26 September 2021 – Dhaka, Bangladesh: This first ever Global Ismaili CIVIC Day, is being celebrated across 29 countries around the world, with 20,000 volunteers from the Ismaili Muslim Community pledging 100,000 hours to improve the quality of life of the communities in which they live, exemplifying universal values of service, peace, compassion, and care for the vulnerable. This international endeavor reflects the community’s ethic of civic engagement and good citizenship.

A diverse array of activities are carried out simultaneously across the world, focusing on two extremely pertinent themes: Environmental Stewardship and Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Ismaili CIVIC volunteers partnered with government and local civil society partners to contribute their time, knowledge, and skills for the betterment of their fellow citizens.

To mark the Global Ismaili CIVIC Day in Bangladesh, from September 24 – September 26, volunteers from the Ismaili community in Dhaka distributed face masks to frontline workers including street cleaners, security staff, and rickshaw pullers, as well as to law enforcement and emergency personnel from the Bangladesh Police, Ansar and the Fire Brigade. In addition, medical face masks were distributed to the staff of Kuwait Bangladesh Maitree Government Hospital and to various local journalists and reporters.  These efforts are supported by the agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), YELLOW by BEXIMCO, and Mission Save Bangladesh.

Since the launch of the Ismaili CIVIC initiative across the globe in 2020, significant impact has been created in the areas of health, education, economic development, environmental stewardship, and cultural restoration.