Former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Anne McLellan, was among the distinguished guests who viewed RAYS OF LIGHT as it criss-crossed the country. Courtesy of the RAYS OF LIGHT teamRAYS OF LIGHT: Glimpses into the Ismaili Imamat, a Golden Jubilee International Programme depicting the first 50 years of Mawlana Hazar Imam's Imamat, completed its Canadian tour in Toronto last week. An enormous undertaking, the exhibition provided visitors an opportunity to consider Canada's role in the extensive worldwide activities of the Ismaili Imamat to promote equitable human development and social justice.
“With Canada being home to several major initiatives, including the Ismaili Centre in Vancouver, the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat and the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa, as well as the forthcoming Ismaili Centre, the Aga Khan Museum and their Park in Toronto, the exhibit provides an insight and a context into His Highness the Aga Khan as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, ” remarked Alijah Malik Talib, President of the Ismaili Council for Canada.
The Canadian RAYS OF LIGHT tour commenced in Edmonton, shortly after Canada Day in July 2013. It went on to visit Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Ottawa, before its final Canadian stop in Toronto. In Ottawa, the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat building served as the backdrop for the exhibit, welcoming Jamati members and external guests alike.
A young visitor delights in a photograph of Mawlana Hazar Imam as a baby. Courtesy of the RAYS OF LIGHT teamAcross the country, Jamati members participated in large numbers, discovering that RAYS OF LIGHT was not only educational, but also offered an emotional and spiritual experience. Many commended the level of detail with which the Imamat's work was presented, and spent long periods of time studying and absorbing every nuance. One Jamati visitor commented: “I experienced a sense of belonging, a pride, an understanding, an appreciation, brotherhood, hope, reflection of my past present and future.”
Guests invited from outside the Ismaili community also appreciated the opportunity to deepen their understanding of Mawlana Hazar Imam's work. At special hosted events, RAYS OF LIGHT was introduced by notable community leaders, including Firoz Rasul, President of Aga Khan University; Derryl MacLean, Director of Simon Fraser University's Centre for the Comparative Study of Muslim Societies and Cultures; and Khalil Shariff, CEO of Aga Khan Foundation Canada.
A team of international volunteers accompanied RAYS OF LIGHT to ensure a consistency of experience, while hundreds of local volunteers were mobilised to support the exhibition in each city. Volunteers underwent intensive training to ensure the authenticity and smooth execution of every aspect of the exhibition, from assembling the exhibit to managing logistics, registration, the flow of visitors, and the educational component.
RAYS OF LIGHT explores the variety of ways in which Mawlana Hazar Imam has improved the quality of life of Ismailis around the world and the societies in which they live, over five decades of his Imamat. Courtesy of the RAYS OF LIGHT teamSince its 2008 worldwide premiere in Paris – which was viewed by Mawlana Hazar Imam and members of the Imam's family – RAYS OF LIGHT has etched itself into the memories of thousands. Embodying a spirit of reflection, celebration and gratitude, the exhibition has criss-crossed the world, with stops in Dubai, Kampala, Lisbon, London, and several cities in the United States.
In February 2014 RAYS OF LIGHT will return to Africa, opening in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Experience RAYS OF LIGHT: Glimpses into the Ismaili Imamat in 2014. For more information email [email protected].
