“Small things mean big things to a lot of people. Whether it’s having clean water or having something to eat, or being able to access quality healthcare. For a successful project, having a good heart is not enough. You need to have the technical expertise, you need to be able to put a team together, and you need to be a good fiscal steward of resources. These are things that His Highness has done well throughout his lifetime.” -Brian Kemp, Georgia Secretary of State, from his Keynote Address at the Rays of Light: Glimpses into the Ismaili Imamat reception on January 11, 2018
Inaugurating the exhibition, Nancy Harris, Mayor of the City of Duluth, underscored the impact that pluralism plays in her city, and commended Ismaili volunteers on their extraordinary service to Duluth and the greater Atlanta community. She said that throughout the Rays of Light exhibition she saw an “attitude of hope,” and heard messages of “peace, collaboration and unity. ”
Brad Morris, Director of Retail Sales for the Coca-Cola Company, commented: "What stood out to me was the continuity of His Highness’ mission. He ascended to the throne at the age of twenty, and for the last 60 years, he has consistently driven to make the world a better place by alleviating poverty. He does it in such a way that is so creative and so beautiful.” He added: “In many parts of the world we use the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) as an arm of our own giving and our own investment in communities. We see our work with His Highness and the AKDN as a partnership.”
Echoing comments of the Imam, Consul General of Canada for the Southeastern United States, Nadia Theodore, said, “We believe that diversity is our strength. Not only does it bring social benefits, but in fact, the economic benefits of diversity and pluralism are ones that cannot be ignored.” She appreciated Hazar Imam’s efforts in promoting diversity and pluralism, ideas embraced by Canada.
The exhibition was seen by 500 external guests and almost 8,000 members of the Jamat from the Southeast region. Rahim and Saniya Samji said, “It was important to invite our friends from sister communities to Rays of Light to help them understand our journey as Ismaili Muslims and how proud we are to celebrate the legacy of our Imam. The messages of spreading peace, building bridges, and being united to help build for the future is the biggest gift our Imam is helping with today. We hope other communities can learn and adapt to the same cause.”
Almost 600 volunteers worked tirelessly on various tasks, including building the multidimensional exhibit, registering attendees, serving as tour guides, and ensuring the best possible experience for the attendees. “This has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my lifetime, one of seeing volunteers of all ages coming together as a unified, big family and volunteering with a smile. Personally, I felt proud to be an Ismaili and blessed to be part of the Rays of Light family," said volunteer Dr. Sadiq Sohani.
Showcasing over 250 pictures, multiple videos and interactive displays, the Rays of Light exhibition allowed guests to understand the scope and purpose of the Imam’s humanitarian efforts in the context of the 1,400-year history of the Ismaili Imamat. Ideas of devotion, pluralism, diplomacy, stewardship, empowerment, dignity, identity, harmony and hope resonated with viewers as they circled the Enlightenment Dome and traversed its four rays.
The Centers of Confluence 360° room virtually transported viewers to Ismaili Centers across the globe. Georgia House Representative, Park Cannon, appreciated the opportunity to virtually visit the Ismaili Center in Lisbon, and she said “Obrigado,” or “Thank you,” to the Imam for his visionary work. “We continue to understand that globalism is the way in which we will move forward. When we segment ourselves, when we regionalize ourselves, when we stay too focused in only one place, we cannot succeed,” said Rep. Cannon.
STEP teacher Nahid Husain-Habib led secondary students in debriefing sessions following tours of the exhibit. She said that the exhibit gave families “a chance to come together, allowing students to share what they know, but also for parents to share their stories and experiences; it is those lived experiences that make faith.” Nahid hopes that the exhibit supplemented classroom learning of the Ismaili identity, and students return to the STEP class “refreshed and revived—understanding who they are.”
High-school senior Alisha Vegdani was overcome with pride as she walked the exhibit. She said, “Seeing the Imam’s achievements all in one place was truly an eye opener. The Imam’s work is so pluralistic and uniform for people of all different backgrounds that it inspires me as a student to do as much as I can to help others around me. Rays of Light has helped me focus my vision towards the Imam’s mandate and my responsibility towards him.”
Pastor Joshua was clearly touched by Hazar Imam’s quotes on the celebration of diversity. “Those were calming words to hear, and to see what pluralism looks like in action. It is inspiring and calls forth the best in all folks,” he said. He continued, “His Highness has a presence all over the world. It’s amazing and phenomenal, but it all starts with building relationships and trying to hear other peoples’ stories, finding the commonality, and then building from there.”
Gareth Young, an interfaith community leader left the event saying that the Rays of Light exhibit warmed his heart. His message to Ismailis: “Keep it up, my brothers and sisters. This is beautiful work.”
