 p.m. on a run of the mill Tuesday and Shaan Hooey is tired.
It’s been a long day for the Canadian entrepreneur who spent most of it talking to investors and answering media calls but you wouldn’t know it by how excited he is when discussing his medical startup, GlucaMed. The company has created its first prototype for an injectable pen that contains glucagon, a medication used to treat low-blood sugar in Type 1 diabetics.
From his home, Hooey describes over the phone how he and his partner, Sameer Jessa, managed to get the business off the ground in great detail. But, perhaps, the most compelling part of his story is that the co-founders behind this game-changing piece of technology are only 15 years old.
“Innovation is my motivation,” he says, with a laugh. “I was inspired to create the [Glucopen] because my sister has diabetes and I saw the pains she had to go through. I saw when she would have to sit on the sidelines [because of] low blood sugar and I thought there had to be a better way.”
Jessa agrees.“I’ve actually met with Shaan’s sister and I’ve seen how she’s struggled with her diabetes,” he says. “No diabetics should have to live with their life in danger.”
More...
https://dmz.ryerson.ca/how-these-entrep ... -diabetes/
Community, Prayer, and Knowledge: Bible Study Students Visit the Ismaili Jamatkhana
One hundred seventh-grade students from the Westminster Schools, an independent co-educational Christian day school, took a field trip last November to the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Norcross. As part of their World Religions curriculum, the students explored the Jamatkhana space used for worship and contemplation, and they engaged in group activities to discuss significant aspects of Islam.
Westminster faculty who accompanied the students traded roles with the Jamat’s Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) teachers. The day’s lesson plan incorporated social sciences and the humanities to learn about Islam and its historical and contemporary context. These concepts are at the core of the Institute of Ismaili Studies’ Secondary Curriculum, taught by STEP graduates.
Students toured the Social Hall examining paintings that illustrate diversity, and they read quotes from Mawlana Hazar Imam on diversity and pluralism. After students read about the four ways in which pluralism is much more than an appreciation of diversity, a discussion about how this field trip was reflective of pluralism ensued. Pluralism is active participation and engagement with diversity, learning instead of just tolerating, embracing differences and incorporating it into civil society, and ongoing dialogue to ensure continued understanding between people.
The students’ tour of the Prayer Hall began with the identification and discussion of geometry’s prevalence in Islamic architecture. They learned how Muslims use endless geometric patterns and symmetry to reflect the infinite nature of the Divine. Students explored prayers from different religious and humanist traditions, and discussed the commonalities among the prayers of different faith communities. They also wrote their own individual prayers and added them to a prayer tree. The activity symbolized the power of prayer and how a personal act can be multiplied when done in a congregation.
Browsing through books about history, philosophy, the arts, culture, as well as religious texts while touring the Jamatkhana library, students recognized how education is an important core value in Islam. Education is an avenue to discover God’s creation and to serve humanity. They engaged in activities that allowed them to take on the role of scholars, such as operating a makeshift camera obscura, similar to one built by al-Haytham, the father of optics. They also computed numbers the way mathematician al-Khwarizmi did, by developing a numeral system of his own. Learning about the contributions of Muslim scholars and scientists, the students discovered how knowledge has been shared among civilizations and how people of different faith traditions have worked together for the common good.
The Westminster field trip allowed the students to experience first-hand the values of Islam: prayer, community, knowledge, and service. Interactions such as these deepen knowledge and respect of the “Other,” and build a more pluralistic society.
https://the.ismaili/usa/community-praye ... jamatkhana
One hundred seventh-grade students from the Westminster Schools, an independent co-educational Christian day school, took a field trip last November to the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Norcross. As part of their World Religions curriculum, the students explored the Jamatkhana space used for worship and contemplation, and they engaged in group activities to discuss significant aspects of Islam.
Westminster faculty who accompanied the students traded roles with the Jamat’s Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) teachers. The day’s lesson plan incorporated social sciences and the humanities to learn about Islam and its historical and contemporary context. These concepts are at the core of the Institute of Ismaili Studies’ Secondary Curriculum, taught by STEP graduates.
Students toured the Social Hall examining paintings that illustrate diversity, and they read quotes from Mawlana Hazar Imam on diversity and pluralism. After students read about the four ways in which pluralism is much more than an appreciation of diversity, a discussion about how this field trip was reflective of pluralism ensued. Pluralism is active participation and engagement with diversity, learning instead of just tolerating, embracing differences and incorporating it into civil society, and ongoing dialogue to ensure continued understanding between people.
The students’ tour of the Prayer Hall began with the identification and discussion of geometry’s prevalence in Islamic architecture. They learned how Muslims use endless geometric patterns and symmetry to reflect the infinite nature of the Divine. Students explored prayers from different religious and humanist traditions, and discussed the commonalities among the prayers of different faith communities. They also wrote their own individual prayers and added them to a prayer tree. The activity symbolized the power of prayer and how a personal act can be multiplied when done in a congregation.
Browsing through books about history, philosophy, the arts, culture, as well as religious texts while touring the Jamatkhana library, students recognized how education is an important core value in Islam. Education is an avenue to discover God’s creation and to serve humanity. They engaged in activities that allowed them to take on the role of scholars, such as operating a makeshift camera obscura, similar to one built by al-Haytham, the father of optics. They also computed numbers the way mathematician al-Khwarizmi did, by developing a numeral system of his own. Learning about the contributions of Muslim scholars and scientists, the students discovered how knowledge has been shared among civilizations and how people of different faith traditions have worked together for the common good.
The Westminster field trip allowed the students to experience first-hand the values of Islam: prayer, community, knowledge, and service. Interactions such as these deepen knowledge and respect of the “Other,” and build a more pluralistic society.
https://the.ismaili/usa/community-praye ... jamatkhana
O Re Piya on Ice - Bharatnatyum Fusion
Ghunghroos around my ankles and hockey skates on my feet; this is the life of a diaspora-born child. I speak the language of Pakistan, train in an ancient dance form of India, and play a sport native to Canada - simultaneously belonging partially to each place and yet completely to none. This is my expression of my mixed identity.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... 2oHONiiU8I
Ghunghroos around my ankles and hockey skates on my feet; this is the life of a diaspora-born child. I speak the language of Pakistan, train in an ancient dance form of India, and play a sport native to Canada - simultaneously belonging partially to each place and yet completely to none. This is my expression of my mixed identity.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... 2oHONiiU8I
Scouring the Past – Heritage Discovery Tour
A “Heritage Discovery Tour” was organised by the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan for young individuals to explore the richness of Punjab’s historic and cultural heritage. 27 inquiring minds, with an interest in cultural knowledge, participated in this programme from different parts of Pakistan. By understanding the initiatives undertaken by the Aga Khan Development Network, participants became aware of the quest to preserve this tradition.
The tour consisted of a week-long programme, which included site visits, double-decker bus tours, reflective epiphanies, and engaging dialogues. The historic sites visited included Minar-e-Pakistan, Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Delhi Gate, Shahi Hammam, Wazir Khan Mosque, National History Museum, Shahdara Complex, Tombs of Emperor Jahangir, archaeological ruins at Harappa, Jamatkhanas in the vicinity, Noor Mahal, Derawar Fort, Shrine of Bibi Jawindi, Shrine of Pir Hassan Kabiruddin, Shrines of Shah Rukn-e-Alam and Bahauddin Zakariya, Pir Shams’s Mazar, and the Multan Community Centre. Throughout the tour, members from Aga Khan Cultural Service, Pakistan provided historical context for the sites. The participants appreciated the beauty, generosity, hospitality, music, and food of Punjab.
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/scouring-p ... rce=Direct
A “Heritage Discovery Tour” was organised by the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan for young individuals to explore the richness of Punjab’s historic and cultural heritage. 27 inquiring minds, with an interest in cultural knowledge, participated in this programme from different parts of Pakistan. By understanding the initiatives undertaken by the Aga Khan Development Network, participants became aware of the quest to preserve this tradition.
The tour consisted of a week-long programme, which included site visits, double-decker bus tours, reflective epiphanies, and engaging dialogues. The historic sites visited included Minar-e-Pakistan, Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Delhi Gate, Shahi Hammam, Wazir Khan Mosque, National History Museum, Shahdara Complex, Tombs of Emperor Jahangir, archaeological ruins at Harappa, Jamatkhanas in the vicinity, Noor Mahal, Derawar Fort, Shrine of Bibi Jawindi, Shrine of Pir Hassan Kabiruddin, Shrines of Shah Rukn-e-Alam and Bahauddin Zakariya, Pir Shams’s Mazar, and the Multan Community Centre. Throughout the tour, members from Aga Khan Cultural Service, Pakistan provided historical context for the sites. The participants appreciated the beauty, generosity, hospitality, music, and food of Punjab.
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/scouring-p ... rce=Direct
AKYSB Pakistan organises a Musical Training Camp
Music is the nucleus of artistic expressions; it translates the emotions and simultaneously contributes to the preservation of the melodious culture of any region. It helps the Jamat reflect that the human race is greater than we can fathom.
The Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan (AKYSBP), in collaboration with renowned academia National College of Arts (NCA), arranged a Musical Instrument Training Camp at the NCA auditorium in Islamabad from the 28th of January to the 9th of February 2019.
The cohort consisted of 21 passionate individuals, aged 16 to 23, from Islamabad and the Central Region. The programme enhanced participant’s knowledge pertaining to instruments, the indispensability of coordination, and different elements of music such as lyrics, melody, and renditions. Coupled with the discovery of learning opportunities and engagement with western, semi-classical, and folk music, participant’s learning experience was thoroughly enriched.
Studying music is often recognised as learning how to play an instrument while creating a soulful, rhythmic experience. However, this programme enlightened participants with the significance of theoretical framework of melodies. Professional facilitators also consulted with participants and introduced them to career paths they can opt for when pursuing music professionally.
A novel initiative introduced by AKYSBP, the goal was to encourage participants to acquire formal knowledge, from an elite academic programme founded at an honoured art school in Pakistan, pertaining to music. Mr. Azam Jamal, Head of NCA, Rawalpindi visited the camp and congratulated AKYSBP for promoting music and inspiring the cohort to learn in a skilled and inclusive environment. Lastly, he added that NCA would be pleased to collaborate with AKYSBP in future ventures.
Mr. Shamez Mukhi conveyed his gratitude to the leadership and faculty of NCA and intimated the vision of AKYSBP to promote the arts. He stated alliances with institutions like NCA play a major role in accomplishing that vision. Moreover, he discussed the interest of AKDN in preserving music by cherishing the talented individuals who cultivate our musical heritage and awarding them with the Aga Khan Music Award. Lastly, Chairman AKYSBP applauded the volunteers who managed the camp and elite musicians, NCA graduates, for enriching the event.
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/akysb-paki ... rce=Direct
Music is the nucleus of artistic expressions; it translates the emotions and simultaneously contributes to the preservation of the melodious culture of any region. It helps the Jamat reflect that the human race is greater than we can fathom.
The Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan (AKYSBP), in collaboration with renowned academia National College of Arts (NCA), arranged a Musical Instrument Training Camp at the NCA auditorium in Islamabad from the 28th of January to the 9th of February 2019.
The cohort consisted of 21 passionate individuals, aged 16 to 23, from Islamabad and the Central Region. The programme enhanced participant’s knowledge pertaining to instruments, the indispensability of coordination, and different elements of music such as lyrics, melody, and renditions. Coupled with the discovery of learning opportunities and engagement with western, semi-classical, and folk music, participant’s learning experience was thoroughly enriched.
Studying music is often recognised as learning how to play an instrument while creating a soulful, rhythmic experience. However, this programme enlightened participants with the significance of theoretical framework of melodies. Professional facilitators also consulted with participants and introduced them to career paths they can opt for when pursuing music professionally.
A novel initiative introduced by AKYSBP, the goal was to encourage participants to acquire formal knowledge, from an elite academic programme founded at an honoured art school in Pakistan, pertaining to music. Mr. Azam Jamal, Head of NCA, Rawalpindi visited the camp and congratulated AKYSBP for promoting music and inspiring the cohort to learn in a skilled and inclusive environment. Lastly, he added that NCA would be pleased to collaborate with AKYSBP in future ventures.
Mr. Shamez Mukhi conveyed his gratitude to the leadership and faculty of NCA and intimated the vision of AKYSBP to promote the arts. He stated alliances with institutions like NCA play a major role in accomplishing that vision. Moreover, he discussed the interest of AKDN in preserving music by cherishing the talented individuals who cultivate our musical heritage and awarding them with the Aga Khan Music Award. Lastly, Chairman AKYSBP applauded the volunteers who managed the camp and elite musicians, NCA graduates, for enriching the event.
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/akysb-paki ... rce=Direct
Book for the youth.
Canada Book Award WINNER
The Adventures of Jules Khan: A Teenage Muslim Superhero
Author: Karim Devji
Publisher: Karim Devji
Jules Khan a fictional teenage superhero with caring parents who do their best to teach him morals and values. Jules takes his readers on an amazing adventure filled with history, truth, and what it will take to keep prejudice and war from ruining love and peace for all. It’s rare to find a young adult book that touches on such sensitive subjects as religion and world-wide politics, but Jules handles these heavy topics with a humor and grace not often found in a teenager.
https://canadabookaward.com/
Canada Book Award WINNER
The Adventures of Jules Khan: A Teenage Muslim Superhero
Author: Karim Devji
Publisher: Karim Devji
Jules Khan a fictional teenage superhero with caring parents who do their best to teach him morals and values. Jules takes his readers on an amazing adventure filled with history, truth, and what it will take to keep prejudice and war from ruining love and peace for all. It’s rare to find a young adult book that touches on such sensitive subjects as religion and world-wide politics, but Jules handles these heavy topics with a humor and grace not often found in a teenager.
https://canadabookaward.com/
ROBO-THON - Walking with Robots
In today’s world, where technology is taking over almost every aspect of our lives, how equipped are the children in their ability to explore, learn and create something that is extraordinary? With this in mind, the Aga Khan Education Board for Bengaluru decided to give students an avenue to explore a tiny part of this big technology-driven world, and what could be better than exploring Robots? ‘ROBO-THON—Walking with robots’, was organized in Chennai-Pallavaram and Bengaluru on 24th Nov and 23rd December 2018 respectively to introduce robotics to the youth in our Jamat through hands on demonstrations of enhanced learning.
A Robot is an electro-mechanical device that is capable of reacting to its environment, making decisions on its own and taking actions in order to achieve a task. Its functionality has grown exponentially and it now has applications in various industries like defence, manufacturing and other commercial applications. Human and robot interaction, over a period of time, is going to be more complex; hence, it has become important to be aware of the basic functioning of robots.
The Robo-thon workshop in Chennai-Pallavaram was conducted by two IIT Madras Alumni, Rathees P and Rinkesh Virani who have had the experience of creating robots in the past. The first part of the workshop included a session where various parts such as chassis, DC motors, castor, wheels, 12V DC battery, switches, wires and some other tools to fix it were provided to the participants to assemble and make a remote controlled, 2-wheeler robot which was a full functional working model which could be operated by any participant.
In the second part of the workshop, the participants worked with autonomous robots, learning how to program the robot and direct it to perform a task, like following a line. A line follower robot senses the colour of a path and moves in the projected direction. Participants were provided with a white chart paper along with black tapes to make challenging patterns for the line follower robot to trace. The functioning of the robot was explained to the participants by introducing the IR LED sensor, photodiode, resistor and variable resistor; all of which are critical for a robot to operate independently. Various patterns were made for the line follower to trace. The students challenged the Robot and tested its agility to follow tough patterns.
The workshop in Bengaluru was conducted by an organisation named Cretile. It was struc-tured for students from different backgrounds and each component of a robot was explained in detail. This demonstration and knowledge transfer started from the very basics; explaining the meaning of transmitter, receiver, sensors, etc.
‘ROBO-THON’, was indeed a step towards making our youth Robo-Ready!
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/india/robo-thon-wal ... rce=Direct
In today’s world, where technology is taking over almost every aspect of our lives, how equipped are the children in their ability to explore, learn and create something that is extraordinary? With this in mind, the Aga Khan Education Board for Bengaluru decided to give students an avenue to explore a tiny part of this big technology-driven world, and what could be better than exploring Robots? ‘ROBO-THON—Walking with robots’, was organized in Chennai-Pallavaram and Bengaluru on 24th Nov and 23rd December 2018 respectively to introduce robotics to the youth in our Jamat through hands on demonstrations of enhanced learning.
A Robot is an electro-mechanical device that is capable of reacting to its environment, making decisions on its own and taking actions in order to achieve a task. Its functionality has grown exponentially and it now has applications in various industries like defence, manufacturing and other commercial applications. Human and robot interaction, over a period of time, is going to be more complex; hence, it has become important to be aware of the basic functioning of robots.
The Robo-thon workshop in Chennai-Pallavaram was conducted by two IIT Madras Alumni, Rathees P and Rinkesh Virani who have had the experience of creating robots in the past. The first part of the workshop included a session where various parts such as chassis, DC motors, castor, wheels, 12V DC battery, switches, wires and some other tools to fix it were provided to the participants to assemble and make a remote controlled, 2-wheeler robot which was a full functional working model which could be operated by any participant.
In the second part of the workshop, the participants worked with autonomous robots, learning how to program the robot and direct it to perform a task, like following a line. A line follower robot senses the colour of a path and moves in the projected direction. Participants were provided with a white chart paper along with black tapes to make challenging patterns for the line follower robot to trace. The functioning of the robot was explained to the participants by introducing the IR LED sensor, photodiode, resistor and variable resistor; all of which are critical for a robot to operate independently. Various patterns were made for the line follower to trace. The students challenged the Robot and tested its agility to follow tough patterns.
The workshop in Bengaluru was conducted by an organisation named Cretile. It was struc-tured for students from different backgrounds and each component of a robot was explained in detail. This demonstration and knowledge transfer started from the very basics; explaining the meaning of transmitter, receiver, sensors, etc.
‘ROBO-THON’, was indeed a step towards making our youth Robo-Ready!
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/india/robo-thon-wal ... rce=Direct
Grown-Ups Get a Scolding on Climate
Inspired by a Swedish teenager, students around the world on Friday will protest political inaction.
The girl in long braids and lavender pants was in striking contrast to the rich and powerful adults gathered in Davos in January for the World Economic Forum, and her brief address lacked the usual niceties.
“Adults keep saying, ‘We owe it to the young people to give them hope,’” she said. “But I don’t want your hope. I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act.”
The applause was tepid.
Hers was not a tone grown-ups welcome from a 16-year-old. But Greta Thunberg is someone they should listen to. In fact, must listen to.
Not because the catastrophe she sees coming is news: The warnings of impending climatic catastrophe are already deafening — in the 2018 report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which warns that we are less than 12 years away from the point of no return; in the findings of 13 United States federal agencies that describe the grave threats posed by climate change to the nation; in the extremes of weather reported daily; in the vanishing Arctic ice, raging wildfires, violent tornadoes and other consequences of an overheating planet that appear with ever increasing frequency.
The grown-ups should listen because the alarm is being sounded by kids like Greta who, unlike President Trump and other willful deniers of the obvious, have realized that they stand to inherit a wounded world their elders are failing to protect.
“You are not mature enough to tell it like it is,” Greta told COP24, a United Nations climate change conference in Poland in December, where the United States joined Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in watering down a response to the climate change panel’s report. “Even that burden you leave to us children.”
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/12/opin ... dline&te=1
Inspired by a Swedish teenager, students around the world on Friday will protest political inaction.
The girl in long braids and lavender pants was in striking contrast to the rich and powerful adults gathered in Davos in January for the World Economic Forum, and her brief address lacked the usual niceties.
“Adults keep saying, ‘We owe it to the young people to give them hope,’” she said. “But I don’t want your hope. I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act.”
The applause was tepid.
Hers was not a tone grown-ups welcome from a 16-year-old. But Greta Thunberg is someone they should listen to. In fact, must listen to.
Not because the catastrophe she sees coming is news: The warnings of impending climatic catastrophe are already deafening — in the 2018 report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which warns that we are less than 12 years away from the point of no return; in the findings of 13 United States federal agencies that describe the grave threats posed by climate change to the nation; in the extremes of weather reported daily; in the vanishing Arctic ice, raging wildfires, violent tornadoes and other consequences of an overheating planet that appear with ever increasing frequency.
The grown-ups should listen because the alarm is being sounded by kids like Greta who, unlike President Trump and other willful deniers of the obvious, have realized that they stand to inherit a wounded world their elders are failing to protect.
“You are not mature enough to tell it like it is,” Greta told COP24, a United Nations climate change conference in Poland in December, where the United States joined Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in watering down a response to the climate change panel’s report. “Even that burden you leave to us children.”
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/12/opin ... dline&te=1
Students Locked In and Thinking Out
Over 80 participants and staff from the Midwest converged in the Chicago Jamatkhana Social Hall for a Lock-In, on February 9, 2019, an all-night event that started after evening Jamatkhana ceremonies and ended in the morning. With a primary goal of community-building, the night comprised of interactive activities, competitions, discussion sessions and much more to keep all participants and staff engaged and energetic.
While many of these participants had been involved in similar events in the past, this Lock-In surpassed expectations by far.
The night began with dinner and an interactive bingo game for some, while others gathered to watch the Bulls basketball game. Within minutes, participants were making new friends, rekindling old friendships, and creating bonds with staff members. Sana Sharba – a 10th grade participant from Detroit Jamatkhana – mentioned she was most excited about the new friendships she made. She explained, “I was nervous coming from so far because it takes me a bit to open up, but it was much easier here. These new friendships allowed me to be myself.”
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/usa/students-locked ... inking-out
Over 80 participants and staff from the Midwest converged in the Chicago Jamatkhana Social Hall for a Lock-In, on February 9, 2019, an all-night event that started after evening Jamatkhana ceremonies and ended in the morning. With a primary goal of community-building, the night comprised of interactive activities, competitions, discussion sessions and much more to keep all participants and staff engaged and energetic.
While many of these participants had been involved in similar events in the past, this Lock-In surpassed expectations by far.
The night began with dinner and an interactive bingo game for some, while others gathered to watch the Bulls basketball game. Within minutes, participants were making new friends, rekindling old friendships, and creating bonds with staff members. Sana Sharba – a 10th grade participant from Detroit Jamatkhana – mentioned she was most excited about the new friendships she made. She explained, “I was nervous coming from so far because it takes me a bit to open up, but it was much easier here. These new friendships allowed me to be myself.”
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/usa/students-locked ... inking-out
Pictures From Youth Climate Strikes Around the World
From Sydney to Seoul, Cape Town to New York, children skipped school en masse Friday to demand action on climate change.
It was a stark display of the alarm of a generation. It was also a glimpse of the anger directed at older people who have not, in the protesters’ view, taken global warming seriously enough.
Photos and more...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/15/clim ... 3053090316
From Sydney to Seoul, Cape Town to New York, children skipped school en masse Friday to demand action on climate change.
It was a stark display of the alarm of a generation. It was also a glimpse of the anger directed at older people who have not, in the protesters’ view, taken global warming seriously enough.
Photos and more...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/15/clim ... 3053090316
‘School’s good, but not great’: 14-year-old health tech innovator says education system needs overhaul
The technological age has changed many things in our world, but a Grade 9 student from Mississauga says education isn’t one of those things.
Yes, we use iPads and new software in our schools. However, Ayaan Esmail said he believes we aren’t setting up a system to create future leaders.
Esmail is an anomaly because not many 14-year-olds are co-founders of start-ups hoping to revolutionize the health care industry. His technology company, Genis, is working on diagnosing diseases such as cancer through DNA.
Video and more...
https://globalnews.ca/news/5057221/ayaan-esmail-genis/
The technological age has changed many things in our world, but a Grade 9 student from Mississauga says education isn’t one of those things.
Yes, we use iPads and new software in our schools. However, Ayaan Esmail said he believes we aren’t setting up a system to create future leaders.
Esmail is an anomaly because not many 14-year-olds are co-founders of start-ups hoping to revolutionize the health care industry. His technology company, Genis, is working on diagnosing diseases such as cancer through DNA.
Video and more...
https://globalnews.ca/news/5057221/ayaan-esmail-genis/
The Implicit Punishment of Daring to Go to College When Poor
A documentary to be screened on Capitol Hill next month, in which I am featured, chronicles the experience of low-income students navigating college admissions.
When I heard that federal prosecutors were charging 50 people in six states for a college admissions bribery scheme and read the accounts that followed, outlining all of the other extensive, mostly legal, help that applicants from rich families get, it underscored how different the admissions experience was for me and my high school classmates in Canarsie.
The Canarsie neighborhood of eastern Brooklyn is an hour subway ride from the gleaming skyscrapers of Manhattan and a world away from the door-opening privileges enjoyed by the children of households in “good” school districts (much less the dirty-rich families implicated in the bribery scandal.) Many of us came from low-income families, and few had parents who had attended college. We vaguely knew that college was crucial for future success, but we had little understanding of how to get there — and no idea how difficult it would be to navigate the process.
We all knew of the SAT, for instance, but had no concrete idea of how to prepare for it. We knew that you had to apply to college, and for financial aid, but didn’t know the necessary or “smart” steps. When you’re 17, and pretty much doing it all on your own, the sight of all the hurdles you have to jump can be demoralizing, even paralyzing.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/opin ... dline&te=1
A documentary to be screened on Capitol Hill next month, in which I am featured, chronicles the experience of low-income students navigating college admissions.
When I heard that federal prosecutors were charging 50 people in six states for a college admissions bribery scheme and read the accounts that followed, outlining all of the other extensive, mostly legal, help that applicants from rich families get, it underscored how different the admissions experience was for me and my high school classmates in Canarsie.
The Canarsie neighborhood of eastern Brooklyn is an hour subway ride from the gleaming skyscrapers of Manhattan and a world away from the door-opening privileges enjoyed by the children of households in “good” school districts (much less the dirty-rich families implicated in the bribery scandal.) Many of us came from low-income families, and few had parents who had attended college. We vaguely knew that college was crucial for future success, but we had little understanding of how to get there — and no idea how difficult it would be to navigate the process.
We all knew of the SAT, for instance, but had no concrete idea of how to prepare for it. We knew that you had to apply to college, and for financial aid, but didn’t know the necessary or “smart” steps. When you’re 17, and pretty much doing it all on your own, the sight of all the hurdles you have to jump can be demoralizing, even paralyzing.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/opin ... dline&te=1
Ivy League Connect: Alumni Inspire Youth to Reach for Excellence in Education
For most, education is still a foundation of future success hence the emphasis on a quality education and excellence by Mawlana Hazar Imam. For those who can gain admission and afford the tuition, the group of eight prestigious institutions comprising the Ivy League represent some of the oldest and highest quality targets for higher education in America. Although many other colleges also offer excellent education and academic rigor at substantially less cost, many families consider an Ivy League education an unparalleled opportunity to be surrounded by some of the most academically gifted students and professors.
The Aga Khan Education Board for the Southeastern United States organized a panel featuring Ismaili alumni from various Ivy League colleges. The panel intended to give current students a glimpse into applying to and attending these selective institutions. Over 200 parents and youth from metro Atlanta attended the event held at the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Norcross, Georgia. The audience included Jamat and several students and parents from the local community.
In her opening remarks, Mercer University Dean and University of Pennsylvania alum, Dr. Susan Perles Gilbert, spoke about the importance of obtaining higher education, pursuing excellence, and “surrounding yourself with people who have an equal or greater desire to learn.” Dean Gilbert was the first college graduate in her family, a story that resonated with some of the youth in the audience.
So how does one gain admittance into such prestigious universities? “Ivy League schools like a diverse class,” Dean Gilbert said. Her first tip: Pick a major that everyone else isn’t choosing. Be truthful about your motives, goals, and intentions on your application, but don’t be afraid to be a little different. That can mean coupling your IT, Engineering, Finance, or Pre-Med track with an Anthropology or Creative Writing degree or certificate.
The second point she emphasized was to write about philanthropy and giving back on the application essay as opposed to listing accomplishments or feats. Ivy League schools want to know that the people they are admitting to their universities have a demonstrated desire to make the world they enter as graduates a better place.
Her third tip was to not be discouraged if you don’t get admitted into an Ivy League school. There are many highly ranked public and private schools that can provide you with the skills needed to land your dream job.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/usa/ivy-league-conn ... -education
For most, education is still a foundation of future success hence the emphasis on a quality education and excellence by Mawlana Hazar Imam. For those who can gain admission and afford the tuition, the group of eight prestigious institutions comprising the Ivy League represent some of the oldest and highest quality targets for higher education in America. Although many other colleges also offer excellent education and academic rigor at substantially less cost, many families consider an Ivy League education an unparalleled opportunity to be surrounded by some of the most academically gifted students and professors.
The Aga Khan Education Board for the Southeastern United States organized a panel featuring Ismaili alumni from various Ivy League colleges. The panel intended to give current students a glimpse into applying to and attending these selective institutions. Over 200 parents and youth from metro Atlanta attended the event held at the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Norcross, Georgia. The audience included Jamat and several students and parents from the local community.
In her opening remarks, Mercer University Dean and University of Pennsylvania alum, Dr. Susan Perles Gilbert, spoke about the importance of obtaining higher education, pursuing excellence, and “surrounding yourself with people who have an equal or greater desire to learn.” Dean Gilbert was the first college graduate in her family, a story that resonated with some of the youth in the audience.
So how does one gain admittance into such prestigious universities? “Ivy League schools like a diverse class,” Dean Gilbert said. Her first tip: Pick a major that everyone else isn’t choosing. Be truthful about your motives, goals, and intentions on your application, but don’t be afraid to be a little different. That can mean coupling your IT, Engineering, Finance, or Pre-Med track with an Anthropology or Creative Writing degree or certificate.
The second point she emphasized was to write about philanthropy and giving back on the application essay as opposed to listing accomplishments or feats. Ivy League schools want to know that the people they are admitting to their universities have a demonstrated desire to make the world they enter as graduates a better place.
Her third tip was to not be discouraged if you don’t get admitted into an Ivy League school. There are many highly ranked public and private schools that can provide you with the skills needed to land your dream job.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/usa/ivy-league-conn ... -education
How the Trump Era Is Molding the Next Generation of Voters
Recent data — and interviews with a dozen teenagers on the front lines of politics — show a decided leftward lean.
Jaden Rams used to be on fire for Donald Trump. Shortly before the 2016 presidential election, when he was 13, he put on a red MAGA hat and matching tie and yelled his support at a rally in his hometown, Grand Junction, Colo.
“I was getting politically charged around that time,” he said. “I was pretty passionate about a lot of the causes he was advocating for.”
Today he calls the presidential campaign and its aftermath “a travesty for American unity.” He believes President Trump has fulfilled his campaign promises, but added that “I don’t feel largely those have been positive.” Two years closer to voting age, he now leans left, and said he would register as an independent.
These are critical years for the voters of tomorrow. Political science research shows that a generation of voters is shaped for life by what happens during the teenage years and early 20s: whether the country is at war, how the economy is doing, whether the president is popular. Evidence in the Trump era so far shows young people coming of age now are tilting left.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/upsh ... 3053090402
Recent data — and interviews with a dozen teenagers on the front lines of politics — show a decided leftward lean.
Jaden Rams used to be on fire for Donald Trump. Shortly before the 2016 presidential election, when he was 13, he put on a red MAGA hat and matching tie and yelled his support at a rally in his hometown, Grand Junction, Colo.
“I was getting politically charged around that time,” he said. “I was pretty passionate about a lot of the causes he was advocating for.”
Today he calls the presidential campaign and its aftermath “a travesty for American unity.” He believes President Trump has fulfilled his campaign promises, but added that “I don’t feel largely those have been positive.” Two years closer to voting age, he now leans left, and said he would register as an independent.
These are critical years for the voters of tomorrow. Political science research shows that a generation of voters is shaped for life by what happens during the teenage years and early 20s: whether the country is at war, how the economy is doing, whether the president is popular. Evidence in the Trump era so far shows young people coming of age now are tilting left.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/upsh ... 3053090402
How Music and Art Portray Cosmopolitanism | Zahra Virani | TEDxClearBrookHighSchool
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... n5lJNxbxu8
Violence. Discrimination. War. Loss. These are all among the consequences of our negative perceptions toward diversity. In this inspiring talk, young artist and musician Zahra Virani shares how the arts can help us understand the necessity and beauty of differences. Through the universal languages of music and art, she shares how we can build the path to a better future for the world at large. A future where every single person is a cosmopolitan; a citizen of the world. Zahra Virani is currently a freshman at Clear Brook High School. She is passionate about music and art and hopes to make a difference in the world through her talents. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... n5lJNxbxu8
Violence. Discrimination. War. Loss. These are all among the consequences of our negative perceptions toward diversity. In this inspiring talk, young artist and musician Zahra Virani shares how the arts can help us understand the necessity and beauty of differences. Through the universal languages of music and art, she shares how we can build the path to a better future for the world at large. A future where every single person is a cosmopolitan; a citizen of the world. Zahra Virani is currently a freshman at Clear Brook High School. She is passionate about music and art and hopes to make a difference in the world through her talents. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
Inspire, share and connect – a lot can happen over coffee!
‘Coffee Connect’, a first of its kind progamme held at Pallavaram (Chennai) on 13th January 2019, which was a joint endeavor by the AKYSB and AKES, Bengaluru. The programme was ideated and executed by youth and was aimed at inspiring and motivating members of the Jamat in the age group of 13 to 23 years. It was, in fact, an interesting fusion of AKYSB’s ‘Cafe@YSB’ and AKES’s ‘Knowledge, Network and Coffee’ programmes.
Guest Speakers at the programme, Divanshu Kumar and Samyak Jain who hail from Patna, Bihar said that they had faced several hardships in their childhood. They were born and brought up in a region where good schools were costly and located far away from their homes. Divyanshu Kumar shared his experience of studying in a school which had no teachers for almost six months. However, the two of them had surmounted all odds and are currently students of IIT, Madras pursuing degrees in Management and Engineering respectively. They are also the founders of ‘Involve Learning Solutions’, a start-up to enhance education and empower young children.
The inaugural session of ‘Coffee Connect’ was an ice breaker in which all participants had to dance and complete a task that was assigned to them. This was followed by questions addressed to the Guest Speakers by participants regarding their journey up to IIT and about their start-up. Divyanshu Kumar and Samyak Jain were forthright and interactive and responded to all questions put to them. They cited inspiring examples, experiences and insights about their journey; spoke about the challenges which they faced and had overcome and shared how they had developed their self-confidence along their journey.
After responding to the questions of students the Guest Speakers conducted an activity to help the participating students to identify their areas of strength. This helped the students to do a self-analysis. To quote participant, Ameer Parpia, “The programme was inspiring as both Divyanshu and Samyak spoke about how important it is to believe in yourself, to work hard, to overcome challenges and to achieve what you want to. I am now much more confident to work towards my goal and to achieve my dream”
The Guest Speakers too expressed that they were delighted to have shared their experiences with such a vibrant audience. In the words of Samyak, “We arrived at the venue with no expectations…the only thing we had in mind was that we will be honest in answering any questions put to us. When we entered the venue, the environment along with the faces of the students was motivating. The kids are very good listeners and have a craving to learn. Some of them said that they want to start a company of their own and having this thought itself is amazing…the seed has been sown. The best part was that the whole event was solely organised and planned by students and even though it has been their first experience we didn't find anything lacking. Finally, we would like to wish all the best to all the students and we hope that something of what we have shared with them will affect them in a positive way.”
The unique feature of the programme was that students from the Chennai-Pallavaram Jamat interacted with students who are only a few years elder to them, but have made a strong impact on society at their young age.
An excellent way to achieve the objective of the programme! To inspire and motivate!!
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/india/inspire-share ... ver-coffee
‘Coffee Connect’, a first of its kind progamme held at Pallavaram (Chennai) on 13th January 2019, which was a joint endeavor by the AKYSB and AKES, Bengaluru. The programme was ideated and executed by youth and was aimed at inspiring and motivating members of the Jamat in the age group of 13 to 23 years. It was, in fact, an interesting fusion of AKYSB’s ‘Cafe@YSB’ and AKES’s ‘Knowledge, Network and Coffee’ programmes.
Guest Speakers at the programme, Divanshu Kumar and Samyak Jain who hail from Patna, Bihar said that they had faced several hardships in their childhood. They were born and brought up in a region where good schools were costly and located far away from their homes. Divyanshu Kumar shared his experience of studying in a school which had no teachers for almost six months. However, the two of them had surmounted all odds and are currently students of IIT, Madras pursuing degrees in Management and Engineering respectively. They are also the founders of ‘Involve Learning Solutions’, a start-up to enhance education and empower young children.
The inaugural session of ‘Coffee Connect’ was an ice breaker in which all participants had to dance and complete a task that was assigned to them. This was followed by questions addressed to the Guest Speakers by participants regarding their journey up to IIT and about their start-up. Divyanshu Kumar and Samyak Jain were forthright and interactive and responded to all questions put to them. They cited inspiring examples, experiences and insights about their journey; spoke about the challenges which they faced and had overcome and shared how they had developed their self-confidence along their journey.
After responding to the questions of students the Guest Speakers conducted an activity to help the participating students to identify their areas of strength. This helped the students to do a self-analysis. To quote participant, Ameer Parpia, “The programme was inspiring as both Divyanshu and Samyak spoke about how important it is to believe in yourself, to work hard, to overcome challenges and to achieve what you want to. I am now much more confident to work towards my goal and to achieve my dream”
The Guest Speakers too expressed that they were delighted to have shared their experiences with such a vibrant audience. In the words of Samyak, “We arrived at the venue with no expectations…the only thing we had in mind was that we will be honest in answering any questions put to us. When we entered the venue, the environment along with the faces of the students was motivating. The kids are very good listeners and have a craving to learn. Some of them said that they want to start a company of their own and having this thought itself is amazing…the seed has been sown. The best part was that the whole event was solely organised and planned by students and even though it has been their first experience we didn't find anything lacking. Finally, we would like to wish all the best to all the students and we hope that something of what we have shared with them will affect them in a positive way.”
The unique feature of the programme was that students from the Chennai-Pallavaram Jamat interacted with students who are only a few years elder to them, but have made a strong impact on society at their young age.
An excellent way to achieve the objective of the programme! To inspire and motivate!!
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/india/inspire-share ... ver-coffee
The Food Network’s Kids Baking Champion
“It's all about a balancing act between time, temperature and ingredients: That's the art of baking.” Peter Reinhart
Watching cooking competitions has become quite popular in households around the world. After watching chefs create mouthwatering dishes that receive honest critique from experts, viewers are left at the edge of their seats waiting patiently for the next episode.
This is the experience I had as I watched the most recent season and finale of the Kids Baking Championship on the Food Network. Duff Goldman, the host of the show, had said, "The great thing about cake is it doesn't feel like work. You forget about work. kids, adults, they all get the same look in their eye when they're decorating cakes... That's the magic right there." And I sat there at the edge of my seat, watching the magic at work, surrounded by friends, family, and fans of Natasha Jiwani, to watch her on the finale of Kids Baking Championship. As the winner was announced, there was an uproar of celebration as Natasha was named the next Kids Baking Champion. Adorned in pink hats and T-shirts, in support of Natasha, everyone cheered, hugged, and high-fived as the finale aired.
An eighth-grade student from Bellevue, Washington, Natasha has been baking with her grandma, mom, and two older sisters, Alyssa and Jasmine, from a young age. Around the time she was nine, she took up baking on her own and became more creative with her ideas. Her love of baking led to the idea of applying to be on Kids Baking Championship television show, and she was accepted.
Natasha made an array of creative desserts on the show, her favorite being her rainbow sherbet cupcakes and banana macarons. On the show, she came to be known for her love of sprinkles, which she describes as “fun” and versatile since “you can put them on anything!”
Natasha advises young cooks to, “always follow the recipe exactly before experimenting. That way, if the recipe fails the first couple of times, it is not due to experimentation or a twist.” It is also important to learn from mistakes and to laugh at mishaps, as Natasha recalls "when powdered sugar went everywhere while adding it to the mixer."
A friend of the family, Soosan Ladha, remembered the time around the finale when she was traveling and also wearing a pink sweatshirt in support of Natasha. She recalls, “people came up to me in the airport and were telling me how much they loved the show and watching Natasha.”
Since the show, Natasha has started to advertise her baking via social media platforms and hopes to start a small baking business. As the winner of Food Network's Kids Baking Championship, Natasha will use her prize money to “donate to the Aga Khan Foundation, to save some for culinary school, and to buy some baking equipment.”
Natasha has inspired youth, not only in Seattle Jamatkhana, but also has been admired everywhere for her baking accomplishments.
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/usa/food-networks-k ... g-champion
“It's all about a balancing act between time, temperature and ingredients: That's the art of baking.” Peter Reinhart
Watching cooking competitions has become quite popular in households around the world. After watching chefs create mouthwatering dishes that receive honest critique from experts, viewers are left at the edge of their seats waiting patiently for the next episode.
This is the experience I had as I watched the most recent season and finale of the Kids Baking Championship on the Food Network. Duff Goldman, the host of the show, had said, "The great thing about cake is it doesn't feel like work. You forget about work. kids, adults, they all get the same look in their eye when they're decorating cakes... That's the magic right there." And I sat there at the edge of my seat, watching the magic at work, surrounded by friends, family, and fans of Natasha Jiwani, to watch her on the finale of Kids Baking Championship. As the winner was announced, there was an uproar of celebration as Natasha was named the next Kids Baking Champion. Adorned in pink hats and T-shirts, in support of Natasha, everyone cheered, hugged, and high-fived as the finale aired.
An eighth-grade student from Bellevue, Washington, Natasha has been baking with her grandma, mom, and two older sisters, Alyssa and Jasmine, from a young age. Around the time she was nine, she took up baking on her own and became more creative with her ideas. Her love of baking led to the idea of applying to be on Kids Baking Championship television show, and she was accepted.
Natasha made an array of creative desserts on the show, her favorite being her rainbow sherbet cupcakes and banana macarons. On the show, she came to be known for her love of sprinkles, which she describes as “fun” and versatile since “you can put them on anything!”
Natasha advises young cooks to, “always follow the recipe exactly before experimenting. That way, if the recipe fails the first couple of times, it is not due to experimentation or a twist.” It is also important to learn from mistakes and to laugh at mishaps, as Natasha recalls "when powdered sugar went everywhere while adding it to the mixer."
A friend of the family, Soosan Ladha, remembered the time around the finale when she was traveling and also wearing a pink sweatshirt in support of Natasha. She recalls, “people came up to me in the airport and were telling me how much they loved the show and watching Natasha.”
Since the show, Natasha has started to advertise her baking via social media platforms and hopes to start a small baking business. As the winner of Food Network's Kids Baking Championship, Natasha will use her prize money to “donate to the Aga Khan Foundation, to save some for culinary school, and to buy some baking equipment.”
Natasha has inspired youth, not only in Seattle Jamatkhana, but also has been admired everywhere for her baking accomplishments.
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/usa/food-networks-k ... g-champion
Mission Moon: Ismaili Students Strive to Reach the Stars
“Six- to nine-year-olds are like sponges, they are so smart and absorb everything going on around them. It’s the perfect age to expose them to new hobbies and interests.” -Shamrin Virani, Project Manager, Northeast
From January to March 2019, students of New York Headquarters Jamatkhana participated in the robotics program, which taught them crucial motor skills and life lessons. Students from first through fourth grades collaborated in small groups led by coaches and assistants in order to solve various hypothetical issues on the moon. This class adopted a fun and exciting tool to keep students engaged every Sunday morning: a box of brightly colored LEGOs. In order to participate, no prior knowledge or technical skills were required -- students simply needed a passion for teamwork and imagination... and ours did!
The robotics program encouraged students to become curious about technology and life on the moon. They documented their process through an illustrative Show Me Poster. After eight weeks of research, hands-on projects, coding, and pure imagination, the students and their coaches were prepared to share their findings at the FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. Expo (FLL), held at Mineola High School.
The Expo featured teams from all over the region; students from different faiths, backgrounds, and communities, came together to celebrate their love for robotics and Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics (STEM). At the Expo, students participated in skill-building activities, reminding them that teamwork creates a strong foundation for success. The students then presented their projects to the judges and talked about their problem, solution, and their overall process.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/usa/mission-moon-st ... rce=Direct
“Six- to nine-year-olds are like sponges, they are so smart and absorb everything going on around them. It’s the perfect age to expose them to new hobbies and interests.” -Shamrin Virani, Project Manager, Northeast
From January to March 2019, students of New York Headquarters Jamatkhana participated in the robotics program, which taught them crucial motor skills and life lessons. Students from first through fourth grades collaborated in small groups led by coaches and assistants in order to solve various hypothetical issues on the moon. This class adopted a fun and exciting tool to keep students engaged every Sunday morning: a box of brightly colored LEGOs. In order to participate, no prior knowledge or technical skills were required -- students simply needed a passion for teamwork and imagination... and ours did!
The robotics program encouraged students to become curious about technology and life on the moon. They documented their process through an illustrative Show Me Poster. After eight weeks of research, hands-on projects, coding, and pure imagination, the students and their coaches were prepared to share their findings at the FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. Expo (FLL), held at Mineola High School.
The Expo featured teams from all over the region; students from different faiths, backgrounds, and communities, came together to celebrate their love for robotics and Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics (STEM). At the Expo, students participated in skill-building activities, reminding them that teamwork creates a strong foundation for success. The students then presented their projects to the judges and talked about their problem, solution, and their overall process.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/usa/mission-moon-st ... rce=Direct
Students at the State Capitol
Texas students and young professionals get an inspiring glimpse into life and opportunities as a public servant.
On a brisk February morning, Ismaili young professionals and students from across Texas converged in Austin for a day-long visit to the Capitol building. Throughout their visit, the group met with a host of public officials including five State Representatives, the Texas Railroad Commissioner and Secretary of State. It was an opportunity to hear both the day-to-day travails and the long term vision of those in public service.
The group of young professionals and students met each other inside the grand dome of the Texas State Capitol building, which is tall enough to encase the Statue of Liberty. The visitors were then whisked up to the second floor where they were welcomed by Governor Greg Abbott. President of the Southwest Council for the United States, Murad Ajani, thanked Governor Abbott for his warm welcome on the group’s behalf. Participants would also later hear from the Speaker of the House, Dennis Higgins Bonnen, who was first elected at the age of 24 and encouraged the students and young professionals to get involved in their communities in any capacity.
The group had intimate conversations with an array of Texas Representatives and public servants with diverse backgrounds ranging from from career public servants to corporate professionals-turned politicians. The list included officials such as Representative Carl O. Sherman, who was also the first African-American Mayor of the City of De Soto, and Representative Celia Israel, a first-generation Latina, who explained that public service is “about making that human connection and breaking through the ice. We are all working together on the House floor.”
The smaller sessions started with Secretary of State David Whitley, whose responsibilities under Governor Abbott range from new business filings and international relations for the state to voter registration and commerce. His resounding advice for the group of young, energetic Texans was to volunteer or intern with a state agency.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/usa/students-state- ... rce=Direct
Texas students and young professionals get an inspiring glimpse into life and opportunities as a public servant.
On a brisk February morning, Ismaili young professionals and students from across Texas converged in Austin for a day-long visit to the Capitol building. Throughout their visit, the group met with a host of public officials including five State Representatives, the Texas Railroad Commissioner and Secretary of State. It was an opportunity to hear both the day-to-day travails and the long term vision of those in public service.
The group of young professionals and students met each other inside the grand dome of the Texas State Capitol building, which is tall enough to encase the Statue of Liberty. The visitors were then whisked up to the second floor where they were welcomed by Governor Greg Abbott. President of the Southwest Council for the United States, Murad Ajani, thanked Governor Abbott for his warm welcome on the group’s behalf. Participants would also later hear from the Speaker of the House, Dennis Higgins Bonnen, who was first elected at the age of 24 and encouraged the students and young professionals to get involved in their communities in any capacity.
The group had intimate conversations with an array of Texas Representatives and public servants with diverse backgrounds ranging from from career public servants to corporate professionals-turned politicians. The list included officials such as Representative Carl O. Sherman, who was also the first African-American Mayor of the City of De Soto, and Representative Celia Israel, a first-generation Latina, who explained that public service is “about making that human connection and breaking through the ice. We are all working together on the House floor.”
The smaller sessions started with Secretary of State David Whitley, whose responsibilities under Governor Abbott range from new business filings and international relations for the state to voter registration and commerce. His resounding advice for the group of young, energetic Texans was to volunteer or intern with a state agency.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/usa/students-state- ... rce=Direct
Simone Noorali, Indian expat in UAE, cracks ACT with perfect score, gets accepted by 7 top US universities
Simone Noorali, 17, is a beacon of expatriate hope in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to over two million (or 27 lakh) Indians who form the largest diaspora group in the oil-rich Arabian Gulf.
She has emerged as the poster girl for Dubai, one of the seven and the most populous emirates in the UAE, which is celebrating 2019 as the Year of Tolerance to strengthen the sheikhdom’s role of encouraging stability and prosperity in the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, amid economic downturn because of sliding crude oil prices and growing regional instability due to protracted conflict in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Iran.
Simone, a symbol of hard work and perseverance, has secured admission from as many as seven top-notch US-based universities, including two Ivy League schools — Dartmouth College and University of Pennsylvania.
The University of California in Berkeley, John Hopkins, Emory, Georgetown and George Washington University have also tapped her up as recognition of her stupendous 100th percentile score — 36 out of 36 — in the standarised American College Testing, or ACT, a pre-requisite to secure a spot in US colleges.
Simone, who by her own admission was “an introvert and shy” girl during her formative years, has all along been a student of Uptown School at Mirdif, Dubai that offers the International Baccalaureate, or IB.
Simone’s achievements are a jewel in Uptown School’s crown. The institution had had no track record of students applying to US universities, let alone getting an admission at an Ivy League school.
More...
https://www.firstpost.com/india/simone- ... 44201.html
Simone Noorali, 17, is a beacon of expatriate hope in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to over two million (or 27 lakh) Indians who form the largest diaspora group in the oil-rich Arabian Gulf.
She has emerged as the poster girl for Dubai, one of the seven and the most populous emirates in the UAE, which is celebrating 2019 as the Year of Tolerance to strengthen the sheikhdom’s role of encouraging stability and prosperity in the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, amid economic downturn because of sliding crude oil prices and growing regional instability due to protracted conflict in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Iran.
Simone, a symbol of hard work and perseverance, has secured admission from as many as seven top-notch US-based universities, including two Ivy League schools — Dartmouth College and University of Pennsylvania.
The University of California in Berkeley, John Hopkins, Emory, Georgetown and George Washington University have also tapped her up as recognition of her stupendous 100th percentile score — 36 out of 36 — in the standarised American College Testing, or ACT, a pre-requisite to secure a spot in US colleges.
Simone, who by her own admission was “an introvert and shy” girl during her formative years, has all along been a student of Uptown School at Mirdif, Dubai that offers the International Baccalaureate, or IB.
Simone’s achievements are a jewel in Uptown School’s crown. The institution had had no track record of students applying to US universities, let alone getting an admission at an Ivy League school.
More...
https://www.firstpost.com/india/simone- ... 44201.html
Aahil Khan - Chess Champion
Ten-year-old Aahil Akbar Khan is the newly crowned chess champion.
We salute our bright young talent who has made the Jamat and Uganda proud with his achievement in chess.
In April this year, Aahil scooped third position in Dove Easter Junior Open Chess Championship.
In May 2019, when the Uganda Chess Federation held National Chess School championships, Aahil was awarded a medal of honour by Prime Minister of Uganda Rt. Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda for his great and exceptional performance.
Aahil started his chess journey when, as a four-year-old, he was at a supermarket with his mother and insisted she buy him his first chess board.
Once he joined the Greenhill Academy Primary School, he joined their chess club and is now enjoying early success on the chequered board.
Aahil’s secret to success is simple but difficult: sheer hard work! A plethora of other contributing factors also come into play for the development of a chess genius at a comparatively young age — but an intensively favourable environment ensures success.
Aahil is a phenomenal talent and the Uganda Chess Federation is very excited about this young man and looks forward to Aahil one day representing the nation at an international level.
We hope he will become one of the outstanding chess talents of his generation.
photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/uganda/aahil-khan-c ... rce=Direct
Ten-year-old Aahil Akbar Khan is the newly crowned chess champion.
We salute our bright young talent who has made the Jamat and Uganda proud with his achievement in chess.
In April this year, Aahil scooped third position in Dove Easter Junior Open Chess Championship.
In May 2019, when the Uganda Chess Federation held National Chess School championships, Aahil was awarded a medal of honour by Prime Minister of Uganda Rt. Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda for his great and exceptional performance.
Aahil started his chess journey when, as a four-year-old, he was at a supermarket with his mother and insisted she buy him his first chess board.
Once he joined the Greenhill Academy Primary School, he joined their chess club and is now enjoying early success on the chequered board.
Aahil’s secret to success is simple but difficult: sheer hard work! A plethora of other contributing factors also come into play for the development of a chess genius at a comparatively young age — but an intensively favourable environment ensures success.
Aahil is a phenomenal talent and the Uganda Chess Federation is very excited about this young man and looks forward to Aahil one day representing the nation at an international level.
We hope he will become one of the outstanding chess talents of his generation.
photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/uganda/aahil-khan-c ... rce=Direct
Young Ismailis make a significant contribution to wider society
Motivated, young Ismailis from across the globe are involved in civil society initiatives that serve their communities and societies, often started by themselves, and are gaining recognition at national and international levels.
During his address at the Africa 2016 Forum in Egypt, Mawlana Hazar Imam said, “I focus on civil society because I think its potential is often under-appreciated as we become absorbed in debates about the most effective programmes of governments and others...[it] is the ‘difference-maker’. It not only complements the work of the private and public sectors; it can often help complete that work.”
“By civil society, I mean that range of social activity that does not stem from private business organisations, nor from a governmental authority. The institutions of civil society are motivated, rather, by voluntary energies, and their purpose is to improve the quality of community life.”
Involvement of youth in their communities is crucial to fostering a sense of empathy and encouraging participation in civil society initiatives for the betterment of society. Here are a few examples of inspiring stories.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/our-stories/young-i ... er-society
Motivated, young Ismailis from across the globe are involved in civil society initiatives that serve their communities and societies, often started by themselves, and are gaining recognition at national and international levels.
During his address at the Africa 2016 Forum in Egypt, Mawlana Hazar Imam said, “I focus on civil society because I think its potential is often under-appreciated as we become absorbed in debates about the most effective programmes of governments and others...[it] is the ‘difference-maker’. It not only complements the work of the private and public sectors; it can often help complete that work.”
“By civil society, I mean that range of social activity that does not stem from private business organisations, nor from a governmental authority. The institutions of civil society are motivated, rather, by voluntary energies, and their purpose is to improve the quality of community life.”
Involvement of youth in their communities is crucial to fostering a sense of empathy and encouraging participation in civil society initiatives for the betterment of society. Here are a few examples of inspiring stories.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/our-stories/young-i ... er-society
Bait-ul Ilm students in Quebec join forces to care for the environment
Last month, the Quebec Secondary Bait-ul Ilm team, in partnership with Ismaili CIVIC, organised its first ever Ismaili CIVIC Youth day. Secondary students between the ages of 12 and 18 from Brossard, Laval, Montreal, and Sherbrooke gathered, rolled up their sleeves, and actively contributed to their communities, serving both the natural and social environments in which they live.
This specific date was no coincidence. As it marked the beginning of the month of Ramadan, students were reminded of our responsibility towards Allah’s creation and renewed their commitment to helping those who are less fortunate, regardless of belief and background. They were able to put faith into practice and exercise the ethics of Islam as Shi’a Ismaili Muslims.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/our-stories/bait-ul ... rce=Direct
Last month, the Quebec Secondary Bait-ul Ilm team, in partnership with Ismaili CIVIC, organised its first ever Ismaili CIVIC Youth day. Secondary students between the ages of 12 and 18 from Brossard, Laval, Montreal, and Sherbrooke gathered, rolled up their sleeves, and actively contributed to their communities, serving both the natural and social environments in which they live.
This specific date was no coincidence. As it marked the beginning of the month of Ramadan, students were reminded of our responsibility towards Allah’s creation and renewed their commitment to helping those who are less fortunate, regardless of belief and background. They were able to put faith into practice and exercise the ethics of Islam as Shi’a Ismaili Muslims.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/our-stories/bait-ul ... rce=Direct
A big green step for a better world
Earlier this year, the secondary Bait-ul Ilm students of Antananarivo in Madagascar gave birth to a project entitled Green STEP, in collaboration with civil society organisations in the country, in order to better serve the physical and social environment around them.
Secondary students of Antananarivo Bait-ul Ilm put their learning into practice by launching Green STEP, which aimed to change their environment, helping to transform the lives of hundreds of pupils and orphans at the Magnificat school and orphanage in the country’s capital city. The project was conducted in collaboration with non-governmental organisations Greener Madagascar, GreeNKool, and 2hy-faire lien, who provided facilitators, artists, and other volunteers to help on the day.
Through the Green STEP project, students took on the challenge to create a long-term positive environmental impact for the Centre. In only a matter of hours, with hard work, fun, and a common vision, the students and volunteers created a new playground for the school by installing trampolines and a swing made with old tires.
“The ethic of Islam encourages sharing, generosity, and helping those in need. I have never been able to achieve a such project in the past or been able to transform an environment in such a short time. To see the joy of these kids, it is just great! I had fun, I have helped others, this day was wonderful” said Johanna, a secondary student.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/our-stories/big-gre ... tter-world
Earlier this year, the secondary Bait-ul Ilm students of Antananarivo in Madagascar gave birth to a project entitled Green STEP, in collaboration with civil society organisations in the country, in order to better serve the physical and social environment around them.
Secondary students of Antananarivo Bait-ul Ilm put their learning into practice by launching Green STEP, which aimed to change their environment, helping to transform the lives of hundreds of pupils and orphans at the Magnificat school and orphanage in the country’s capital city. The project was conducted in collaboration with non-governmental organisations Greener Madagascar, GreeNKool, and 2hy-faire lien, who provided facilitators, artists, and other volunteers to help on the day.
Through the Green STEP project, students took on the challenge to create a long-term positive environmental impact for the Centre. In only a matter of hours, with hard work, fun, and a common vision, the students and volunteers created a new playground for the school by installing trampolines and a swing made with old tires.
“The ethic of Islam encourages sharing, generosity, and helping those in need. I have never been able to achieve a such project in the past or been able to transform an environment in such a short time. To see the joy of these kids, it is just great! I had fun, I have helped others, this day was wonderful” said Johanna, a secondary student.
Photos and more...
https://the.ismaili/our-stories/big-gre ... tter-world