Over 265 institutional leaders from the Southwestern USA gathered for the Institutional Leadership Orientation, an initiative of the Capacity Development Portfolio., at Harvest Green Jamatkhana on September 8, 2024.
The “DRIVE” (Dynamic Relevant Institutional Volunteer Education) session was designed to empower current and future leaders within our institutions. It underscored their integral role and provided them with the essential skills and knowledge needed to navigate our vibrant institutional landscape successfully.
The day began with inspiring welcome remarks from Imran Bandeali, Honorary Secretary of the Ismaili Council for Southwestern USA. President Faisal Momin then delivered an impassioned address on the Institutional Framework, emphasizing the alignment of goals, values, and governance across all Councils and Boards, including the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board’s (ITREB) mandate and strategic priorities, highlighting the importance of religious education and provided insight into key regional priorities.
President Faisal also recognized the meaningful work of all institutions in serving almost half of the country’s Jamat. In his remarks, he said, “In my experience, I haven’t encountered a better avenue for developing skills than through the Jamati institutions. I hope that the hundreds of volunteers who dedicate their time to serving our Jamat find similar growth and fulfillment.”
Dr. Neelofer Tajani, Chairman of the ITREB for Southwestern USA, then spoke about the Tariqah Board’s essential function in cultivating religious education.
The second module session was on “Effectively Leading Seva Teams,” delivered by Celina Charania Shariff, Vice President of the Ismaili Council for the United States, who shared practical leadership strategies to inspire and manage teams with empathy, accountability, and purpose in service to the Jamat.
Capturing a key takeaway from the session, Asif Momin, Honorary Secretary of the Administrative Committee of South Texas, provided invaluable insight on his experience at the leadership orientation, saying, "As a rookie joining the institutional capacity, I have been contemplating the best ways to manage conflict resolutions and work-life balance. It was enlightening to learn that while everything may be important, not everything is urgent. I gained this valuable insight from our session today."
Sean Hassan, Member of Community Building for the Ismaili Council for the United States, presented on the fourth module of “Inclusion in Our Jamat.” He stressed the importance of enabling an inclusive environment that embraces diversity and ensures every Jamati member feels valued and empowered to contribute.
After the completion of the module, Nakiba Badruddin Karedia, Honorary Secretary of the Administrative Committee of Central Texas, said:
"One of the key takeaways for me has been through the inclusion session conducted by Sean Hassan. Embracing diversity due to our migrating Jamati members, whether from Central Asia, the Middle East, within the US, or other countries, is not just a matter of relocation but also requires a deeper understanding of how to be aware of what we don’t know and how to find ways to be more sensitive to cultural diversity. As a servant leader, I actively seek to enrich our communities and pave the way for a future where everyone, regardless of origin, can find a safe environment to feel heard and engaged."
Lastly, Nadim Pabani, Management Consultant in Education for the Ismaili Council, led a powerful moderated panel discussion on Positive Youth Development, offering insights into nurturing the next generation of leaders through mentorship, education, and holistic development while reviewing module three.
The event concluded with a networking lunch, followed by individual board meetings, during which participants collaborated on initiatives for building community capacity.
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