The Rich Kids Who Want to Tear Down Capitalism
By Zoë Beery
Socialist-minded millennial heirs are trying to live their values by getting rid of their money.
Lately, Sam Jacobs has been having a lot of conversations with his family’s lawyers. He’s trying to gain access to more of his $30 million trust fund. At 25, he’s hit the age when many heirs can blow their money on harebrained businesses or a stable of sports cars. He doesn’t want to do that, but by wealth management standards, his plan is just as bad. He wants to give it all away.
“I want to build a world where someone like me, a young person who controls tens of millions of dollars, is impossible,” he said.
A socialist since college, Mr. Jacobs sees his family’s “extreme, plutocratic wealth” as both a moral and economic failure. He wants to put his inheritance toward ending capitalism, and by that he means using his money to undo systems that accumulate money for those at the top, and that have played a large role in widening economic and racial inequality.
Millennials will be the recipients of the largest generational shift of assets in American history — the Great Wealth Transfer, as finance types call it. Tens of trillions of dollars are expected to pass between generations in just the next decade.
And that money, like all wealth in the United States, is extremely concentrated in the upper brackets. Mr. Jacobs, whose grandfather was a founder of Qualcomm, expects to receive up to $100 million over the course of his lifetime.
Most of his fellow millennials, however, are receiving a rotten inheritance — debt, dim job prospects and a figment of a social safety net. The youngest of them were 15 in 2011 when Occupy Wall Street drew a line between the have-a-lots and everyone else; the oldest, if they were lucky, were working in a post-recession economy even before the current recession. Class and inequality have been part of the political conversation for most of their adult lives.
In their time, the ever-widening gulf between the rich and poor has pushed left-wing politics back into the American political mainstream. President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. trailed Senator Bernie Sanders, the socialist candidate, by 20 points among millennial voters in this year’s Democratic presidential primary. And over the last six years, millennials have taken the Democratic Socialists of America from a fringe organization with an average member age of 60 to a national force with chapters in every state and a membership of nearly 100,000, most of them under 35.
Mr. Jacobs, as both a trust-fund kid and an anticapitalist, is in a rare position among leftists fighting against economic inequality. But he isn’t alone in trying to figure out, as he put it, “what it means to be with the 99 percent, when you’re the 1 percent.”
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/27/styl ... ation.html
THE YOUTH
Google translation of the original article in Portuguese:
https://the.ismaili/portugal/juventude-mais-resiliente
More resilient youth
Resilience is the ability to recover during or after difficult circumstances, at times when it seems that we are “frozen” and that we are unable to react. It is also the ability to adapt to difficult situations that cannot be changed and / or that last for a long period of time. Know the strategies to be more resilient.
When we are resilient we can learn from these experiences, feel good again and let our life continue to prosper.
Some young people face more serious challenges, such as family breakdown, illness or death of a relative and bullying. And some have more challenges than others because of learning difficulties or disabilities, or because they have more anxious personalities. Resilience is the key that will help you meet these challenges.
Adolescents can build resilience by developing attitudes such as self-respect, social and organizational skills and positive thinking habits. Parental support is also a crucial building block for building the child's resilience. In fact, the most common factor for children who develop resilience is having a stable and committed relationship with at least one parent, guardian or other adult who supports them.
The capacities underlying resilience can be strengthened at any age. However, the brain and other biological systems are more adaptable early in life. Nevertheless, while their development is the basis for a wide range of resilient behaviors, it is never too late to build resilience. Age-appropriate and health-promoting activities can significantly increase an individual's chances of recovering from experiences that induce stress. Adults who strengthen these skills in themselves can better model healthy behaviors for their children, thereby improving the resilience of the next generation.
What are the strategies to be more resilient?
The studies identify a common set of factors that predispose children and young people to obtain positive results in the face of significant adversities. Individuals who demonstrate resilience in response to one form of adversity may not necessarily do so in response to another. However, when these positive influences operate effectively, they put more weight on the positive scale and optimize resilience in various contexts. These counterbalancing factors include:
- A strong supportive relationship between adult and child / youth;
- Access to opportunities for the child / youth to strengthen adaptive and self-control skills (eg, regular physical activity, stress reduction practices and programs that actively develop executive functions and self-regulation skills);
- The practice of faith and the mobilization of cultural traditions (eg volunteering).
PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
The following are some techniques for building resilience for young people (and adults too):
1. Rephrase your situation . See the positive side instead of the negative side of a difficult situation. Look at the same problem from a different perspective.
2. Cultivate positive thinking and be optimistic. When you are in a stressful situation, it is easy to think what is wrong. Instead, you should focus on things that go well and / or for which you are grateful. It can be as simple as enjoying a cup of coffee or having a good phone conversation with a family member or friend.
3. Lean on your network of family and friends. If you are in contact or talking to people with whom you can share your concerns, they will work as an aid to relieve stress.
4. Laugh more . Laughing can decrease stress hormones and boost the immune system. Laughter is contagious!
5. Make yourself a priority and improve your health to fight stress. Stress has a physical and emotional impact on your body. By improving your health, you will have more strength to face challenging situations when they arise. You should therefore:
Do physical activity - aerobic exercise helps to contain stress, protecting brain cells and reducing blood pressure. You should plan activities of moderate intensity, such as walking outdoors.
Eating a healthy diet - a diet consisting of healthy whole foods - vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish - can also fight depression, compared to diets full of sugary, processed or fried foods.
Get enough sleep - sleep deprivation can reduce immune function and lead to memory, attention and decision-making difficulties. We are better able to deal with stress when we are rested. Sleeping at least seven to eight hours a night is ideal.
6. Meditate. Practicing a meditation technique neutralizes stress, eliciting a relaxation response that helps to reduce blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and stress hormones.
7. Reduce the time dedicated to electronic equipment and social networks. Taking the time to disconnect from e-mails, alerts and social networks will allow you to interact more with your friends and family and will help to reduce the feelings of FOMO (“Fear Of Missing Out”) that social networks usually awaken. This will reduce your anxiety.
8. Participate in profitable activities that make you feel happy, productive and that challenge your creativity.
9. Volunteer. The meaning and purpose of helping others or the community can enrich you and make you happier. Schools, places of worship, nonprofits and charitable organizations of all kinds depend on volunteers for help in any role.
10. Avoid using harmful substances. It is important not to resort to the use of alcohol and drugs. Many people use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs to feel happier, but in reality the use of these substances can hinder their functional capacity at work, at school and even maintain a stable family life and deal with life's difficulties.
If you see that even with these techniques you do not feel better, go to a licensed health professional, with a psychologist. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness!
Just as it requires effort to build and maintain physical health, so does mental health.
https://the.ismaili/portugal/juventude-mais-resiliente
More resilient youth
Resilience is the ability to recover during or after difficult circumstances, at times when it seems that we are “frozen” and that we are unable to react. It is also the ability to adapt to difficult situations that cannot be changed and / or that last for a long period of time. Know the strategies to be more resilient.
When we are resilient we can learn from these experiences, feel good again and let our life continue to prosper.
Some young people face more serious challenges, such as family breakdown, illness or death of a relative and bullying. And some have more challenges than others because of learning difficulties or disabilities, or because they have more anxious personalities. Resilience is the key that will help you meet these challenges.
Adolescents can build resilience by developing attitudes such as self-respect, social and organizational skills and positive thinking habits. Parental support is also a crucial building block for building the child's resilience. In fact, the most common factor for children who develop resilience is having a stable and committed relationship with at least one parent, guardian or other adult who supports them.
The capacities underlying resilience can be strengthened at any age. However, the brain and other biological systems are more adaptable early in life. Nevertheless, while their development is the basis for a wide range of resilient behaviors, it is never too late to build resilience. Age-appropriate and health-promoting activities can significantly increase an individual's chances of recovering from experiences that induce stress. Adults who strengthen these skills in themselves can better model healthy behaviors for their children, thereby improving the resilience of the next generation.
What are the strategies to be more resilient?
The studies identify a common set of factors that predispose children and young people to obtain positive results in the face of significant adversities. Individuals who demonstrate resilience in response to one form of adversity may not necessarily do so in response to another. However, when these positive influences operate effectively, they put more weight on the positive scale and optimize resilience in various contexts. These counterbalancing factors include:
- A strong supportive relationship between adult and child / youth;
- Access to opportunities for the child / youth to strengthen adaptive and self-control skills (eg, regular physical activity, stress reduction practices and programs that actively develop executive functions and self-regulation skills);
- The practice of faith and the mobilization of cultural traditions (eg volunteering).
PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
The following are some techniques for building resilience for young people (and adults too):
1. Rephrase your situation . See the positive side instead of the negative side of a difficult situation. Look at the same problem from a different perspective.
2. Cultivate positive thinking and be optimistic. When you are in a stressful situation, it is easy to think what is wrong. Instead, you should focus on things that go well and / or for which you are grateful. It can be as simple as enjoying a cup of coffee or having a good phone conversation with a family member or friend.
3. Lean on your network of family and friends. If you are in contact or talking to people with whom you can share your concerns, they will work as an aid to relieve stress.
4. Laugh more . Laughing can decrease stress hormones and boost the immune system. Laughter is contagious!
5. Make yourself a priority and improve your health to fight stress. Stress has a physical and emotional impact on your body. By improving your health, you will have more strength to face challenging situations when they arise. You should therefore:
Do physical activity - aerobic exercise helps to contain stress, protecting brain cells and reducing blood pressure. You should plan activities of moderate intensity, such as walking outdoors.
Eating a healthy diet - a diet consisting of healthy whole foods - vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish - can also fight depression, compared to diets full of sugary, processed or fried foods.
Get enough sleep - sleep deprivation can reduce immune function and lead to memory, attention and decision-making difficulties. We are better able to deal with stress when we are rested. Sleeping at least seven to eight hours a night is ideal.
6. Meditate. Practicing a meditation technique neutralizes stress, eliciting a relaxation response that helps to reduce blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and stress hormones.
7. Reduce the time dedicated to electronic equipment and social networks. Taking the time to disconnect from e-mails, alerts and social networks will allow you to interact more with your friends and family and will help to reduce the feelings of FOMO (“Fear Of Missing Out”) that social networks usually awaken. This will reduce your anxiety.
8. Participate in profitable activities that make you feel happy, productive and that challenge your creativity.
9. Volunteer. The meaning and purpose of helping others or the community can enrich you and make you happier. Schools, places of worship, nonprofits and charitable organizations of all kinds depend on volunteers for help in any role.
10. Avoid using harmful substances. It is important not to resort to the use of alcohol and drugs. Many people use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs to feel happier, but in reality the use of these substances can hinder their functional capacity at work, at school and even maintain a stable family life and deal with life's difficulties.
If you see that even with these techniques you do not feel better, go to a licensed health professional, with a psychologist. Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness!
Just as it requires effort to build and maintain physical health, so does mental health.
12-year-old gives birth to baby after COVID lockdown pregnancy
Rahul M
December 16, 2020·
A neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), also known as an intensive care nursery (ICN), is an intensive care unit (ICU) specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants.
A 12-year-old girl in Spain has given birth at home after she became pregnant during the COVID lockdown, without family members or teachers realising she was pregnant.
Euro weekly news has reported that social services have confirmed neither the child’s parents nor school were aware she was pregnant.
The girl, whose name has not been revealed, gave birth to a baby boy at her mother’s house in the northern Spanish region of Cantabria last week.
Much to everyone’s shock, the girl went into labour and emergency services were requested. The paramedics came in time to help the young girl give birthday. Her family, understandably, were in shock to know of this.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/cm/ ... 11983.html
Rahul M
December 16, 2020·
A neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), also known as an intensive care nursery (ICN), is an intensive care unit (ICU) specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants.
A 12-year-old girl in Spain has given birth at home after she became pregnant during the COVID lockdown, without family members or teachers realising she was pregnant.
Euro weekly news has reported that social services have confirmed neither the child’s parents nor school were aware she was pregnant.
The girl, whose name has not been revealed, gave birth to a baby boy at her mother’s house in the northern Spanish region of Cantabria last week.
Much to everyone’s shock, the girl went into labour and emergency services were requested. The paramedics came in time to help the young girl give birthday. Her family, understandably, were in shock to know of this.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/cm/ ... 11983.html
Global youth volunteerism: Our community’s pioneering leaders
Whether you define it as seva, khidmat, or serviço, the ethic of offering service has been at the foundation of many selfless institutions and individuals around the world. This ethic is seen within our community and beyond, which can help to foster an active and healthy civil society. Youth leaders from around the world have adapted this very mindset: enabling communities through ‘building bridges.’ This phrase of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s is vital to forming a knowledge society, in which best practices — such as the ones used by Shagufta, Aly, and Sara — are shared and implemented worldwide.
All three of these youth leaders attended Global Encounters (GE) in 2019, an international programme for Ismaili Muslim youth focused on service, leadership development, cultural exchange, and global citizenship. During GE, the youth leaders took part in service learning and approached issues using a ‘bottom-up’ approach, whereby the community they are working with is involved in every stage of any intervention, to ensure the longevity of projects. Here we take a look at what a few of them have done.
Shagufta Karim is a 17-year-old activist who lives in the mountainous regions of the Ghizer Valley in Gilgit, Pakistan. In this region, the taboo that surrounds menstrual hygiene is extreme, limiting the quantity and quality of education young women receive on this topic. Shagufta developed a strong desire to solve this issue and serve the community around her: she wanted to mobilise and empower her local community to tackle issues themselves and instill in them the ethic of self-reliance. As a result of this, Shagufta founded the Pakistan chapter of 'For The Menstruator,' a non-profit organisation designed to destigmatise menstrual health in rural areas and ensure equitable access to sufficient care for women. For Shagufta, this is just the start of a journey. The words of Mawlana Hazar Imam that keep her going are ”the right to hope is the most powerful human motivation.” As a result, she hopes to continue destigmatising issues and ensuring equity in areas beyond Gilgit.
Aly Sultan is a social entrepreneur who lives in Papua New Guinea, where the eroding forces of globalisation are currently undermining local informal economies and enterprises. It is for this reason he founded Envision, a local not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping isolated communities in Papua New Guinea preserve and promote their diverse cultural heritage. By launching an online platform for global marketing of indigenous cultural products, Envision has helped organisations monetise their cottage industries' artistic output. For Aly, the saying 'think global, act local' has been integral to all his actions. Mawlana Hazar Imam emphasised in his keynote address at ICOMOS 2015, that “as societies are plunging into an increasingly bewildering future, cultural heritage is more critical today than ever before.” Aly hopes to empower the artisans in the communities he works with, so that cultural practises do not succumb to the shifting sands of time.
Sara Daredia lives in a rapidly westernising society, and as a result, she has seen her city, Geneva, face a cultural drain. Many people are unaware of literary art forms from Tajikistan, India, and other Asian countries and as a classical music enthusiast, Sara decided to become a classical literature teacher. She is inspired by the speech delivered by Mawlana Hazar Imam at the Aga Khan Music Awards in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019 where he noted that “listening to music, practicing music, sharing music, and performing music have long been an intimate part of life for communities across the world.” By coupling her passion for the performing arts and her desire to share cultures across borders, Sara has ensured a microscale preservation of cultural heritage. In the future, she would love to play a role in ensuring access to diverse cultural literature for geographies around the world.
Shagufta, Aly, and Sara are three inspiring youth leaders that have led with compassion, humility, integrity, and empathy. They have served communities beyond their own, ensuring that we put to action the pluralistic and tolerant mindset that Mawlana Hazar Imam emphasises.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... ng-leaders
*****
Summer programme builds bridges to support global awareness of communication
This summer, an Aga Khan Education Board collaboration unveiled Bridges, a six-week programme focused on learning and improving communication skills, while connecting students between the ages of 13-17, from across the globe.
On 21 July, more than 100 participants from France, Portugal, the UK, the USA and Canada grabbed their virtual boarding passes and began their journey with the Bridges programme.
Through the power of Zoom, 26 trained facilitators helped participants not only hone their communication skills in an inclusive environment, they were also able to broaden their horizons by learning about the different cultures and traditions that make each of us unique.
As a group, they listened and shared — from their family histories to future aspirations — with their identity at the forefront, as they underwent the process of discovering who they are as people.
The aim of Bridges was to make learning enjoyable and collaborative, especially for the participants who were not previously immersed in English language settings.
Prominent young members of the Ismaili community like sportscaster Raheel Ramzanali, athlete Farid Walizadeh, kids’ baking champion Natasha Jiwani, UK fashion designer Zaeem Jamal, and classical Indian singer Sara Saleem Daredia from Switzerland also joined the conversation. They participated in question and answer sessions with the participants, offering a glimpse into their journey, their triumphs and their adversity, while inspiring the group to aim high with their own hopes and dreams for the future.
The final weeks of the programme were dedicated to creating projects in small teams, which were presented during the finale on 25 August. Together, participants did everything from building a time capsule for the Jamat to look at 100 years from now, to inventing new holidays like a World AKDN Day!
The guest speakers featured throughout the programme returned to provide feedback on their projects that students could use in their upcoming academic endeavours.
For Bridges facilitator Aahil D, the virtual programme was a welcome change from the lockdown.
“It is so heartwarming to see an international virtual programme being organised for young members of our Jamat to attend and feel connected to one another,” Aahil said. “Last night’s projects showcased the huge diversity we have in our Jamat and how pluralism can be a strength.”
The Bridges Programme came together thanks to a team of volunteers coordinating efforts across the globe. The facilitators and mentors, the technical and creative teams, the translators and evaluators, and the administrative staff were the glue that kept everything together.
One of the participants acknowledged the volunteers’ hard work, saying: “I see how much effort and time you put into this programme to encourage us and support us and have a great time together… I’m really grateful for getting the opportunity to see all these talented and incredible young leaders in our Jamat.”
One parent from Florida, USA made this observation: “It’s great to see our future leaders on this forum… sharing their time and knowledge for the betterment of the Jamat and our youth in particular.”
The mission of this programme was summed up nicely by facilitator Jazir L.
“The Bridges camp is proof that we may be in different geographic locations, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t connect with each other.”
Video and more at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... munication
*****
“Serve to Learn”: The Empowerment of Youth through Service Learning
“The question is, not only what have I achieved, the question is what have I helped others to achieve? That is the notion of social conscience in Islam.”
His Highness the Aga Khan
Press Conference, Maputo, Mozambique, August 1998
What can we do for others? What are their needs? How can we, the youth, play a vital role in helping others? These were some of the questions that came to the forefront in the minds of our youth over the last year, in the communities of Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.
The noble spirit of rendering service is grounded in the ethics of Islam. All things in God’s creation have value, including human beings. We are reminded in the Quran that we are indeed the Khalifa, the vicegerents or trustees of God’s creation. Hence, we as human beings have a very special status, and with that we implicitly have the weighted responsibility to be the caretakers of all creation. We have mutual responsibilities towards one another, for we have a duty to leave this world a better place.
With that as the impetus, the youth of Al Ain and Abu Dhabi have been involved in various forms of service-learning within their communities over the past year. This programme was part of a weekly integrated series entitled “Serve to Learn.” Participants undertook a sequence of steps beginning with the identification of particular needs of the communities and related intended outcomes. Needs assessment was done through conversations between the youth and community members. From this exercise, it was concluded that the communities needed:
(a) to find ways to cope with stress with the goal of striving for a sense of happiness, including promoting health and well-being
(b) to increase opportunities for social engagement with the inclusion of physical movement for the body, and ways to inspire the ageing population in seeking general knowledge.
Participants commenced their projects with vision statements. One example was the following: “Through my project, I aim to create a unique bond between every member of the community, so that the differences between us will be taken as chances for positive development…”
Image2_21122020
Youth brainstorming and sharing ideas for their service learning project
Youth brainstorming and sharing ideas for their service learning project
PHOTO: MOEZ AMIN MOTANI
In the process of conducting their service-learning, inherently students became researchers and project managers taking the project to a deeper level by building out their project proposals. They began to self-reflect on how their understanding of service-learning changed before, during and after the implementation. These service-learning projects helped the youth strengthen their communal responsibility, enhance critical thinking, collaborative and research skills, and embark on a journey of inquiry to seek more ways in uplifting the quality of life of their respective community members. Participants highlighted the following reflections:
“Through the project, I realized that I am learning how to serve; I actually realized that I do not learn to serve only people, but also to help myself grow.”
“When we did our first activity with the community, we felt they were very excited, and everyone had a positive attitude and showed enthusiasm towards our project, this made me excited to do more activities.”
Image3_21122020
Youth carrying out community-building exercise as part of their service learning project
Youth carrying out community-building exercise as part of their service learning project
PHOTO: SOHA JABR
“The process made me realize that what we do… is really preparing us to be global citizens… I am now not only serving my community through this project, but I am building my skills and knowledge to serve wherever I go.”
The “Serve to Learn” project generated a very positive response amongst community members and was greatly appreciated. One member said, “The initiative, through its creative ways, allows the community to develop a love for exploration and learning…” Some members of the community mentioned how heart-warming it was to observe the youth engage and take on the responsibility of keeping the community happy and positive, with the ability to address their needs through stress-relief activities. Senior members of the community and parents noted that through this programme, the youth have set an exemplary model for other young members of the community through the work they are doing with the hope that this will have a catalyst effect. One student commented: “It is a good way to understand the inner workings of our community, and the fundamentals of what makes a community.”
A student further remarked, “…I think that it is the responsibility of every single member to move the community forward.” In short, “Serve to Learn” has inspired the youth in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi to continue this journey of serving and learning through engagement via different activities and programmes. They are planning to embark on further activities and programmes in the near future, in an endeavour to live up to the responsibilities of our exalted status as vicegerents of God.
https://the.ismaili/uae/%E2%80%9Cserve- ... e-learning
Whether you define it as seva, khidmat, or serviço, the ethic of offering service has been at the foundation of many selfless institutions and individuals around the world. This ethic is seen within our community and beyond, which can help to foster an active and healthy civil society. Youth leaders from around the world have adapted this very mindset: enabling communities through ‘building bridges.’ This phrase of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s is vital to forming a knowledge society, in which best practices — such as the ones used by Shagufta, Aly, and Sara — are shared and implemented worldwide.
All three of these youth leaders attended Global Encounters (GE) in 2019, an international programme for Ismaili Muslim youth focused on service, leadership development, cultural exchange, and global citizenship. During GE, the youth leaders took part in service learning and approached issues using a ‘bottom-up’ approach, whereby the community they are working with is involved in every stage of any intervention, to ensure the longevity of projects. Here we take a look at what a few of them have done.
Shagufta Karim is a 17-year-old activist who lives in the mountainous regions of the Ghizer Valley in Gilgit, Pakistan. In this region, the taboo that surrounds menstrual hygiene is extreme, limiting the quantity and quality of education young women receive on this topic. Shagufta developed a strong desire to solve this issue and serve the community around her: she wanted to mobilise and empower her local community to tackle issues themselves and instill in them the ethic of self-reliance. As a result of this, Shagufta founded the Pakistan chapter of 'For The Menstruator,' a non-profit organisation designed to destigmatise menstrual health in rural areas and ensure equitable access to sufficient care for women. For Shagufta, this is just the start of a journey. The words of Mawlana Hazar Imam that keep her going are ”the right to hope is the most powerful human motivation.” As a result, she hopes to continue destigmatising issues and ensuring equity in areas beyond Gilgit.
Aly Sultan is a social entrepreneur who lives in Papua New Guinea, where the eroding forces of globalisation are currently undermining local informal economies and enterprises. It is for this reason he founded Envision, a local not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping isolated communities in Papua New Guinea preserve and promote their diverse cultural heritage. By launching an online platform for global marketing of indigenous cultural products, Envision has helped organisations monetise their cottage industries' artistic output. For Aly, the saying 'think global, act local' has been integral to all his actions. Mawlana Hazar Imam emphasised in his keynote address at ICOMOS 2015, that “as societies are plunging into an increasingly bewildering future, cultural heritage is more critical today than ever before.” Aly hopes to empower the artisans in the communities he works with, so that cultural practises do not succumb to the shifting sands of time.
Sara Daredia lives in a rapidly westernising society, and as a result, she has seen her city, Geneva, face a cultural drain. Many people are unaware of literary art forms from Tajikistan, India, and other Asian countries and as a classical music enthusiast, Sara decided to become a classical literature teacher. She is inspired by the speech delivered by Mawlana Hazar Imam at the Aga Khan Music Awards in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019 where he noted that “listening to music, practicing music, sharing music, and performing music have long been an intimate part of life for communities across the world.” By coupling her passion for the performing arts and her desire to share cultures across borders, Sara has ensured a microscale preservation of cultural heritage. In the future, she would love to play a role in ensuring access to diverse cultural literature for geographies around the world.
Shagufta, Aly, and Sara are three inspiring youth leaders that have led with compassion, humility, integrity, and empathy. They have served communities beyond their own, ensuring that we put to action the pluralistic and tolerant mindset that Mawlana Hazar Imam emphasises.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... ng-leaders
*****
Summer programme builds bridges to support global awareness of communication
This summer, an Aga Khan Education Board collaboration unveiled Bridges, a six-week programme focused on learning and improving communication skills, while connecting students between the ages of 13-17, from across the globe.
On 21 July, more than 100 participants from France, Portugal, the UK, the USA and Canada grabbed their virtual boarding passes and began their journey with the Bridges programme.
Through the power of Zoom, 26 trained facilitators helped participants not only hone their communication skills in an inclusive environment, they were also able to broaden their horizons by learning about the different cultures and traditions that make each of us unique.
As a group, they listened and shared — from their family histories to future aspirations — with their identity at the forefront, as they underwent the process of discovering who they are as people.
The aim of Bridges was to make learning enjoyable and collaborative, especially for the participants who were not previously immersed in English language settings.
Prominent young members of the Ismaili community like sportscaster Raheel Ramzanali, athlete Farid Walizadeh, kids’ baking champion Natasha Jiwani, UK fashion designer Zaeem Jamal, and classical Indian singer Sara Saleem Daredia from Switzerland also joined the conversation. They participated in question and answer sessions with the participants, offering a glimpse into their journey, their triumphs and their adversity, while inspiring the group to aim high with their own hopes and dreams for the future.
The final weeks of the programme were dedicated to creating projects in small teams, which were presented during the finale on 25 August. Together, participants did everything from building a time capsule for the Jamat to look at 100 years from now, to inventing new holidays like a World AKDN Day!
The guest speakers featured throughout the programme returned to provide feedback on their projects that students could use in their upcoming academic endeavours.
For Bridges facilitator Aahil D, the virtual programme was a welcome change from the lockdown.
“It is so heartwarming to see an international virtual programme being organised for young members of our Jamat to attend and feel connected to one another,” Aahil said. “Last night’s projects showcased the huge diversity we have in our Jamat and how pluralism can be a strength.”
The Bridges Programme came together thanks to a team of volunteers coordinating efforts across the globe. The facilitators and mentors, the technical and creative teams, the translators and evaluators, and the administrative staff were the glue that kept everything together.
One of the participants acknowledged the volunteers’ hard work, saying: “I see how much effort and time you put into this programme to encourage us and support us and have a great time together… I’m really grateful for getting the opportunity to see all these talented and incredible young leaders in our Jamat.”
One parent from Florida, USA made this observation: “It’s great to see our future leaders on this forum… sharing their time and knowledge for the betterment of the Jamat and our youth in particular.”
The mission of this programme was summed up nicely by facilitator Jazir L.
“The Bridges camp is proof that we may be in different geographic locations, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t connect with each other.”
Video and more at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... munication
*****
“Serve to Learn”: The Empowerment of Youth through Service Learning
“The question is, not only what have I achieved, the question is what have I helped others to achieve? That is the notion of social conscience in Islam.”
His Highness the Aga Khan
Press Conference, Maputo, Mozambique, August 1998
What can we do for others? What are their needs? How can we, the youth, play a vital role in helping others? These were some of the questions that came to the forefront in the minds of our youth over the last year, in the communities of Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.
The noble spirit of rendering service is grounded in the ethics of Islam. All things in God’s creation have value, including human beings. We are reminded in the Quran that we are indeed the Khalifa, the vicegerents or trustees of God’s creation. Hence, we as human beings have a very special status, and with that we implicitly have the weighted responsibility to be the caretakers of all creation. We have mutual responsibilities towards one another, for we have a duty to leave this world a better place.
With that as the impetus, the youth of Al Ain and Abu Dhabi have been involved in various forms of service-learning within their communities over the past year. This programme was part of a weekly integrated series entitled “Serve to Learn.” Participants undertook a sequence of steps beginning with the identification of particular needs of the communities and related intended outcomes. Needs assessment was done through conversations between the youth and community members. From this exercise, it was concluded that the communities needed:
(a) to find ways to cope with stress with the goal of striving for a sense of happiness, including promoting health and well-being
(b) to increase opportunities for social engagement with the inclusion of physical movement for the body, and ways to inspire the ageing population in seeking general knowledge.
Participants commenced their projects with vision statements. One example was the following: “Through my project, I aim to create a unique bond between every member of the community, so that the differences between us will be taken as chances for positive development…”
Image2_21122020
Youth brainstorming and sharing ideas for their service learning project
Youth brainstorming and sharing ideas for their service learning project
PHOTO: MOEZ AMIN MOTANI
In the process of conducting their service-learning, inherently students became researchers and project managers taking the project to a deeper level by building out their project proposals. They began to self-reflect on how their understanding of service-learning changed before, during and after the implementation. These service-learning projects helped the youth strengthen their communal responsibility, enhance critical thinking, collaborative and research skills, and embark on a journey of inquiry to seek more ways in uplifting the quality of life of their respective community members. Participants highlighted the following reflections:
“Through the project, I realized that I am learning how to serve; I actually realized that I do not learn to serve only people, but also to help myself grow.”
“When we did our first activity with the community, we felt they were very excited, and everyone had a positive attitude and showed enthusiasm towards our project, this made me excited to do more activities.”
Image3_21122020
Youth carrying out community-building exercise as part of their service learning project
Youth carrying out community-building exercise as part of their service learning project
PHOTO: SOHA JABR
“The process made me realize that what we do… is really preparing us to be global citizens… I am now not only serving my community through this project, but I am building my skills and knowledge to serve wherever I go.”
The “Serve to Learn” project generated a very positive response amongst community members and was greatly appreciated. One member said, “The initiative, through its creative ways, allows the community to develop a love for exploration and learning…” Some members of the community mentioned how heart-warming it was to observe the youth engage and take on the responsibility of keeping the community happy and positive, with the ability to address their needs through stress-relief activities. Senior members of the community and parents noted that through this programme, the youth have set an exemplary model for other young members of the community through the work they are doing with the hope that this will have a catalyst effect. One student commented: “It is a good way to understand the inner workings of our community, and the fundamentals of what makes a community.”
A student further remarked, “…I think that it is the responsibility of every single member to move the community forward.” In short, “Serve to Learn” has inspired the youth in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi to continue this journey of serving and learning through engagement via different activities and programmes. They are planning to embark on further activities and programmes in the near future, in an endeavour to live up to the responsibilities of our exalted status as vicegerents of God.
https://the.ismaili/uae/%E2%80%9Cserve- ... e-learning
International students helping others achieve their dreams
Azan Virji from Kenya and Ashiana Jivraj from Canada aim to help other international students navigate their journey in higher education in the USA.
Take any highly successful person and chances are that person had a mentor to guide his or her journey, but when Kenyan-born Azan Virji set out to obtain a world-class medical education in the United States, he didn’t know whose path he could follow.
“It was hard for me to find someone to show me the ropes of how they did it. I just didn't know any other international students who had been admitted into medical school in the United States,” Azan said.
The challenge wasn’t in getting accepted. Azan was able to earn a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Yale University, and in 2019 he was admitted into Harvard Medical School. But the flood of financial forms, citizenship and visa requirements, and travel restrictions made the process challenging.
“I vowed right then to do something about it if I ever got in,” recalled Azan. “I knew that I had to make it easier for the next generation of international applicants who also have this dream and this passion.”
First, Azan’s path to citizenship had been altered; he could no longer apply via a lottery system to gain US citizenship, something he’d been accustomed to doing annually. Additionally, H1B applications had become suspended through 2020, and he was almost forced to leave school in the face of a new international student travel ban (that has since been overturned). Lastly, as Covid-19 wreaked havoc on in-person learning, Azan was forced out of his dorm but he couldn’t leave the country due to travel restrictions on people coming into specific countries from America.
“The fact that I couldn't return home, but I also didn't get any assistance from the government, it was really tough mentally,” he remarked.
It was during the height of this uncertainty that Azan took to Twitter to vent. His outcry garnered interest from two international medical students at Brown who collaborated and expanded upon his initial vision to facilitate and advance the path forward for international students. Together they launched F1 Doctors, a platform to help prospective and current international students wade through the application process, tackle the logistics of financing their education, and handle the pressures of school once they’re enrolled in a program.
“There are challenges international students face that others simply don’t,” Azan noted, adding, “For example, of the more than 200 medical schools in the US, only 40 accept international students.”
To address some of these complex scenarios, F1 Doctors provides comprehensive resources aggregated from a variety of sources, such as a database that lists every medical school in the country that accepts international students and their respective financial aid policies.
According to Azan, “Financing is probably one of the biggest hurdles when it comes to attending medical school in the United States as an international applicant.”
Beyond that, the team envisioned a thriving and transformational international network in which each school has its respective chapter scaled up and sustainably managed. For that, he enlisted Calgary-native and Harvard dental student Ashiana Jivraj to create a marketing and communication strategy to grow F1 Doctors and access the right people.
“I think that when we speak about a global village we are actually talking about international opportunities,” Ashiana said. She envisions this “global village” will spark conversations, continuously mentor one another, and enable people to connect, collaborate, and create opportunities for one another across borders.
Since March F1 Doctors have launched a website and grown the number of mentors to 100 and counting. The mentors make up all areas from MD, dental, residents, and international medical graduates, and they are seeking more representation on the nursing and public health tracks.
The goal in five years is to have a self-sustaining community of F1 students, so the organizing team is highly focused on learning how it can consistently evolve and transfer knowledge to grow the user base without requiring too many resources.
Azan wants to ensure that this service remains free and accessible to those who are dependent on the platform. They are currently still funded by Brown University.
“I think mentorship of this sort has an intrinsic value and international students already have to pay so much to be able to get here and to take advantage of these kinds of things,” Ashiana added.
And while profiting is not part of their mission, they feel rich in the positive feedback they’ve been receiving from their target users.
“That's the one thing that sort of keeps all of us going is they are so grateful that this exists because nothing like this has existed, which is so surprising,” Azan said.
While Azan and Ashiana may have found a shared mission with the work they’ve done to date on F1 Doctors, one theme continues to resonate with the pair beyond that scope: their focus is on improving and facilitating greater access — whether to information or healthcare itself.
“This is one of those things that is beginning to help with that gap in terms of offering education, but it's not the end all and be all,” explained Ashiana. “There's so much work left to do and I feel very fortunate to be part of this stage of it. But, of course, I think that it's got the potential to grow and morph and change. More than anything it's a legacy that we get to leave behind.”
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... eir-dreams
Azan Virji from Kenya and Ashiana Jivraj from Canada aim to help other international students navigate their journey in higher education in the USA.
Take any highly successful person and chances are that person had a mentor to guide his or her journey, but when Kenyan-born Azan Virji set out to obtain a world-class medical education in the United States, he didn’t know whose path he could follow.
“It was hard for me to find someone to show me the ropes of how they did it. I just didn't know any other international students who had been admitted into medical school in the United States,” Azan said.
The challenge wasn’t in getting accepted. Azan was able to earn a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Yale University, and in 2019 he was admitted into Harvard Medical School. But the flood of financial forms, citizenship and visa requirements, and travel restrictions made the process challenging.
“I vowed right then to do something about it if I ever got in,” recalled Azan. “I knew that I had to make it easier for the next generation of international applicants who also have this dream and this passion.”
First, Azan’s path to citizenship had been altered; he could no longer apply via a lottery system to gain US citizenship, something he’d been accustomed to doing annually. Additionally, H1B applications had become suspended through 2020, and he was almost forced to leave school in the face of a new international student travel ban (that has since been overturned). Lastly, as Covid-19 wreaked havoc on in-person learning, Azan was forced out of his dorm but he couldn’t leave the country due to travel restrictions on people coming into specific countries from America.
“The fact that I couldn't return home, but I also didn't get any assistance from the government, it was really tough mentally,” he remarked.
It was during the height of this uncertainty that Azan took to Twitter to vent. His outcry garnered interest from two international medical students at Brown who collaborated and expanded upon his initial vision to facilitate and advance the path forward for international students. Together they launched F1 Doctors, a platform to help prospective and current international students wade through the application process, tackle the logistics of financing their education, and handle the pressures of school once they’re enrolled in a program.
“There are challenges international students face that others simply don’t,” Azan noted, adding, “For example, of the more than 200 medical schools in the US, only 40 accept international students.”
To address some of these complex scenarios, F1 Doctors provides comprehensive resources aggregated from a variety of sources, such as a database that lists every medical school in the country that accepts international students and their respective financial aid policies.
According to Azan, “Financing is probably one of the biggest hurdles when it comes to attending medical school in the United States as an international applicant.”
Beyond that, the team envisioned a thriving and transformational international network in which each school has its respective chapter scaled up and sustainably managed. For that, he enlisted Calgary-native and Harvard dental student Ashiana Jivraj to create a marketing and communication strategy to grow F1 Doctors and access the right people.
“I think that when we speak about a global village we are actually talking about international opportunities,” Ashiana said. She envisions this “global village” will spark conversations, continuously mentor one another, and enable people to connect, collaborate, and create opportunities for one another across borders.
Since March F1 Doctors have launched a website and grown the number of mentors to 100 and counting. The mentors make up all areas from MD, dental, residents, and international medical graduates, and they are seeking more representation on the nursing and public health tracks.
The goal in five years is to have a self-sustaining community of F1 students, so the organizing team is highly focused on learning how it can consistently evolve and transfer knowledge to grow the user base without requiring too many resources.
Azan wants to ensure that this service remains free and accessible to those who are dependent on the platform. They are currently still funded by Brown University.
“I think mentorship of this sort has an intrinsic value and international students already have to pay so much to be able to get here and to take advantage of these kinds of things,” Ashiana added.
And while profiting is not part of their mission, they feel rich in the positive feedback they’ve been receiving from their target users.
“That's the one thing that sort of keeps all of us going is they are so grateful that this exists because nothing like this has existed, which is so surprising,” Azan said.
While Azan and Ashiana may have found a shared mission with the work they’ve done to date on F1 Doctors, one theme continues to resonate with the pair beyond that scope: their focus is on improving and facilitating greater access — whether to information or healthcare itself.
“This is one of those things that is beginning to help with that gap in terms of offering education, but it's not the end all and be all,” explained Ashiana. “There's so much work left to do and I feel very fortunate to be part of this stage of it. But, of course, I think that it's got the potential to grow and morph and change. More than anything it's a legacy that we get to leave behind.”
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... eir-dreams
Google translation of the original article in Portuguese: https://the.ismaili/portugal/literacia- ... ara-jovens
Financial Literacy for Young People
The Aga Khan Economic Planning Board, the Aga Khan Education Board and Youth & Sports, through the Youth Economic Forum initiative, will hold, on February 27, the event “Money Makers - Financial Literacy”, aimed at young people among 14 and 17 years old.
Sign up for this program and you will have answers to topics related to money management!
Registrations are limited and it will be an interactive action where you can learn and live virtually with your friends. Do not lose!
Sign up here https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/registe ... aXJgjGMZeg
Financial Literacy for Young People
The Aga Khan Economic Planning Board, the Aga Khan Education Board and Youth & Sports, through the Youth Economic Forum initiative, will hold, on February 27, the event “Money Makers - Financial Literacy”, aimed at young people among 14 and 17 years old.
Sign up for this program and you will have answers to topics related to money management!
Registrations are limited and it will be an interactive action where you can learn and live virtually with your friends. Do not lose!
Sign up here https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/registe ... aXJgjGMZeg
Volunteers come together to deliver virtual camp for global youth
When the Covid-19 global pandemic hit, the whole world stopped. While many experienced difficulties establishing a “new normal” for themselves, others struggled with remembering to click the “unmute” button before speaking during Zoom meetings. Ismailis from all corners of the globe have stepped up to navigate the most challenging of situations in order to better the lives of others. Enter CONNECT, the first ever virtual camp for Ismaili Muslim Youth from across the globe.
Founded as a joint initiative of Global Encounters and the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Boards, CONNECT aims to provide inspiration and hope to our global youth, engage them in service to others in order to positively impact our local communities, strengthen connections between peers and to the Jamat at large, and offer virtual programming that is meaningful, builds skills and provides exposure to rich content. Over the course of 2020, CONNECT engaged 1,100 and 700 Ismaili youth (from over 30 different countries) for its July and December sessions respectively.
It takes a village to successfully implement a programme of this size and scale, and it really was a village that came together to serve and impart their time and knowledge for the benefit of the youth of our global Jamat. Dedicated, passionate and resilient are just a few terms to describe the more than 300 volunteers (including 120 TKN volunteers) from over 25 countries for each programme who came together to contribute their unique skill sets, creativity, and countless hours. From STEP teachers, to world renowned artists, to those well-versed in technology, to those studying to earn a Bachelor’s degree - volunteers from all walks of life bonded together from their own locations through a screen. A common sentiment shared by volunteers was expressed by one Facilitator who stated “I immediately felt connected to my global Ismaili community. In all my years, I cannot recall a time that I’ve been surrounded by so many dedicated, intelligent, and passionate individuals all at once”.
This sentiment translated to the participants as well. CONNECT enabled Ismaili youth who may not have otherwise been able to participate in an in-person camp experience, due to financial, geographic or other barriers, to access a programme that connected them with their Ismaili brothers and sisters across the world, learn more about the work of the Ismaili Imamat and build on existing or new skills. Camp activities such as a ‘Family Cultural Exchange Visit’ aimed to send powerful reminders of the idea that, no matter where we are in this world, or what difficulties we might be faced with, we always have a strong and united community that we belong to, and that we can rely on for support.
A highlight of both programmes was the incredible workshops led by experts from various fields which included Arts, Architecture, Entrepreneurship, Health and Wellness, Education and Technology, and Service and Civic Engagement. Workshops offered valuable skill-building opportunities for our global youth and served as an important platform to foster creativity and collaboration.
Additionally, the December CONNECT programme brought together the values of our faith with one of the most pressing issues of our time, making ‘Climate Change and Social Action’ the theme for the week. Time and time again, Mawlana Hazar Imam has mentioned our community’s responsibility to leave the world in a better condition than that in which we found it. The concept of Khalifa, or guardianship of God’s creation, was introduced and emphasised throughout camp, and served as a foundation upon which volunteers built participants’ understanding of the role that each of us plays in the current global climate crisis. Virtual AKDN field trips focused on highlighting the work of our institutions, familiarising participants with actions being taken to combat climate change and the stepwise changes which they can make in their own lives and communities to drive positive impact.
The final impression that CONNECT left volunteers and participants with was knowing that change does not happen all at once, but that taking small steps in the right direction is the path that a Khalifa must venture on in order to “live up to their exalted status as vicegerent of God on earth.”
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/tkn/volunteers-come ... obal-youth
*******
110% - Student of the month
The Aga Khan Education Board (AKEB) is promoting a new section entitled “110% - The student of the month”, with the aim of highlighting the students of excellence in our Jamat. If you are between the 5th and 12th year, send us your cover letter!
With the objective of promoting quality education, ensuring that each student can improve their true and full potential, AKEB has been developing several initiatives that inspire and prepare young people in Jamat to overcome today's challenges and have an education of excellence, in order to prepare themselves increasingly and better for the future.
Mawlana Hazar Imam mentioned in February 2006, during the Symposium of the University of Évora: “We must do a better job in training leaders and in forming institutions so that they correspond to the highest tests of competence and high standards of excellence. This means going beyond the notion that better education means a more accessible school - better access to formal education. We must accompany our concern with quantity, with a greater concern with quality ”.
Thus, in order to continue contributing to the goals and vision of Mawlana Hazar Imam, AKEB has developed this new rubric to highlight outstanding students from our Jamat and inspire everyone to follow the same path.
And being a good student is not just about getting good grades: it is also about ensuring a balance between your academic life and your personal life, also dedicating your time to extracurricular activities, such as sports, learning a language or learning to play one instrument.
So, if you are between the 5th and 12th year, send us your letter of introduction to [email protected](link sends e-mail).
Tell us what makes you a student of excellence and why you should be highlighted.
We count on you!
https://the.ismaili/portugal/110-o-aluno-do-m%C3%AAs
When the Covid-19 global pandemic hit, the whole world stopped. While many experienced difficulties establishing a “new normal” for themselves, others struggled with remembering to click the “unmute” button before speaking during Zoom meetings. Ismailis from all corners of the globe have stepped up to navigate the most challenging of situations in order to better the lives of others. Enter CONNECT, the first ever virtual camp for Ismaili Muslim Youth from across the globe.
Founded as a joint initiative of Global Encounters and the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Boards, CONNECT aims to provide inspiration and hope to our global youth, engage them in service to others in order to positively impact our local communities, strengthen connections between peers and to the Jamat at large, and offer virtual programming that is meaningful, builds skills and provides exposure to rich content. Over the course of 2020, CONNECT engaged 1,100 and 700 Ismaili youth (from over 30 different countries) for its July and December sessions respectively.
It takes a village to successfully implement a programme of this size and scale, and it really was a village that came together to serve and impart their time and knowledge for the benefit of the youth of our global Jamat. Dedicated, passionate and resilient are just a few terms to describe the more than 300 volunteers (including 120 TKN volunteers) from over 25 countries for each programme who came together to contribute their unique skill sets, creativity, and countless hours. From STEP teachers, to world renowned artists, to those well-versed in technology, to those studying to earn a Bachelor’s degree - volunteers from all walks of life bonded together from their own locations through a screen. A common sentiment shared by volunteers was expressed by one Facilitator who stated “I immediately felt connected to my global Ismaili community. In all my years, I cannot recall a time that I’ve been surrounded by so many dedicated, intelligent, and passionate individuals all at once”.
This sentiment translated to the participants as well. CONNECT enabled Ismaili youth who may not have otherwise been able to participate in an in-person camp experience, due to financial, geographic or other barriers, to access a programme that connected them with their Ismaili brothers and sisters across the world, learn more about the work of the Ismaili Imamat and build on existing or new skills. Camp activities such as a ‘Family Cultural Exchange Visit’ aimed to send powerful reminders of the idea that, no matter where we are in this world, or what difficulties we might be faced with, we always have a strong and united community that we belong to, and that we can rely on for support.
A highlight of both programmes was the incredible workshops led by experts from various fields which included Arts, Architecture, Entrepreneurship, Health and Wellness, Education and Technology, and Service and Civic Engagement. Workshops offered valuable skill-building opportunities for our global youth and served as an important platform to foster creativity and collaboration.
Additionally, the December CONNECT programme brought together the values of our faith with one of the most pressing issues of our time, making ‘Climate Change and Social Action’ the theme for the week. Time and time again, Mawlana Hazar Imam has mentioned our community’s responsibility to leave the world in a better condition than that in which we found it. The concept of Khalifa, or guardianship of God’s creation, was introduced and emphasised throughout camp, and served as a foundation upon which volunteers built participants’ understanding of the role that each of us plays in the current global climate crisis. Virtual AKDN field trips focused on highlighting the work of our institutions, familiarising participants with actions being taken to combat climate change and the stepwise changes which they can make in their own lives and communities to drive positive impact.
The final impression that CONNECT left volunteers and participants with was knowing that change does not happen all at once, but that taking small steps in the right direction is the path that a Khalifa must venture on in order to “live up to their exalted status as vicegerent of God on earth.”
Photos at:
https://the.ismaili/tkn/volunteers-come ... obal-youth
*******
110% - Student of the month
The Aga Khan Education Board (AKEB) is promoting a new section entitled “110% - The student of the month”, with the aim of highlighting the students of excellence in our Jamat. If you are between the 5th and 12th year, send us your cover letter!
With the objective of promoting quality education, ensuring that each student can improve their true and full potential, AKEB has been developing several initiatives that inspire and prepare young people in Jamat to overcome today's challenges and have an education of excellence, in order to prepare themselves increasingly and better for the future.
Mawlana Hazar Imam mentioned in February 2006, during the Symposium of the University of Évora: “We must do a better job in training leaders and in forming institutions so that they correspond to the highest tests of competence and high standards of excellence. This means going beyond the notion that better education means a more accessible school - better access to formal education. We must accompany our concern with quantity, with a greater concern with quality ”.
Thus, in order to continue contributing to the goals and vision of Mawlana Hazar Imam, AKEB has developed this new rubric to highlight outstanding students from our Jamat and inspire everyone to follow the same path.
And being a good student is not just about getting good grades: it is also about ensuring a balance between your academic life and your personal life, also dedicating your time to extracurricular activities, such as sports, learning a language or learning to play one instrument.
So, if you are between the 5th and 12th year, send us your letter of introduction to [email protected](link sends e-mail).
Tell us what makes you a student of excellence and why you should be highlighted.
We count on you!
https://the.ismaili/portugal/110-o-aluno-do-m%C3%AAs
Young Ismailis prepare for a future economy
The complex challenges facing our increasingly volatile world — from climate change to rural development to security — are also a source of opportunity for the next generation of leaders and changemakers. Around the world, young Ismailis like Rufayda Dhamani, Nurmuhammad Butabekov, and Aleem Rehmtulla are taking creative approaches to address these issues and prepare for the future of the global economy.
Photos and details at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... re-economy
The complex challenges facing our increasingly volatile world — from climate change to rural development to security — are also a source of opportunity for the next generation of leaders and changemakers. Around the world, young Ismailis like Rufayda Dhamani, Nurmuhammad Butabekov, and Aleem Rehmtulla are taking creative approaches to address these issues and prepare for the future of the global economy.
Photos and details at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... re-economy
Teens on a Year That Changed Everything
In words, images and video, teens across the United States show us how they have met life's challenges in the midst of a pandemic.
What has it been like to be a teenager during the first year of a historic pandemic?
The New York Times, through its Learning Network, asked the question, and more than 5,500 responses poured in.
In words and images, audio and video, they reported that it was, in many ways, a generation-defining disaster. Being trapped inside — and missing the milestones that ordinarily mark coming of age in America — was lonely, disorienting, depressing and even suffocating.
But many also surprised themselves. They bonded with siblings, discovered nature, found small comforts in Zoom-school, played games, worked out, cooked, wrote, sang, danced, painted and made videos. And, perhaps most important at a time of life focused on figuring out who you are, they reinvented themselves.
But although so many coped admirably, this generation will be forever changed. As one 16-year-old put it, “Making history is way overrated.”
This week, a year after the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic, we share their stories. In this special project, we chose a handful of entries to show what teenagers have lost — and what they have found. Below each image, you can find edited and condensed excerpts from their artists’ statements that can tell you more about the work.
No matter how old you are, as you read you might ask yourself a question, too: How has this year challenged and changed your generation?
Videos, photos and more...
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/lear ... 778d3e6de3
In words, images and video, teens across the United States show us how they have met life's challenges in the midst of a pandemic.
What has it been like to be a teenager during the first year of a historic pandemic?
The New York Times, through its Learning Network, asked the question, and more than 5,500 responses poured in.
In words and images, audio and video, they reported that it was, in many ways, a generation-defining disaster. Being trapped inside — and missing the milestones that ordinarily mark coming of age in America — was lonely, disorienting, depressing and even suffocating.
But many also surprised themselves. They bonded with siblings, discovered nature, found small comforts in Zoom-school, played games, worked out, cooked, wrote, sang, danced, painted and made videos. And, perhaps most important at a time of life focused on figuring out who you are, they reinvented themselves.
But although so many coped admirably, this generation will be forever changed. As one 16-year-old put it, “Making history is way overrated.”
This week, a year after the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic, we share their stories. In this special project, we chose a handful of entries to show what teenagers have lost — and what they have found. Below each image, you can find edited and condensed excerpts from their artists’ statements that can tell you more about the work.
No matter how old you are, as you read you might ask yourself a question, too: How has this year challenged and changed your generation?
Videos, photos and more...
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/lear ... 778d3e6de3
Far East youth reflect on difficult year through art
At the opening of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, Prince Amyn emphasized the importance of art in our lives by noting that “art and culture can have a profound impact in healing misunderstanding and in fostering trust even across great divides.” He made this speech in 2014, although the essence of his words remains timeless.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, change has arguably been the only constant. However, as we live in a diverse global society, it would be naive to say that everyone has had the same experiences. Therefore, to share the stories of youth through various creative mediums, the Far East Jamat launched its first digital art gallery, titled 'Altered Expressions.' With over 32 submissions across the ages 14-40, the digital art gallery garnered some insightful, diverse, and stunning pieces all embodying one commonality — an artistic expression of reflection and gratitude. These pieces include “Self Composure” by Sana Gilani, “Colour My World” by Anum Khoja, and “Island Life” by Rahim Salim.
digital_art_sana.jpg
Digital Art: Self Composure by Sana Gilani
Sana is a new mother who has experienced many emotions that didn't seem to 'balance out' — hence the unbalanced beams in her artwork. As a new mother, Sana faced various experiences that ended up piling up on her mental and physical well-being. The pandemic reminded Sana that she, like all of us, is only human and experiences emotions. As a self-taught graphic designer, Sana created this genuinely mesmerizing yet minimalist piece using Adobe Illustrator. Sana notes that “there is no right or wrong in art” and encourages anyone, regardless of age or gender, to give it a shot.
fine_art_anum_khoja.jpg
Fine Art: Colour My World by Anum Khoja
For many, rangoli art is novel and unheard of, but for Anum, it has been something she has always wanted to try. When attending the colourful festival of lights in Kuala Lumpur, Anum was reminded of her love for art that secular tethers do not bind — we can all express how we feel using various mediums. When pondering upon the year of 2020, Anum took the phase 'on the bright side' quite literally and reflected upon all her joyful and precious moments. She noted that it's almost “unjustifiable to focus on the darker side of life amidst all the blessings we have,” hence the use of bright and bold colors in her rangoli art. Anum mentioned that while some art forms may take days to create, it is vital to “keep your connection with the idea, and persevere through all challenges!”
photography_rahim_salim.jpg
Photography: Island Life by Rahim Salim
Rahim identifies as an islander — not because he often travels to some of the world's most exotic locations, but because he eats, sleeps, and breathes on these wondrous tropical paradises. For Rahim, this photograph symbolises his move to the island of Koh Samui in Thailand — a decision he is hugely grateful he could make. This aesthetically stimulating photograph is far from simple; Rahim noted that he had to time the photograph with the waves to achieve the perfect shot. Though many are fearful of making decisions that completely change the way they live, Rahim noted that he always felt that he “belongs to the island, now and forever!” He aims to spread the hidden beauties of the world through his photography to those unable to travel with his Instagram page entitled 'One World Different Views’.
While these are just three of the many marvelous submissions, they all embody themes that reflect our community: expression, emotion, and service. Sana, Anum, and Rahim are eager to inspire, create, and share their experiences. In a continually changing world, reflecting is vital, and whether one does this through paint, photo, or computer programme, we must all reflect.
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To attend the digital gallery, click on this link: http://bit.ly/alteredexpressionsFE
images at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... hrough-art
At the opening of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, Prince Amyn emphasized the importance of art in our lives by noting that “art and culture can have a profound impact in healing misunderstanding and in fostering trust even across great divides.” He made this speech in 2014, although the essence of his words remains timeless.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, change has arguably been the only constant. However, as we live in a diverse global society, it would be naive to say that everyone has had the same experiences. Therefore, to share the stories of youth through various creative mediums, the Far East Jamat launched its first digital art gallery, titled 'Altered Expressions.' With over 32 submissions across the ages 14-40, the digital art gallery garnered some insightful, diverse, and stunning pieces all embodying one commonality — an artistic expression of reflection and gratitude. These pieces include “Self Composure” by Sana Gilani, “Colour My World” by Anum Khoja, and “Island Life” by Rahim Salim.
digital_art_sana.jpg
Digital Art: Self Composure by Sana Gilani
Sana is a new mother who has experienced many emotions that didn't seem to 'balance out' — hence the unbalanced beams in her artwork. As a new mother, Sana faced various experiences that ended up piling up on her mental and physical well-being. The pandemic reminded Sana that she, like all of us, is only human and experiences emotions. As a self-taught graphic designer, Sana created this genuinely mesmerizing yet minimalist piece using Adobe Illustrator. Sana notes that “there is no right or wrong in art” and encourages anyone, regardless of age or gender, to give it a shot.
fine_art_anum_khoja.jpg
Fine Art: Colour My World by Anum Khoja
For many, rangoli art is novel and unheard of, but for Anum, it has been something she has always wanted to try. When attending the colourful festival of lights in Kuala Lumpur, Anum was reminded of her love for art that secular tethers do not bind — we can all express how we feel using various mediums. When pondering upon the year of 2020, Anum took the phase 'on the bright side' quite literally and reflected upon all her joyful and precious moments. She noted that it's almost “unjustifiable to focus on the darker side of life amidst all the blessings we have,” hence the use of bright and bold colors in her rangoli art. Anum mentioned that while some art forms may take days to create, it is vital to “keep your connection with the idea, and persevere through all challenges!”
photography_rahim_salim.jpg
Photography: Island Life by Rahim Salim
Rahim identifies as an islander — not because he often travels to some of the world's most exotic locations, but because he eats, sleeps, and breathes on these wondrous tropical paradises. For Rahim, this photograph symbolises his move to the island of Koh Samui in Thailand — a decision he is hugely grateful he could make. This aesthetically stimulating photograph is far from simple; Rahim noted that he had to time the photograph with the waves to achieve the perfect shot. Though many are fearful of making decisions that completely change the way they live, Rahim noted that he always felt that he “belongs to the island, now and forever!” He aims to spread the hidden beauties of the world through his photography to those unable to travel with his Instagram page entitled 'One World Different Views’.
While these are just three of the many marvelous submissions, they all embody themes that reflect our community: expression, emotion, and service. Sana, Anum, and Rahim are eager to inspire, create, and share their experiences. In a continually changing world, reflecting is vital, and whether one does this through paint, photo, or computer programme, we must all reflect.
---
To attend the digital gallery, click on this link: http://bit.ly/alteredexpressionsFE
images at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... hrough-art
Young Ismailis embrace the arts
In his remarks at the inaugural Aga Khan Music Awards in 2019, Mawlana Hazar Imam said, “after all, art is a matter of humanity just as much as it is a matter of identity.” Ismaili youth across the globe have been embracing art in this very spirit, to express, appreciate, and propel their emotions, thoughts, and passions in an outstanding way.
Painting to express human emotions
Growing up, Taniya Dharani never had any art-inclined friends or classmates, or even knew anyone interested in the traditional artistic practices. Being the first-ever International Baccalaureate visual art student at the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad, she was constantly told by her peers that painting will not help her earn money, but she planned to challenge this narrative.
“The fact that artists are a minority intrigued me and I was curious to walk this path,” she said.
taniya3.jpg
After graduating from the Aga Khan Academy in 2014, Tanya, 25, made her way to the University of Reading in England to pursue her passion and paint at a degree level, something she had wanted to do all her life.
“Growing up, I realised that the only thing that ignited a fire in me was holding a paintbrush in my hands and dripping paint all over my clothes. It made me feel like all is well in my world, even when almost everything in life was falling apart,” she said.
Therefore, her paintings mainly explore the isolation of an alienated mind, human psychology, and emotion, having experience in realistic drawing, classical drawing, and painting.
“I enjoy portraying my emotions through vivid bright colours in a contemporary style,” she said.
Upon graduating, Tanya came back to the Academy as an intern to give back to a place she describes as a pillar for her, alongside her parents, who she says supported her dreams, no matter how unique. Last year, she also facilitated a brand new initiative called ‘Project Art’, where different types of contemporary art styles were virtually taught to Ismaili children of various age groups in India.
“I have a lot of students, children, and seniors who reach out to me personally when they want to start painting as a hobby or take it up as a profession. I am extremely happy to be helping and guiding them throughout their progress, whether they paint to earn, express, learn, or to reflect,” she added.
But to her, art is more than just painting, and she saw a lot of extremely skilled and talented Ismaili artists who are a minority as a culturally, ethnically, or racially distinct group, and were unaware of the platforms available to them. So, this led her to explore the art world from a commercial perspective this year when she enrolled in an MA programme in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London.
“The art world is not as simple as it looks. It is not just painting and selling it, there are a lot of factors that need to be put in place to reach the ultimate goal as an artist... I hope to create an art advisory firm and art gallery to promote emerging artists,” she said.
Bringing diversity to the silver screen
Shakil Jessa, 19, was always inclined to perform from a young age. He would spend hours dissecting films, researching the actors, and envisioning himself on the big screen. However, he never saw a lot of people who looked like him on screen.
“What drew me to the professional [acting] industry was the fact that I didn’t see many people who looked like me being represented on TV, and if I did, they were inauthentic stereotypes of who South Asian and Muslim people are,” he said.
shakil
Shakil has been taking acting classes for the past year in Vancouver with Beatrice King, who he considers an incredible mentor and coach. In an industry where it can feel very lonely, he appreciates his agency team for its support and which also helped him get cast in his first network television show, Riverdale, in 2020.
“[This] was a huge milestone for me!” he added.
To him, the industry has been getting better at authentic storytelling and putting more people of colour behind the cameras as well as in front of them, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The lack of diversity in television is a systemic issue and stereotypes can have real-world implications.
“As Muslims and people of colour, it’s important that we get the opportunity to tell our own stories authentically.”
Before the pandemic, he was working with the British Columbia Jamat to prepare to put on the play “Pathways” (directed by Ziyana Vasaya and Sabrina Vellani), which he believes would have been an incredible showcase of local talent. He hopes they can put it on sometime soon when pandemic restrictions are lifted.
“I was set to play Aamir, one of the show’s leads who is balancing fitting in with his friends and his discombobulated family life. The show talked about some important issues that young people in our Jamat face,” he added.
Therefore, for him, creating his own projects is important. He has been writing a passion project on the side that tells a story he wants to see on TV.
“This project has been able to ground me, keep me motivated, and is something I can always turn to when I’m looking for that little creative boost... No one else can tell your story… you have got to do it yourself.”
While continuing his business degree at the University of British Columbia, Shakil wants to also keep developing his comedy pilot about a Muslim teenager navigating high-school, friends, and romance entitled “Coming Up”. He hopes to put a team together and develop the series by collaborating with Muslim creatives from around the world.
“ make art, and show the world that our voice and our stories matter. Show the world that our stories are worth being told and being listened to.”
Transcending the mind using music
Afraaz Mulji, 22, has always been fascinated by sound, particularly the production and manipulation of sound, having now devoted his life to it and its process.
“The abstract and esoteric nature of music and the freedom it grants the practitioner to question its very ontology, have been the gravitas that drew me into its unavoidable vortex,” he said.
afraaz3.jpeg
He describes himself as a curator and connoisseur of the conceptual frameworks that underpin sonic interactions and intersections. He also says he is a conceptual installation artist working in many mediums, including poetry, sculpture, film, and painting. His fascination in blurring the line between reality and virtual reality in the context of experiences, have led him to design an instrument called The Infinite Sonic Possibility Interface, which he says is his life’s work.
“I am a critical participant in the fields I have chosen to work in... I have gotten to where I am through sheer audacity, nerve, determination, wit, and willpower. I also have had the privilege of the received wisdom of many traditions through my mentors and guides.”
For him, the world has become a knowledge economy, and as such, the work that he has chosen in music fits perfectly into the notion of intangible careers that are non-existent or have yet to emerge.
“Hazar Imam has asked the Jamat to embrace pluralism and lifelong learning, and I aim to live and embody these values and ideals through my practice and life. They guide my every motion and are the compass I follow.”
In the past, he has led workshops and forums on design and conception in Dar es Salaam and Toronto, and created soundtracks for audiobooks. The Aga Khan Music Initiative and Aga Khan Museum have directly or indirectly been patrons and supporters of his work, while Jamati institutions in the UK, Tanzania, and Canada have also championed his work and given him opportunities and ways to serve the Jamat via TKN assignments.
However, he has faced opposition and animosity from elsewhere for doing things differently than traditional or established ways of engaging with music or the arts. But his attitude has always been if you can do it better and more effectively or interestingly, then do it.
“The work will be the proof of concept, and speak louder than any argument or challenge… as a playground or sandbox for my imagination.”
Afraaz is currently preparing installations in Tanzania, in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise and the French Embassy.
“I wish to continue contributing to the artistic and knowledge societies of the world. I believe in the power of art to give meaning to our existence and create tangible and profound civil societies.”
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... e-the-arts
In his remarks at the inaugural Aga Khan Music Awards in 2019, Mawlana Hazar Imam said, “after all, art is a matter of humanity just as much as it is a matter of identity.” Ismaili youth across the globe have been embracing art in this very spirit, to express, appreciate, and propel their emotions, thoughts, and passions in an outstanding way.
Painting to express human emotions
Growing up, Taniya Dharani never had any art-inclined friends or classmates, or even knew anyone interested in the traditional artistic practices. Being the first-ever International Baccalaureate visual art student at the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad, she was constantly told by her peers that painting will not help her earn money, but she planned to challenge this narrative.
“The fact that artists are a minority intrigued me and I was curious to walk this path,” she said.
taniya3.jpg
After graduating from the Aga Khan Academy in 2014, Tanya, 25, made her way to the University of Reading in England to pursue her passion and paint at a degree level, something she had wanted to do all her life.
“Growing up, I realised that the only thing that ignited a fire in me was holding a paintbrush in my hands and dripping paint all over my clothes. It made me feel like all is well in my world, even when almost everything in life was falling apart,” she said.
Therefore, her paintings mainly explore the isolation of an alienated mind, human psychology, and emotion, having experience in realistic drawing, classical drawing, and painting.
“I enjoy portraying my emotions through vivid bright colours in a contemporary style,” she said.
Upon graduating, Tanya came back to the Academy as an intern to give back to a place she describes as a pillar for her, alongside her parents, who she says supported her dreams, no matter how unique. Last year, she also facilitated a brand new initiative called ‘Project Art’, where different types of contemporary art styles were virtually taught to Ismaili children of various age groups in India.
“I have a lot of students, children, and seniors who reach out to me personally when they want to start painting as a hobby or take it up as a profession. I am extremely happy to be helping and guiding them throughout their progress, whether they paint to earn, express, learn, or to reflect,” she added.
But to her, art is more than just painting, and she saw a lot of extremely skilled and talented Ismaili artists who are a minority as a culturally, ethnically, or racially distinct group, and were unaware of the platforms available to them. So, this led her to explore the art world from a commercial perspective this year when she enrolled in an MA programme in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London.
“The art world is not as simple as it looks. It is not just painting and selling it, there are a lot of factors that need to be put in place to reach the ultimate goal as an artist... I hope to create an art advisory firm and art gallery to promote emerging artists,” she said.
Bringing diversity to the silver screen
Shakil Jessa, 19, was always inclined to perform from a young age. He would spend hours dissecting films, researching the actors, and envisioning himself on the big screen. However, he never saw a lot of people who looked like him on screen.
“What drew me to the professional [acting] industry was the fact that I didn’t see many people who looked like me being represented on TV, and if I did, they were inauthentic stereotypes of who South Asian and Muslim people are,” he said.
shakil
Shakil has been taking acting classes for the past year in Vancouver with Beatrice King, who he considers an incredible mentor and coach. In an industry where it can feel very lonely, he appreciates his agency team for its support and which also helped him get cast in his first network television show, Riverdale, in 2020.
“[This] was a huge milestone for me!” he added.
To him, the industry has been getting better at authentic storytelling and putting more people of colour behind the cameras as well as in front of them, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The lack of diversity in television is a systemic issue and stereotypes can have real-world implications.
“As Muslims and people of colour, it’s important that we get the opportunity to tell our own stories authentically.”
Before the pandemic, he was working with the British Columbia Jamat to prepare to put on the play “Pathways” (directed by Ziyana Vasaya and Sabrina Vellani), which he believes would have been an incredible showcase of local talent. He hopes they can put it on sometime soon when pandemic restrictions are lifted.
“I was set to play Aamir, one of the show’s leads who is balancing fitting in with his friends and his discombobulated family life. The show talked about some important issues that young people in our Jamat face,” he added.
Therefore, for him, creating his own projects is important. He has been writing a passion project on the side that tells a story he wants to see on TV.
“This project has been able to ground me, keep me motivated, and is something I can always turn to when I’m looking for that little creative boost... No one else can tell your story… you have got to do it yourself.”
While continuing his business degree at the University of British Columbia, Shakil wants to also keep developing his comedy pilot about a Muslim teenager navigating high-school, friends, and romance entitled “Coming Up”. He hopes to put a team together and develop the series by collaborating with Muslim creatives from around the world.
“ make art, and show the world that our voice and our stories matter. Show the world that our stories are worth being told and being listened to.”
Transcending the mind using music
Afraaz Mulji, 22, has always been fascinated by sound, particularly the production and manipulation of sound, having now devoted his life to it and its process.
“The abstract and esoteric nature of music and the freedom it grants the practitioner to question its very ontology, have been the gravitas that drew me into its unavoidable vortex,” he said.
afraaz3.jpeg
He describes himself as a curator and connoisseur of the conceptual frameworks that underpin sonic interactions and intersections. He also says he is a conceptual installation artist working in many mediums, including poetry, sculpture, film, and painting. His fascination in blurring the line between reality and virtual reality in the context of experiences, have led him to design an instrument called The Infinite Sonic Possibility Interface, which he says is his life’s work.
“I am a critical participant in the fields I have chosen to work in... I have gotten to where I am through sheer audacity, nerve, determination, wit, and willpower. I also have had the privilege of the received wisdom of many traditions through my mentors and guides.”
For him, the world has become a knowledge economy, and as such, the work that he has chosen in music fits perfectly into the notion of intangible careers that are non-existent or have yet to emerge.
“Hazar Imam has asked the Jamat to embrace pluralism and lifelong learning, and I aim to live and embody these values and ideals through my practice and life. They guide my every motion and are the compass I follow.”
In the past, he has led workshops and forums on design and conception in Dar es Salaam and Toronto, and created soundtracks for audiobooks. The Aga Khan Music Initiative and Aga Khan Museum have directly or indirectly been patrons and supporters of his work, while Jamati institutions in the UK, Tanzania, and Canada have also championed his work and given him opportunities and ways to serve the Jamat via TKN assignments.
However, he has faced opposition and animosity from elsewhere for doing things differently than traditional or established ways of engaging with music or the arts. But his attitude has always been if you can do it better and more effectively or interestingly, then do it.
“The work will be the proof of concept, and speak louder than any argument or challenge… as a playground or sandbox for my imagination.”
Afraaz is currently preparing installations in Tanzania, in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise and the French Embassy.
“I wish to continue contributing to the artistic and knowledge societies of the world. I believe in the power of art to give meaning to our existence and create tangible and profound civil societies.”
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... e-the-arts
CONNECT virtual camp continues to unite youth from around the world
Covid-19 has changed much of what we do and how we do it; from shaking hands and hugging our friends, to the very way we learn and work with our peers and colleagues. At the same time, Covid-19 has given rise to CONNECT, an initiative of Global Encounters and Aga Khan Youth and Sports Boards from around the world. Taking the form of a virtual camp, CONNECT is a way for Ismaili students to build bonds no matter where they may come from. CONNECT will be returning this summer from 19-25 July and 2-8 August.
Aysha Rajwani, the Senior Programme Officer, said that, “This cycle, participants can look forward to choosing their journey. Youth can select a thematic area to explore more in-depth, participate in a new skill-building workshop of their choice, explore the work of AKDN, build friendships across borders and celebrate our rich diversity through fun programming.”
Anisa Zulfova, a 21-year-old facilitator from Khorog, Tajikistan said of her experience with the previous cycle of CONNECT:, “I mostly learned how to interact with the Ismaili Jamat and how to be open to different ideas. I'm impressed with how frequently and how much camp CONNECT experiences have influenced my life. It’s a special place where participants can master real-life problem solving skills, have a significant and positive influence in their lives, and develop a network of peer relations."
From 26 to 31 December, 717 participants from 32 countries gathered for CONNECT, an opportunity to virtually meet Ismaili brothers and sisters from around the world. With over 300 volunteers originating from 25 countries, CONNECT was once again an experience that many participants say is unlike anything they have ever experienced.
Ayanna Boghani, a high school student from Dallas, Texas said, “I think that CONNECT was definitely an amazing experience that allowed me to expand my knowledge of the global Jamat, discover new perspectives, branch out, and make tons of new friends! Overall, I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to travel farther along the path to enlightenment and learn about other cultures and countries.”
The theme for the December CONNECT camp was social action and climate change. Sameer Paroo, senior programme officer, said that “the pressing issue of the climate change theme for the December CONNECT camp was largely inspired by Prince Aly Muhammad’s film, Close to Home.” Once again, Camp CONNECT pushed the boundaries of the virtual space, navigating the territory of the digital landscape in a new and refreshing way with discussions that mattered, people who cared, and Ismailis who were connected at a deep intellectual level.
With a variety of workshops for participants to attend, attendees could cater their experience to what they most enjoyed and what they wanted to learn about. With meaningful discussions and skill-building activities, participants concluded their experience with not only countless brothers and sisters to stay in touch with, but also a refined understanding of their interests and passions.
Aly Remtullah, an associate managing director of CONNECT from Canada, said that, “Given recent climate change challenges in many areas where the Jamat lives and the global relevance of the topic, we aimed to expose our participants to AKDN’s initiatives within this field. One of our objectives for global camps is to educate youth about AKDN’s work and its impact, and this was one way in which to accomplish that goal digitally.”
Along with its unique theme, emphasising a reality that many Jamati members around the world see the effects of every day, CONNECT had an impact on participants, as well as the faculty and staff. Many leadership members of the team have described this camp as one that was not only a reminder of the power of “One Jamat,” but also of the brilliance of the youth they had the chance to learn more about.
Fariba Nizari, a programme director from Afghanistan, commented that, “CONNECT truly united us by all means. And this bonding goes beyond staff and participants. I was given a new identity as a programme director. Against my personal fears and all the challenges, we had more than 70 participants from across Afghanistan. They participated with great enthusiasm and enjoyed every second of it.”
It is technology that enables these connections, but it is the love of volunteers that fosters it. CONNECT’s permanency is a testament to the benefit of a digital world that we can hold in our hands; the mere opportunities it offers, such as to make global friends, exchange ideas with ease, and above all, beckon teams of individuals from wherever they may be, to come together during a time like this. CONNECT waits for no example to show what Ismailis can do, it simply dives in to explore terrain we haven’t truly explored before. These camps, a directive from the Imam, prepare the youth of today, to navigate the unseen tomorrow; CONNECT strives for the opening of perspectives, rather than isolation; endless curiosity, rather than intellectual stagnation; and above all, love, for the communities in which we create, gather and explore in.
The CONNECT team is ready to welcome participants for the following themes and dates:
Entrepreneurship and Technology (19-25 July 2021)
Health and Wellness (19-25 July 2021)
Arts and Culture (2-8 August 2021)
Climate Change and Environmental Action (2-8 August 2021)
REGISTER NOW
https://the.ismaili/global-encounters
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... -the-world
Covid-19 has changed much of what we do and how we do it; from shaking hands and hugging our friends, to the very way we learn and work with our peers and colleagues. At the same time, Covid-19 has given rise to CONNECT, an initiative of Global Encounters and Aga Khan Youth and Sports Boards from around the world. Taking the form of a virtual camp, CONNECT is a way for Ismaili students to build bonds no matter where they may come from. CONNECT will be returning this summer from 19-25 July and 2-8 August.
Aysha Rajwani, the Senior Programme Officer, said that, “This cycle, participants can look forward to choosing their journey. Youth can select a thematic area to explore more in-depth, participate in a new skill-building workshop of their choice, explore the work of AKDN, build friendships across borders and celebrate our rich diversity through fun programming.”
Anisa Zulfova, a 21-year-old facilitator from Khorog, Tajikistan said of her experience with the previous cycle of CONNECT:, “I mostly learned how to interact with the Ismaili Jamat and how to be open to different ideas. I'm impressed with how frequently and how much camp CONNECT experiences have influenced my life. It’s a special place where participants can master real-life problem solving skills, have a significant and positive influence in their lives, and develop a network of peer relations."
From 26 to 31 December, 717 participants from 32 countries gathered for CONNECT, an opportunity to virtually meet Ismaili brothers and sisters from around the world. With over 300 volunteers originating from 25 countries, CONNECT was once again an experience that many participants say is unlike anything they have ever experienced.
Ayanna Boghani, a high school student from Dallas, Texas said, “I think that CONNECT was definitely an amazing experience that allowed me to expand my knowledge of the global Jamat, discover new perspectives, branch out, and make tons of new friends! Overall, I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to travel farther along the path to enlightenment and learn about other cultures and countries.”
The theme for the December CONNECT camp was social action and climate change. Sameer Paroo, senior programme officer, said that “the pressing issue of the climate change theme for the December CONNECT camp was largely inspired by Prince Aly Muhammad’s film, Close to Home.” Once again, Camp CONNECT pushed the boundaries of the virtual space, navigating the territory of the digital landscape in a new and refreshing way with discussions that mattered, people who cared, and Ismailis who were connected at a deep intellectual level.
With a variety of workshops for participants to attend, attendees could cater their experience to what they most enjoyed and what they wanted to learn about. With meaningful discussions and skill-building activities, participants concluded their experience with not only countless brothers and sisters to stay in touch with, but also a refined understanding of their interests and passions.
Aly Remtullah, an associate managing director of CONNECT from Canada, said that, “Given recent climate change challenges in many areas where the Jamat lives and the global relevance of the topic, we aimed to expose our participants to AKDN’s initiatives within this field. One of our objectives for global camps is to educate youth about AKDN’s work and its impact, and this was one way in which to accomplish that goal digitally.”
Along with its unique theme, emphasising a reality that many Jamati members around the world see the effects of every day, CONNECT had an impact on participants, as well as the faculty and staff. Many leadership members of the team have described this camp as one that was not only a reminder of the power of “One Jamat,” but also of the brilliance of the youth they had the chance to learn more about.
Fariba Nizari, a programme director from Afghanistan, commented that, “CONNECT truly united us by all means. And this bonding goes beyond staff and participants. I was given a new identity as a programme director. Against my personal fears and all the challenges, we had more than 70 participants from across Afghanistan. They participated with great enthusiasm and enjoyed every second of it.”
It is technology that enables these connections, but it is the love of volunteers that fosters it. CONNECT’s permanency is a testament to the benefit of a digital world that we can hold in our hands; the mere opportunities it offers, such as to make global friends, exchange ideas with ease, and above all, beckon teams of individuals from wherever they may be, to come together during a time like this. CONNECT waits for no example to show what Ismailis can do, it simply dives in to explore terrain we haven’t truly explored before. These camps, a directive from the Imam, prepare the youth of today, to navigate the unseen tomorrow; CONNECT strives for the opening of perspectives, rather than isolation; endless curiosity, rather than intellectual stagnation; and above all, love, for the communities in which we create, gather and explore in.
The CONNECT team is ready to welcome participants for the following themes and dates:
Entrepreneurship and Technology (19-25 July 2021)
Health and Wellness (19-25 July 2021)
Arts and Culture (2-8 August 2021)
Climate Change and Environmental Action (2-8 August 2021)
REGISTER NOW
https://the.ismaili/global-encounters
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... -the-world
Camp Al-ilm @ Home 2021
Over the Australian and New Zealander summer holidays, youth from around ANZ attended summer camps COVID style – online.
Camp Al-ilm @ Home 2021 provided a platform for high school students from Australia, New Zealand and the Far East to connect for ANZ’s first ever virtual camp. The camp provided an opportunity for participants to interact, build relationships, explore diverse perspectives and develop a sense of belonging. Counsellors from the UK, Canada, India, New Zealand and Australia formed lifelong bonds and connections with participants through their journey.
Through interactive sessions, games, cabins, lounges and dances, 60 participants were taken on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Participants were empowered to use their passions and interests to act as agents of change in the community and create social impact through individual agency and collective action
Participants learnt about the impact of their decisions and actions on others around the world. They explored the impact of their food consumption and fashion choices; and their interdependent relationship with nature and the universe
The Al-ilm family also had an opportunity to interact with some of the most accomplished professionals from every corner of the planet. Participants were inspired by professionals in the fields of astronomy, acting, medicine, artificial intelligence, journalism, environment, law enforcement and renewable energy.
Above all, participants learnt that: I AM, WE ARE, I CAN & WE CAN!
Around 200 primary school participants attended Camp Design and Discover, a two-day online camp where participants explored and innovated in their world through science and art using everyday materials. With the world making changes due to COVID, the counsellors and the camp team took on the challenge to creatively bring an engaging and entertaining experience to the participants with lots of dancing, upbeat music and hands-on activities.
With almost 200 participants and 24 counsellors exploring the theme of innovation, learning through the medium of technology could not have been more apt. The participants worked in teams exploring the importance of recycling paper and innovative ways to understand science. For example, the participants experimented with and built their own mobius strips, learning in the process the everyday use of mobius strips including in our DNA and on the recycling sign. Participants also learnt about aerodynamics making paper planes and kites as well as sustainable art with recycled paper.
https://the.ismaili/anz/camp-al-ilm-home-2021
Over the Australian and New Zealander summer holidays, youth from around ANZ attended summer camps COVID style – online.
Camp Al-ilm @ Home 2021 provided a platform for high school students from Australia, New Zealand and the Far East to connect for ANZ’s first ever virtual camp. The camp provided an opportunity for participants to interact, build relationships, explore diverse perspectives and develop a sense of belonging. Counsellors from the UK, Canada, India, New Zealand and Australia formed lifelong bonds and connections with participants through their journey.
Through interactive sessions, games, cabins, lounges and dances, 60 participants were taken on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Participants were empowered to use their passions and interests to act as agents of change in the community and create social impact through individual agency and collective action
Participants learnt about the impact of their decisions and actions on others around the world. They explored the impact of their food consumption and fashion choices; and their interdependent relationship with nature and the universe
The Al-ilm family also had an opportunity to interact with some of the most accomplished professionals from every corner of the planet. Participants were inspired by professionals in the fields of astronomy, acting, medicine, artificial intelligence, journalism, environment, law enforcement and renewable energy.
Above all, participants learnt that: I AM, WE ARE, I CAN & WE CAN!
Around 200 primary school participants attended Camp Design and Discover, a two-day online camp where participants explored and innovated in their world through science and art using everyday materials. With the world making changes due to COVID, the counsellors and the camp team took on the challenge to creatively bring an engaging and entertaining experience to the participants with lots of dancing, upbeat music and hands-on activities.
With almost 200 participants and 24 counsellors exploring the theme of innovation, learning through the medium of technology could not have been more apt. The participants worked in teams exploring the importance of recycling paper and innovative ways to understand science. For example, the participants experimented with and built their own mobius strips, learning in the process the everyday use of mobius strips including in our DNA and on the recycling sign. Participants also learnt about aerodynamics making paper planes and kites as well as sustainable art with recycled paper.
https://the.ismaili/anz/camp-al-ilm-home-2021
Teenagers Are Struggling, and It’s Not Just Lockdown
When schools shut down last spring, Carson Roubison, a charter school student in Phoenix, was initially relieved. There were some difficulties in those early days at home — when classes went online, Carson and his parents, both public-school teachers, had to share the sole family computer. But Carson’s stress levels fell as school became less demanding during the transition to distance learning.
“I wasn’t aware of the giant impact the pandemic would have,” he said, “so I was excited, to be honest, to have some time off school.”
But things changed in the fall. The academic load went back to prepandemic levels even though learning was still remote. Carson, a senior, struggled to stay motivated. His mental health suffered. He hoped to attend community college the following fall, but grew increasingly “terrified” that the education he’d received in high school over the past year would leave him unprepared.
“I’m afraid I’m going to get to community college,” he said, “and be held to the same standards as past students, and fail. That’s the biggest source of my anxiety.”
Carson’s story is not unique. The pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of millions. But adolescents have been hit especially hard. According to a national poll conducted in January by the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, 46 percent of parents say their teenagers’ mental health has worsened during the pandemic. More alarmingly, a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the proportion of 12- to 17-year-olds visiting emergency rooms for mental health reasons rose 31 percent for most of 2020 compared to 2019. And this is all on top of an already existing mental health crisis among young people.
While many experts believe that the reason adolescents are struggling today is that they’re away from friends and school, a closer look at the research reveals a more complicated picture. According to psychologists who study adolescent resilience, one of the biggest threats to the well-being of today’s teenagers is not social isolation but something else — the pressure to achieve, which has intensified over the past year.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/opin ... 778d3e6de3
When schools shut down last spring, Carson Roubison, a charter school student in Phoenix, was initially relieved. There were some difficulties in those early days at home — when classes went online, Carson and his parents, both public-school teachers, had to share the sole family computer. But Carson’s stress levels fell as school became less demanding during the transition to distance learning.
“I wasn’t aware of the giant impact the pandemic would have,” he said, “so I was excited, to be honest, to have some time off school.”
But things changed in the fall. The academic load went back to prepandemic levels even though learning was still remote. Carson, a senior, struggled to stay motivated. His mental health suffered. He hoped to attend community college the following fall, but grew increasingly “terrified” that the education he’d received in high school over the past year would leave him unprepared.
“I’m afraid I’m going to get to community college,” he said, “and be held to the same standards as past students, and fail. That’s the biggest source of my anxiety.”
Carson’s story is not unique. The pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of millions. But adolescents have been hit especially hard. According to a national poll conducted in January by the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, 46 percent of parents say their teenagers’ mental health has worsened during the pandemic. More alarmingly, a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the proportion of 12- to 17-year-olds visiting emergency rooms for mental health reasons rose 31 percent for most of 2020 compared to 2019. And this is all on top of an already existing mental health crisis among young people.
While many experts believe that the reason adolescents are struggling today is that they’re away from friends and school, a closer look at the research reveals a more complicated picture. According to psychologists who study adolescent resilience, one of the biggest threats to the well-being of today’s teenagers is not social isolation but something else — the pressure to achieve, which has intensified over the past year.
More...
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/opin ... 778d3e6de3
Google translation of the original article in Portuguese:
https://the.ismaili/portugal/vou-para-o ... m-portugal
I'm going to high school and now: International curricula that can be studied in Portugal
Are you starting high school? Would you like to continue your education on a curriculum other than Portuguese? This article is for you! We will cover all international curricula available in the country, so that you can consider the most correct decision for your future.
International Baccalaureate (IB):
IB is one of the most recognized international programs worldwide. It is also taught in several schools in Portugal. The secondary program, Diploma Program, consists of two years of learning in a comprehensive multidisciplinary curriculum. The schools offering the curriculum in the country, from north to south, are as follows:
More....
https://the.ismaili/portugal/vou-para-o ... m-portugal
https://the.ismaili/portugal/vou-para-o ... m-portugal
I'm going to high school and now: International curricula that can be studied in Portugal
Are you starting high school? Would you like to continue your education on a curriculum other than Portuguese? This article is for you! We will cover all international curricula available in the country, so that you can consider the most correct decision for your future.
International Baccalaureate (IB):
IB is one of the most recognized international programs worldwide. It is also taught in several schools in Portugal. The secondary program, Diploma Program, consists of two years of learning in a comprehensive multidisciplinary curriculum. The schools offering the curriculum in the country, from north to south, are as follows:
More....
https://the.ismaili/portugal/vou-para-o ... m-portugal
Dear Parents
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5d24vEj_0A
As parents, we strive to support our children through whatever struggles they have in their lives. But sometimes we become silent when our children try to talk to us about their feelings. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month, let’s educate ourselves on mental health, start the conversation about mental health with our children of all ages, and help them feel comfortable seeking help if needed #Ismailissupportmentalhealth​​ #AKYSBsupportsmentalhealth​​ #TakeChargeofYourMentalHealth​
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5d24vEj_0A
As parents, we strive to support our children through whatever struggles they have in their lives. But sometimes we become silent when our children try to talk to us about their feelings. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month, let’s educate ourselves on mental health, start the conversation about mental health with our children of all ages, and help them feel comfortable seeking help if needed #Ismailissupportmentalhealth​​ #AKYSBsupportsmentalhealth​​ #TakeChargeofYourMentalHealth​
Innovating for opportunity
Gaining a diverse skill set can equip students interested in business to effectively respond to new opportunities.
In the modern age of commerce, one cannot ignore technology’s rapid development and impact on business any longer. Technological advancements such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing are significantly altering the blueprint on which both multinational corporations and start-ups alike conduct business.
The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated this “digital disruption” as retailers shift to e-commerce, consumers embrace digital forms of entertainment, and organisations adapt to work-from-home models. Given these shifts, it is essential that students and graduates interested in business-related careers are aware of new technological innovations and the opportunities they can provide.
Careers of the Future is an original series airing exclusively on The Ismaili TV, where students and young professionals can hear directly from Ismailis at the leading edge of their fields about how to most effectively prepare for the future of work.
In two of our recent episodes, we heard from Natasha Walji and Karim Gillani. Natasha is a director at Google where she leads their Tech, Telecom & Public Sector business for Canada. Karim is a venture capitalist and the co-founder of Luge Capital. His work focuses on using capital from large investors to help fund promising new start-ups.
Both episodes examine the development of technology and its impact on the way people and institutions conduct business. As a venture capitalist, Karim identifies companies or start-ups that have long-term potential and are technologically advanced. The more tech-savvy a company is, he asserts, the more ready it will be for emerging challenges and opportunities.
Similarly, Natasha stresses the importance of understanding the technological trends and tools that will be relevant in a student’s area of interest, including for fields that may not be obviously tech-related. She encourages students to consider how their desired professions will be shaped by innovation and then seek out the skills they will need to ensure they remain relevant into the future.
“My number one insight is to think about how technology can be applied to your profession [and how] technology can transform the way you work,” she said.
While demand for employees who can combine both business and technology skills will continue to rise, both Karim and Natasha emphasise that there isn’t a single deliberate path that one must take to become a future-ready business leader. Instead of attempting to find a single strategic path to emulate, Karim encourages students to gain a diverse range of skills from computer science to finance to law.
Along with enabling students to keep up with the brisk pace of technological change, gaining a diverse skill set can also equip students interested in business to effectively respond to the new opportunities that arise as a result of emerging social problems and rapid innovation.
For students currently trying to map out their career paths, Natasha suggested several strategies to help bring structure to their planning. Using long-term goals (which she recommends be written down by hand) and a rolling five-year plan can allow one to think through their career in a thoughtful and sequenced way. She also suggested using vision boarding — using a physical display to visualise goals — as a means of identifying one’s career trajectory and life goals.
While the future of business remains uncertain, students have an opportunity to equip themselves early on with the skills and mindset necessary to thrive in their future careers.
You can view Natasha’s episode here https://tv.ismaili/watch/careers-of-the ... logy-s2-e6, Karim’s episode here https://tv.ismaili/watch/careers-of-the ... ital-s2-e7, and all episodes of Careers of the Future here https://tv.ismaili/browse/ismaili-tv-or ... the-future.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/feature ... pportunity
Gaining a diverse skill set can equip students interested in business to effectively respond to new opportunities.
In the modern age of commerce, one cannot ignore technology’s rapid development and impact on business any longer. Technological advancements such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing are significantly altering the blueprint on which both multinational corporations and start-ups alike conduct business.
The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated this “digital disruption” as retailers shift to e-commerce, consumers embrace digital forms of entertainment, and organisations adapt to work-from-home models. Given these shifts, it is essential that students and graduates interested in business-related careers are aware of new technological innovations and the opportunities they can provide.
Careers of the Future is an original series airing exclusively on The Ismaili TV, where students and young professionals can hear directly from Ismailis at the leading edge of their fields about how to most effectively prepare for the future of work.
In two of our recent episodes, we heard from Natasha Walji and Karim Gillani. Natasha is a director at Google where she leads their Tech, Telecom & Public Sector business for Canada. Karim is a venture capitalist and the co-founder of Luge Capital. His work focuses on using capital from large investors to help fund promising new start-ups.
Both episodes examine the development of technology and its impact on the way people and institutions conduct business. As a venture capitalist, Karim identifies companies or start-ups that have long-term potential and are technologically advanced. The more tech-savvy a company is, he asserts, the more ready it will be for emerging challenges and opportunities.
Similarly, Natasha stresses the importance of understanding the technological trends and tools that will be relevant in a student’s area of interest, including for fields that may not be obviously tech-related. She encourages students to consider how their desired professions will be shaped by innovation and then seek out the skills they will need to ensure they remain relevant into the future.
“My number one insight is to think about how technology can be applied to your profession [and how] technology can transform the way you work,” she said.
While demand for employees who can combine both business and technology skills will continue to rise, both Karim and Natasha emphasise that there isn’t a single deliberate path that one must take to become a future-ready business leader. Instead of attempting to find a single strategic path to emulate, Karim encourages students to gain a diverse range of skills from computer science to finance to law.
Along with enabling students to keep up with the brisk pace of technological change, gaining a diverse skill set can also equip students interested in business to effectively respond to the new opportunities that arise as a result of emerging social problems and rapid innovation.
For students currently trying to map out their career paths, Natasha suggested several strategies to help bring structure to their planning. Using long-term goals (which she recommends be written down by hand) and a rolling five-year plan can allow one to think through their career in a thoughtful and sequenced way. She also suggested using vision boarding — using a physical display to visualise goals — as a means of identifying one’s career trajectory and life goals.
While the future of business remains uncertain, students have an opportunity to equip themselves early on with the skills and mindset necessary to thrive in their future careers.
You can view Natasha’s episode here https://tv.ismaili/watch/careers-of-the ... logy-s2-e6, Karim’s episode here https://tv.ismaili/watch/careers-of-the ... ital-s2-e7, and all episodes of Careers of the Future here https://tv.ismaili/browse/ismaili-tv-or ... the-future.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/feature ... pportunity
Launch of the Aga Khan Scholarship and Loan Program
Students entering their first year of undergraduate studies at a Canadian university or accredited college-university collaboration program during the 2021-2022 academic year may be eligible for financial assistance under the Aga Khan Scholarship and Loan Program (AKSLP).
The Aga Khan Foundation provides a limited number of scholarships on a 50% loan, 50% grant basis to exceptional students each year. These awards are made to students on the basis of high academic standing and genuine financial need, and may be renewed on an annual basis. Only students that apply and are approved in their first year are eligible for funding in future years.
Financial assistance is provided according to the needs of students, but the AKSLP is intended to be a resource of last resort. Applicants are expected to make every effort to obtain funding from other sources.
The application deadline is Saturday, July 31.
Please contact [email protected] for more information.
https://iicanada.org/news/learning-deve ... an-program
Students entering their first year of undergraduate studies at a Canadian university or accredited college-university collaboration program during the 2021-2022 academic year may be eligible for financial assistance under the Aga Khan Scholarship and Loan Program (AKSLP).
The Aga Khan Foundation provides a limited number of scholarships on a 50% loan, 50% grant basis to exceptional students each year. These awards are made to students on the basis of high academic standing and genuine financial need, and may be renewed on an annual basis. Only students that apply and are approved in their first year are eligible for funding in future years.
Financial assistance is provided according to the needs of students, but the AKSLP is intended to be a resource of last resort. Applicants are expected to make every effort to obtain funding from other sources.
The application deadline is Saturday, July 31.
Please contact [email protected] for more information.
https://iicanada.org/news/learning-deve ... an-program
Ismaili youth on the Covid frontline
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues through 2021, Ismaili youth from around the world have been playing their part on the frontline. From travelling to remote areas to provide healthcare access, to stepping in at short-staffed hospitals, to holding down the fort in Covid wards, young members of the Jamat have stepped up to support citizens and families impacted by the pandemic.
Dr Nadeem Kassam (Tanzania)
Nisha Waliany (USA)
Arifa Parvaiz (Pakistan)
Photos and more at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... -frontline
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues through 2021, Ismaili youth from around the world have been playing their part on the frontline. From travelling to remote areas to provide healthcare access, to stepping in at short-staffed hospitals, to holding down the fort in Covid wards, young members of the Jamat have stepped up to support citizens and families impacted by the pandemic.
Dr Nadeem Kassam (Tanzania)
Nisha Waliany (USA)
Arifa Parvaiz (Pakistan)
Photos and more at:
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... -frontline
Internship Opportunities in Arabic, Persian, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, Sindhi, and Kachchhi @ University of Toronto
BY ISMAILIMAIL POSTED ON JUNE 4, 2021
Applicants for these internships must be between 15 and 30 years old, Canadian Citizens, permanent residents, or designated refugees, and legally entitled to work in Canada.
Professor Shafique Virani of the University of Toronto is offering paid Full-Time Research Internships (35 hours/week for 10 weeks) that will interest qualified applicants. Successful candidates will join a dynamic team, improve their profiles for future careers, and enhance their graduate or professional school applications. The training provided is exceptional, and students will gain valuable experience they can include on their CVs.
Video source: ViraniDreamTeam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLrb7HcBMjY
Opportunities are available for Research Interns with advanced written fluency in one or more of the following languages: Arabic, Persian, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, Sindhi, or Kachchhi. Applicants who wish to be considered in more than one language should indicate this in their cover letter. Please share this announcement with those whom you feel may qualify.
To learn more about the research team, please visit our website and view the videos by clicking here. We offer these full-time internships in collaboration with the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program. Applicants for these internships must be between 15 and 30 years old, Canadian Citizens, permanent residents, or designated refugees, and legally entitled to work in Canada. Review of applications will begin immediately, so apply right away for the best chance of being selected. We hope to fill most positions by June 15, 2021. However, we will continue to accept applications after that date if any positions remain open.
Applications must include the following components, using the filename formats indicated below:
1. Cover letter explaining why you are interested, providing details about your education and expertise in the language, and confirming that you have read and meet the eligibility criteria outlined above (LastNameFirstName-CoverLetter)
2. CV (LastNameFirstName-CV)
3. Transcripts (both undergraduate and graduate, as applicable) (LastNameFirstName-Transcripts)
4. A writing sample, preferably from a humanities or social sciences course (LastNameFirstName-WritingSample)
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a language assessment.
Because of the large number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications and questions should be submitted to Professor Shafique Virani ([email protected]), and or Dr. Sophia Farokhi, research team coordinator, [email protected].
https://ismailimail.blog/2021/06/04/int ... f-toronto/
BY ISMAILIMAIL POSTED ON JUNE 4, 2021
Applicants for these internships must be between 15 and 30 years old, Canadian Citizens, permanent residents, or designated refugees, and legally entitled to work in Canada.
Professor Shafique Virani of the University of Toronto is offering paid Full-Time Research Internships (35 hours/week for 10 weeks) that will interest qualified applicants. Successful candidates will join a dynamic team, improve their profiles for future careers, and enhance their graduate or professional school applications. The training provided is exceptional, and students will gain valuable experience they can include on their CVs.
Video source: ViraniDreamTeam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLrb7HcBMjY
Opportunities are available for Research Interns with advanced written fluency in one or more of the following languages: Arabic, Persian, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, Sindhi, or Kachchhi. Applicants who wish to be considered in more than one language should indicate this in their cover letter. Please share this announcement with those whom you feel may qualify.
To learn more about the research team, please visit our website and view the videos by clicking here. We offer these full-time internships in collaboration with the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program. Applicants for these internships must be between 15 and 30 years old, Canadian Citizens, permanent residents, or designated refugees, and legally entitled to work in Canada. Review of applications will begin immediately, so apply right away for the best chance of being selected. We hope to fill most positions by June 15, 2021. However, we will continue to accept applications after that date if any positions remain open.
Applications must include the following components, using the filename formats indicated below:
1. Cover letter explaining why you are interested, providing details about your education and expertise in the language, and confirming that you have read and meet the eligibility criteria outlined above (LastNameFirstName-CoverLetter)
2. CV (LastNameFirstName-CV)
3. Transcripts (both undergraduate and graduate, as applicable) (LastNameFirstName-Transcripts)
4. A writing sample, preferably from a humanities or social sciences course (LastNameFirstName-WritingSample)
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a language assessment.
Because of the large number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications and questions should be submitted to Professor Shafique Virani ([email protected]), and or Dr. Sophia Farokhi, research team coordinator, [email protected].
https://ismailimail.blog/2021/06/04/int ... f-toronto/
Google translation of the original article in Portuguese:
https://the.ismaili/portugal/concurso-n ... cientistas
National Competition for Young Scientists
Are you between 15 and 20 years old, are you a primary/secondary or first-year undergraduate student and are you very interested in science? This contest is for you!
Organized by the Youth Foundation, in partnership with Ciência Viva – National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture, the 29th National Competition for Young Scientists aims to promote cooperation and exchange between young scientists and researchers, in order to enhance the interest of young people whose talent is reflected in the areas of Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation.
Applications for the competition are open until the 28th of June, and projects must fall into one of the following areas of study: Biology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Medical Sciences, Social Sciences, Economics, Engineering, Physics , Informatics/Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry and Bioeconomics.
Find out more, from information about requirements, participation regulations, and even possible prizes here https://www.fjuventude.pt/pt/concurso-n ... cientistas..
https://the.ismaili/portugal/concurso-n ... cientistas
National Competition for Young Scientists
Are you between 15 and 20 years old, are you a primary/secondary or first-year undergraduate student and are you very interested in science? This contest is for you!
Organized by the Youth Foundation, in partnership with Ciência Viva – National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture, the 29th National Competition for Young Scientists aims to promote cooperation and exchange between young scientists and researchers, in order to enhance the interest of young people whose talent is reflected in the areas of Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation.
Applications for the competition are open until the 28th of June, and projects must fall into one of the following areas of study: Biology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Medical Sciences, Social Sciences, Economics, Engineering, Physics , Informatics/Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry and Bioeconomics.
Find out more, from information about requirements, participation regulations, and even possible prizes here https://www.fjuventude.pt/pt/concurso-n ... cientistas..
Rising Stars
Rising Stars is a platform that identifies and celebrates the achievements of young Jamati leaders.
Ismaili youth, who are residents of Pakistan, and aged under 29, can apply to be a Rising Star in one of the following categories: Civic Service (including Guides and Scouts), Entrepreneurship, Music and Arts, Sports, Leadership/Ambassadorship, Academics, Science and Technology, Media, etc. If you have unique achievements in one of these fields and you have contributed towards the society, apply to be the next Rising Star.
Apply Now:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... &w=1&flr=0
Frequently Asked Question
What is Rising Stars?
Rising Stars is a platform that identifies and celebrates the achievements of young Jamati leaders in Pakistan.
Who is eligible to be a Rising Star?
Ismaili youth, who are residents of Pakistan, and aged under 29, can apply to be a Rising Star.
What are the categories for becoming a Rising Star?
Rising Stars will recognize Ismali individuals who have excelled in diverse fields and contributed positively towards the society. Youth can apply for Rising Stars against the following ten categories: Civic Service (including Guides and Scouts), Civic Service (Ohters) Entrepreneurship, Music and Arts, Sports, Leadership/ Ambassadorship, Academics, Science and Technology, Media, and Others.
How will Rising Stars be acknowledged?
The.Ismaili is hosting a dedicated campaign for Rising Stars #RisingStars. The stories of Rising Stars will be posted on all social media platforms of The Ismaili Pakistan and can be accessed by anyone globally.
How many people will be recognized as Rising Stars?
Based on the number of entries, each week up to four Rising Stars will be recognized on The Ismali Pakistan.
How do I apply to become a Rising Star?
All applications for Rising Stars should be submitted online through the following link: https://tinyurl.com/ycfrisingstar. If you are unable to submit your application online, please contact the Local and/or Regional Offices of AKYSB, AKEB and ITREB.
How are the entries for Rising Stars evaluated?
All entries for Rising Stars are evaluated on a standard rubric by experts based on the information provided by you in the online form. Please take time to fill relevant details in the form and explain your story completely.
I have submitted my story as a Rising Star, but it was not featured on The.Ismali. Do I need to apply again?
All applications for the Rising Stars are evaluated on a weekly basis. If you have already applied, you do not need to apply again. Your entry will be considered in all subsequent weekly evlauations.
What if I have more questions?
If you have more questions, please contact the Local and/or Regional Offices of AKYSB, AKEB and ITREB or write to us at [email protected]
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/opportunities/rising-stars
********
Young Ambassadors Programme
Young Ambassadors Programme (YAP) offers a life changing experience to work on meaningful projects with AKDN agencies and contribute towards transforming the quality of life of people in Pakistan. YAP is an initiative of Youth Coordination Forum (YCF), Council for Pakistan.
Key Features
- Three-week field assignment with an AKDN agency
- Exposure visits to various AKDN projects
- Professional development sessions with industry experts
- In-person meeting with regional and national AKDN leadership
Dates
26th July to 16th August, 2021
Location
Gilgit-Baltistan
Eligibility
18 to 22 years
Currently enrolled in an undergraduate programme
Apply Now
https://tinyurl.com/yapproject
Deadline: 25th June, 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Young Ambassadors Programme?
The Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) offers an opportunity for youth to work with AKDN agencies, engage with its beneficiaries, and contribute towards the network’s initiatives in transforming the quality of life of people in Pakistan.
Who is eligible to be part of YAP?
Ismaili youth across Pakistan, who are aged between 18 and 22 years and are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program, can apply for YAP.
How do I apply for YAP?
All applications for YAP should be submitted online through the following link: https://tinyurl.com/yapproject. If you are unable to submit your application online, please contact the Local and/or Regional Offices of AKYSB, AKEB and ITREB.
How will the selection process of YAP work?
All applications will be screened by the Youth Coordination Forum (YCF) and the shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview. The final decision will be made by YCF and representatives from the AKDN agencies who will conduct the interview
If selected for YAP, which AKDN agency will I work with?
All applicants are required to indicate their first and second priority for working with an AKDN agency. The participating agencies include Aga Khan Education Service, Aga Khan Health Service, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, Aga Khan Rural Support Program and Serena Hotel. Based on priorities identified by the candidate, their academic interests, and the requirements of the participating AKDN agencies, the candidate will be linked with an agency for a three-week assignment. In addition, all candidates will have an opportunity to engage with the projects of other AKDN agencies through workshops and exposure visits during the YAP.
What kind of assignments will I work on?
All assignments will be customized according to the needs of the participating AKDN agencies and the interests of the selected candidate. The assignments will be supervised by professional mentors and will include desk-based work and field visits.
What is the cost for participating in YAP?
YAP is a subsidized program and all expenses related to accommodation, food, exposure visits and field travel are covered. The participants will have to bear the transportation cost of travelling to Gilgit from their place of residence by 25th July 2021 and from Islamabad to their place of residence after 16th August 2021 (limited need-based financial assistance will be provided for travel costs).
What if I have more questions?
If you have more questions, please contact the Local and/or Regional Offices of AKYSB, AKEB and ITREB or write to us at [email protected]
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/opportunit ... -programme
Rising Stars is a platform that identifies and celebrates the achievements of young Jamati leaders.
Ismaili youth, who are residents of Pakistan, and aged under 29, can apply to be a Rising Star in one of the following categories: Civic Service (including Guides and Scouts), Entrepreneurship, Music and Arts, Sports, Leadership/Ambassadorship, Academics, Science and Technology, Media, etc. If you have unique achievements in one of these fields and you have contributed towards the society, apply to be the next Rising Star.
Apply Now:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... &w=1&flr=0
Frequently Asked Question
What is Rising Stars?
Rising Stars is a platform that identifies and celebrates the achievements of young Jamati leaders in Pakistan.
Who is eligible to be a Rising Star?
Ismaili youth, who are residents of Pakistan, and aged under 29, can apply to be a Rising Star.
What are the categories for becoming a Rising Star?
Rising Stars will recognize Ismali individuals who have excelled in diverse fields and contributed positively towards the society. Youth can apply for Rising Stars against the following ten categories: Civic Service (including Guides and Scouts), Civic Service (Ohters) Entrepreneurship, Music and Arts, Sports, Leadership/ Ambassadorship, Academics, Science and Technology, Media, and Others.
How will Rising Stars be acknowledged?
The.Ismaili is hosting a dedicated campaign for Rising Stars #RisingStars. The stories of Rising Stars will be posted on all social media platforms of The Ismaili Pakistan and can be accessed by anyone globally.
How many people will be recognized as Rising Stars?
Based on the number of entries, each week up to four Rising Stars will be recognized on The Ismali Pakistan.
How do I apply to become a Rising Star?
All applications for Rising Stars should be submitted online through the following link: https://tinyurl.com/ycfrisingstar. If you are unable to submit your application online, please contact the Local and/or Regional Offices of AKYSB, AKEB and ITREB.
How are the entries for Rising Stars evaluated?
All entries for Rising Stars are evaluated on a standard rubric by experts based on the information provided by you in the online form. Please take time to fill relevant details in the form and explain your story completely.
I have submitted my story as a Rising Star, but it was not featured on The.Ismali. Do I need to apply again?
All applications for the Rising Stars are evaluated on a weekly basis. If you have already applied, you do not need to apply again. Your entry will be considered in all subsequent weekly evlauations.
What if I have more questions?
If you have more questions, please contact the Local and/or Regional Offices of AKYSB, AKEB and ITREB or write to us at [email protected]
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/opportunities/rising-stars
********
Young Ambassadors Programme
Young Ambassadors Programme (YAP) offers a life changing experience to work on meaningful projects with AKDN agencies and contribute towards transforming the quality of life of people in Pakistan. YAP is an initiative of Youth Coordination Forum (YCF), Council for Pakistan.
Key Features
- Three-week field assignment with an AKDN agency
- Exposure visits to various AKDN projects
- Professional development sessions with industry experts
- In-person meeting with regional and national AKDN leadership
Dates
26th July to 16th August, 2021
Location
Gilgit-Baltistan
Eligibility
18 to 22 years
Currently enrolled in an undergraduate programme
Apply Now
https://tinyurl.com/yapproject
Deadline: 25th June, 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Young Ambassadors Programme?
The Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) offers an opportunity for youth to work with AKDN agencies, engage with its beneficiaries, and contribute towards the network’s initiatives in transforming the quality of life of people in Pakistan.
Who is eligible to be part of YAP?
Ismaili youth across Pakistan, who are aged between 18 and 22 years and are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program, can apply for YAP.
How do I apply for YAP?
All applications for YAP should be submitted online through the following link: https://tinyurl.com/yapproject. If you are unable to submit your application online, please contact the Local and/or Regional Offices of AKYSB, AKEB and ITREB.
How will the selection process of YAP work?
All applications will be screened by the Youth Coordination Forum (YCF) and the shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview. The final decision will be made by YCF and representatives from the AKDN agencies who will conduct the interview
If selected for YAP, which AKDN agency will I work with?
All applicants are required to indicate their first and second priority for working with an AKDN agency. The participating agencies include Aga Khan Education Service, Aga Khan Health Service, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, Aga Khan Rural Support Program and Serena Hotel. Based on priorities identified by the candidate, their academic interests, and the requirements of the participating AKDN agencies, the candidate will be linked with an agency for a three-week assignment. In addition, all candidates will have an opportunity to engage with the projects of other AKDN agencies through workshops and exposure visits during the YAP.
What kind of assignments will I work on?
All assignments will be customized according to the needs of the participating AKDN agencies and the interests of the selected candidate. The assignments will be supervised by professional mentors and will include desk-based work and field visits.
What is the cost for participating in YAP?
YAP is a subsidized program and all expenses related to accommodation, food, exposure visits and field travel are covered. The participants will have to bear the transportation cost of travelling to Gilgit from their place of residence by 25th July 2021 and from Islamabad to their place of residence after 16th August 2021 (limited need-based financial assistance will be provided for travel costs).
What if I have more questions?
If you have more questions, please contact the Local and/or Regional Offices of AKYSB, AKEB and ITREB or write to us at [email protected]
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/opportunit ... -programme
Developing Skills that “Stimulate Creativity, Intellectual Curiosity and Honest Inquiry” for the Youth
Developing Skills That “Stimulate Creativity, Intellectual Curiosity and Honest Inquiry” for the Youth
Mawlana Hazar Imam places a great emphasis on youth development and education. This is evident in his vision for the Aga Khan Academies, globally, demonstrated by the following quote:
“An education must equip students with the tools that enable them to adapt and thrive, in a world characterised by change. In such an environment, technical proficiency is not enough. Education that prepares children for life must go beyond fundamental skills to stimulate creativity, intellectual curiosity, and honest inquiry.”
His vision recognizes the importance of creative skills alongside fundamental skills as an integral part of a holistic educational curriculum. Hence, it is fitting that our community is helping the youth to develop these skills on World Youth Skills Day.
In 2014, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly announced that World Youth Skills Day would be held annually on 15 July. The UN highlights on their official World Youth Skills Day page that the main objective of this event is to “celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.”
Now more than ever, it is vital for the youth to expand their abilities, which will allow them to stand out in the current competitive environment. It is noteworthy that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the unemployment rate for graduates with a Bachelor's degree in the United States from 1.8% to 4.1%, according to this article published by Forbes, which is reflective of global trends.
With the new post COVID-19 norms forming around us, the Aga Khan Economic Planning Board (AKEPB) for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been conducting webinars to develop these skills for the Community. These webinars cover a multitude of topics, from Blockchain and Cryptocurrency to developing data analysis skills through Microsoft PowerBi. These webinars have been helpful for the youth to develop skills that they may not learn otherwise. The Chairman for the AKEPB, Nashir Jiwani, conveyed that the objective of these webinars is to “support the Community and enable youth to be informed of the new norms as a result of COVID-19, as well as educating them on some of the essential tools required in today’s economy.” He added that the “youth will need to adapt their thinking in line with some of these new norms as opportunities in traditional careers have changed over the last 18 months.”
Zain Sadruddin, an attendee of the Microsoft PowerBi webinar, expressed that the webinar helped him learn about and further develop “crucial and powerful skills of data visualisation.” This is an integral part of a data analytics career, which he hopes to pursue. In addition, Zain commented that the webinar was “very technical and hands-on, making it unique and comparable to what I usually learn in school.” Lastly, he noted that these webinars are an excellent tool for students like him to continue learning and exploring their interests.
Referring back to the quote by Mawlana Hazar Imam, one can see how the AKEPB is fulfilling Mawlana Hazar Imam’s vision in enabling the youth to further develop these unique skills. We invite you to join us in our upcoming webinars.
To participate in the World Youth Skills Day webinar, to be held on July 15, 2021, click here.
To access previous webinars conducted by the AKEPB, click here.
Should you have any questions, you can reach the AKEPB at this email: [email protected](link sends e-mail)
https://the.ismaili/uae/developing-skil ... -the-youth
Developing Skills That “Stimulate Creativity, Intellectual Curiosity and Honest Inquiry” for the Youth
Mawlana Hazar Imam places a great emphasis on youth development and education. This is evident in his vision for the Aga Khan Academies, globally, demonstrated by the following quote:
“An education must equip students with the tools that enable them to adapt and thrive, in a world characterised by change. In such an environment, technical proficiency is not enough. Education that prepares children for life must go beyond fundamental skills to stimulate creativity, intellectual curiosity, and honest inquiry.”
His vision recognizes the importance of creative skills alongside fundamental skills as an integral part of a holistic educational curriculum. Hence, it is fitting that our community is helping the youth to develop these skills on World Youth Skills Day.
In 2014, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly announced that World Youth Skills Day would be held annually on 15 July. The UN highlights on their official World Youth Skills Day page that the main objective of this event is to “celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.”
Now more than ever, it is vital for the youth to expand their abilities, which will allow them to stand out in the current competitive environment. It is noteworthy that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the unemployment rate for graduates with a Bachelor's degree in the United States from 1.8% to 4.1%, according to this article published by Forbes, which is reflective of global trends.
With the new post COVID-19 norms forming around us, the Aga Khan Economic Planning Board (AKEPB) for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been conducting webinars to develop these skills for the Community. These webinars cover a multitude of topics, from Blockchain and Cryptocurrency to developing data analysis skills through Microsoft PowerBi. These webinars have been helpful for the youth to develop skills that they may not learn otherwise. The Chairman for the AKEPB, Nashir Jiwani, conveyed that the objective of these webinars is to “support the Community and enable youth to be informed of the new norms as a result of COVID-19, as well as educating them on some of the essential tools required in today’s economy.” He added that the “youth will need to adapt their thinking in line with some of these new norms as opportunities in traditional careers have changed over the last 18 months.”
Zain Sadruddin, an attendee of the Microsoft PowerBi webinar, expressed that the webinar helped him learn about and further develop “crucial and powerful skills of data visualisation.” This is an integral part of a data analytics career, which he hopes to pursue. In addition, Zain commented that the webinar was “very technical and hands-on, making it unique and comparable to what I usually learn in school.” Lastly, he noted that these webinars are an excellent tool for students like him to continue learning and exploring their interests.
Referring back to the quote by Mawlana Hazar Imam, one can see how the AKEPB is fulfilling Mawlana Hazar Imam’s vision in enabling the youth to further develop these unique skills. We invite you to join us in our upcoming webinars.
To participate in the World Youth Skills Day webinar, to be held on July 15, 2021, click here.
To access previous webinars conducted by the AKEPB, click here.
Should you have any questions, you can reach the AKEPB at this email: [email protected](link sends e-mail)
https://the.ismaili/uae/developing-skil ... -the-youth
Google translation of the original article in Portuguese:
https://the.ismaili/portugal/import%C3% ... dos-jovens
The importance of STEM in the future of young people
STEM is a common term, however it may be unfamiliar to those who matter most - the younger generations. Thus, the Aga Khan Education Board (AKEB) makes known this term, which is so important for the future, as well as the areas that fall within it and how to apply them.
An acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, just by name it is possible to understand how important STEM is for the development of our society.
According to the Government of Western Australia, it is estimated that 15 years from now, 75% of jobs will need some type of skills in these areas. Acquiring knowledge in these areas is not only an asset but a necessity, considering the very near future.
In addition to professional training, the STEM area also enhances at a personal level, helping to build “soft skills” such as creativity, critical thinking, adaptability, teamwork, communication, leadership skills, among many others.
If this article has interested you so far and you are looking for an activity to occupy your student's vacation in a didactic and fun way, AKEB recommends participating in the Global STEM Festival!
The Festival, developed internationally, has the mission of "creating real-life solutions to real problems", putting into practice the STEM skills of children and young people from 5 to 18 years old. Find out more in this article: https://the.ismaili/portugal/descobre-o ... e-divertes and subscribe here: https://the.ismaili/stemfestival/pt
https://the.ismaili/portugal/import%C3% ... dos-jovens
The importance of STEM in the future of young people
STEM is a common term, however it may be unfamiliar to those who matter most - the younger generations. Thus, the Aga Khan Education Board (AKEB) makes known this term, which is so important for the future, as well as the areas that fall within it and how to apply them.
An acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, just by name it is possible to understand how important STEM is for the development of our society.
According to the Government of Western Australia, it is estimated that 15 years from now, 75% of jobs will need some type of skills in these areas. Acquiring knowledge in these areas is not only an asset but a necessity, considering the very near future.
In addition to professional training, the STEM area also enhances at a personal level, helping to build “soft skills” such as creativity, critical thinking, adaptability, teamwork, communication, leadership skills, among many others.
If this article has interested you so far and you are looking for an activity to occupy your student's vacation in a didactic and fun way, AKEB recommends participating in the Global STEM Festival!
The Festival, developed internationally, has the mission of "creating real-life solutions to real problems", putting into practice the STEM skills of children and young people from 5 to 18 years old. Find out more in this article: https://the.ismaili/portugal/descobre-o ... e-divertes and subscribe here: https://the.ismaili/stemfestival/pt
Preparing Guides to become Ambassadors of Change
The Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan organised a transformational nine-day virtual camporee for Junior and Girl Guides. Around 602 Guides from seven different countries including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, UAE, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique participated in the camporee which focused on exploring models of advocacy, social entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability. The camp was divided into two groups including Junior Guides aged six to 11 and Girl Guides aged 11 to 16. The first virtual camporee was held in December 2020.
Maria Maud Sabri, National Commissioner, Pakistan Girl Guides Association, presided as the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony. In her opening remarks she said, “This pandemic has created uncertain situations resulting in a standstill in our social lives. This camporee is an excellent opportunity for Guides to learn exciting skills and make new friends virtually.”
The nine-day camporee’s activities were divided into five blocks focused on diverse skill sets. The objective was to enable Guides to showcase their abilities, develop technical proficiencies to understand and face modern-day challenges and learn creative competencies as well as the self-exploring cycle of preparing for the future.
Sharing her experience, a Guide mentioned, “I have learnt many new things. The session on Health and Wellbeing was fantastic. I learnt new things about maintaining my mental health and worked through my feelings using art therapy. I will use this technique whenever I am sad or anxious. In the Islamic Art and Architecture workshop, I learnt about different buildings around the world! On game night, playing the scavenger hunt was fun and the magic show was just mind blowing!”
The camporee also encouraged Guides to learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how our actions as humans are causing climate change in the world, which result in food insecurity and affect the world’s biodiversity. Due to water pollution, underwater life is affected. Guides were asked to explore daily items which affect our environment. Moreover, a discussion about the importance of eating healthy and responsible consumption of food in adequate quantity, quality and variety was conducted. Through an online survey from the BBC website, Guides calculated their environmental footprint and how they can use food responsibly to reduce carbon emission. Guides also realized the concept of food scarcity and thus were encouraged to become responsible global citizens.
Raiqa Damani, an enthusiastic participant at the camporee mentioned, “I learned a lot about Aerospace. The Career Clinic was an excellent opportunity to learn about new fields in a fun way. In my experiential workshop, I made a scrunchy and a mask.”
On the concluding day, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy of SOC Films, a journalist, filmmaker, activist and two-time Academy Award recipient, praised the Girl Guides movement and appreciated their community service which empowers girls and helps them do wonders. She ended her remarks by saying, “If a door is not opened for you, you mustn't have kicked it hard. Therefore, make sure that in being a woman you do everything you can and face challenges. Know that these challenges mean nothing when you succeed.” She also mentioned that when one feels demotivated, think of family and friends cheering for you.
Sharing her thoughts, Shams Jeewa, Girl Guides President, AKYSB stated, “This camporee is preparing our young girls to advocate for change and prepare them as global citizens of the world. They will play an active role in the community and will work to make the planet more peaceful and sustainable, with equality and fairness at the forefront.”
The 2nd Global Virtual Camporee concluded on the 25th of July with a virtual closing ceremony under the supervision of Farhana Azim, National President, Pakistan Girl Guides Association. In her address she mentioned, “No matter where a Guide resides, all of them are equal under the Institution of Guiding and they must recognize who they are in order to gain strength to do wonders in their lives and become the change-makers that our world needs today.”
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/programmes ... ors-change
The Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan organised a transformational nine-day virtual camporee for Junior and Girl Guides. Around 602 Guides from seven different countries including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, UAE, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique participated in the camporee which focused on exploring models of advocacy, social entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability. The camp was divided into two groups including Junior Guides aged six to 11 and Girl Guides aged 11 to 16. The first virtual camporee was held in December 2020.
Maria Maud Sabri, National Commissioner, Pakistan Girl Guides Association, presided as the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony. In her opening remarks she said, “This pandemic has created uncertain situations resulting in a standstill in our social lives. This camporee is an excellent opportunity for Guides to learn exciting skills and make new friends virtually.”
The nine-day camporee’s activities were divided into five blocks focused on diverse skill sets. The objective was to enable Guides to showcase their abilities, develop technical proficiencies to understand and face modern-day challenges and learn creative competencies as well as the self-exploring cycle of preparing for the future.
Sharing her experience, a Guide mentioned, “I have learnt many new things. The session on Health and Wellbeing was fantastic. I learnt new things about maintaining my mental health and worked through my feelings using art therapy. I will use this technique whenever I am sad or anxious. In the Islamic Art and Architecture workshop, I learnt about different buildings around the world! On game night, playing the scavenger hunt was fun and the magic show was just mind blowing!”
The camporee also encouraged Guides to learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how our actions as humans are causing climate change in the world, which result in food insecurity and affect the world’s biodiversity. Due to water pollution, underwater life is affected. Guides were asked to explore daily items which affect our environment. Moreover, a discussion about the importance of eating healthy and responsible consumption of food in adequate quantity, quality and variety was conducted. Through an online survey from the BBC website, Guides calculated their environmental footprint and how they can use food responsibly to reduce carbon emission. Guides also realized the concept of food scarcity and thus were encouraged to become responsible global citizens.
Raiqa Damani, an enthusiastic participant at the camporee mentioned, “I learned a lot about Aerospace. The Career Clinic was an excellent opportunity to learn about new fields in a fun way. In my experiential workshop, I made a scrunchy and a mask.”
On the concluding day, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy of SOC Films, a journalist, filmmaker, activist and two-time Academy Award recipient, praised the Girl Guides movement and appreciated their community service which empowers girls and helps them do wonders. She ended her remarks by saying, “If a door is not opened for you, you mustn't have kicked it hard. Therefore, make sure that in being a woman you do everything you can and face challenges. Know that these challenges mean nothing when you succeed.” She also mentioned that when one feels demotivated, think of family and friends cheering for you.
Sharing her thoughts, Shams Jeewa, Girl Guides President, AKYSB stated, “This camporee is preparing our young girls to advocate for change and prepare them as global citizens of the world. They will play an active role in the community and will work to make the planet more peaceful and sustainable, with equality and fairness at the forefront.”
The 2nd Global Virtual Camporee concluded on the 25th of July with a virtual closing ceremony under the supervision of Farhana Azim, National President, Pakistan Girl Guides Association. In her address she mentioned, “No matter where a Guide resides, all of them are equal under the Institution of Guiding and they must recognize who they are in order to gain strength to do wonders in their lives and become the change-makers that our world needs today.”
https://the.ismaili/pakistan/programmes ... ors-change
International Youth Day: Restoring the balance
Restoring the natural balance between humans and the environment will require global society to actively engage with the challenges that the natural world presents.
Today’s complex global challenges will likely have a disproportionate impact on our youth. Through education, innovation, and entrepreneurial solutions, this year’s International Youth Day offers young people a platform to build momentum towards meaningful positive change.
Accoriding to the United Nations, the world’s population is expected to increase by 2 billion people within the next 30 years. Yet, simply producing more food will not be enough to ensure the future wellbeing of society and the planet. A number of related challenges will need to be addressed, including poverty reduction, improving health care systems, biodiversity conservation, social inclusion, and climate change mitigation.
To address these challenges, this year’s International Youth Day theme is “Transforming food systems and planetary health,” a timely topic in light of the rapidly changing climate, wildfires, and other extreme weather events being experienced around the world.
“When we talk about the climate crisis, many of us talk about the fact that we need to save the planet, when in fact what we need to do is save human existence on the planet,” recently said Onno Ruhl, General Manager of the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat.
“The way to think about it is that we need to restore the equilibrium between humans and nature on the planet so that both can survive… without that equilibrium, it won’t work.”
The consensus among most scientists today is that recent generations of humans have disrupted this balance. Restoring it will require societies worldwide to actively engage with the challenges that the natural world presents, whether in the form of natural disasters, health epidemics, or food shortages.
One way of addressing food shortages in a sustainable way is through urban agriculture. The innovative practice is becoming ever more popular, with gardens springing up in cities in Australia, Canada, the United States, the UK, France, and New Zealand.
Nabeela Lakhani was one of ten farmer-entrepreneurs in the pilot programme of Square Roots Grow, an urban farming accelerator in New York City. Participants of the programme harvested produce using technologies such as LED lights and a liquid nutrient solution instead of soil, methods that allow for food to be grown all-year round.
“I hope that this technology will usher in a new age in which people will increasingly gravitate toward hyper-local, pesticide-free crops,” Nabeela said. “All we are looking for - is food that we can trust.”
Rozina Kanchwalla is the founder and executive director at Eco.Logic, based in the USA. She has worked in the environmental field in different parts of the world for over 15 years, and has first-hand experience of the damaging effects of changing weather patterns.
“I’ve noticed that climate change has real impacts on people, whether it’s farmers in India or farmers in the midwest of the US who can’t grow crops because of droughts,” she said.
In recent decades, the modern agricultural system has become extremely carbon-intensive, which has led to climate change impacts such as droughts and flash floods, which prevent local farmers’ ability to grow crops for food.
A vicious cycle is created by clearing forests to make space for livestock, which leads to increases in methane, a so-called greenhouse gas. This harm is compounded by the use of chemicals which degrade the soil, and the practice of transporting food by air and road, leading to further carbon emissions and global heating.
“As much as possible, if you can grow food at home, if you can shop from a farmer’s market, or if you can look for food that doesn’t have a lot of chemical inputs like fertilisers or pesticides, then that would be really beneficial,” said Rozina.
By striving to move to more decentralised, local, organic food systems, we can each do our part to take part in the aims of this year’s International Youth Day, and build a cleaner, more sustainable world for the next generation.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/feature ... he-balance
Restoring the natural balance between humans and the environment will require global society to actively engage with the challenges that the natural world presents.
Today’s complex global challenges will likely have a disproportionate impact on our youth. Through education, innovation, and entrepreneurial solutions, this year’s International Youth Day offers young people a platform to build momentum towards meaningful positive change.
Accoriding to the United Nations, the world’s population is expected to increase by 2 billion people within the next 30 years. Yet, simply producing more food will not be enough to ensure the future wellbeing of society and the planet. A number of related challenges will need to be addressed, including poverty reduction, improving health care systems, biodiversity conservation, social inclusion, and climate change mitigation.
To address these challenges, this year’s International Youth Day theme is “Transforming food systems and planetary health,” a timely topic in light of the rapidly changing climate, wildfires, and other extreme weather events being experienced around the world.
“When we talk about the climate crisis, many of us talk about the fact that we need to save the planet, when in fact what we need to do is save human existence on the planet,” recently said Onno Ruhl, General Manager of the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat.
“The way to think about it is that we need to restore the equilibrium between humans and nature on the planet so that both can survive… without that equilibrium, it won’t work.”
The consensus among most scientists today is that recent generations of humans have disrupted this balance. Restoring it will require societies worldwide to actively engage with the challenges that the natural world presents, whether in the form of natural disasters, health epidemics, or food shortages.
One way of addressing food shortages in a sustainable way is through urban agriculture. The innovative practice is becoming ever more popular, with gardens springing up in cities in Australia, Canada, the United States, the UK, France, and New Zealand.
Nabeela Lakhani was one of ten farmer-entrepreneurs in the pilot programme of Square Roots Grow, an urban farming accelerator in New York City. Participants of the programme harvested produce using technologies such as LED lights and a liquid nutrient solution instead of soil, methods that allow for food to be grown all-year round.
“I hope that this technology will usher in a new age in which people will increasingly gravitate toward hyper-local, pesticide-free crops,” Nabeela said. “All we are looking for - is food that we can trust.”
Rozina Kanchwalla is the founder and executive director at Eco.Logic, based in the USA. She has worked in the environmental field in different parts of the world for over 15 years, and has first-hand experience of the damaging effects of changing weather patterns.
“I’ve noticed that climate change has real impacts on people, whether it’s farmers in India or farmers in the midwest of the US who can’t grow crops because of droughts,” she said.
In recent decades, the modern agricultural system has become extremely carbon-intensive, which has led to climate change impacts such as droughts and flash floods, which prevent local farmers’ ability to grow crops for food.
A vicious cycle is created by clearing forests to make space for livestock, which leads to increases in methane, a so-called greenhouse gas. This harm is compounded by the use of chemicals which degrade the soil, and the practice of transporting food by air and road, leading to further carbon emissions and global heating.
“As much as possible, if you can grow food at home, if you can shop from a farmer’s market, or if you can look for food that doesn’t have a lot of chemical inputs like fertilisers or pesticides, then that would be really beneficial,” said Rozina.
By striving to move to more decentralised, local, organic food systems, we can each do our part to take part in the aims of this year’s International Youth Day, and build a cleaner, more sustainable world for the next generation.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/feature ... he-balance
Introducing the Careers of the Future Podcast
The Ismaili is excited to announce that Careers of the Future is launching a weekly podcast starting today, 14 September.
Even before 2020, our youth were expecting to inherit a vastly different world from their parents, but post-pandemic, this has been brought into sharper focus. Careers of the Future hopes to equip young people for the rapid changes in workplaces across all fields in every part of the world.
Along with advancements in technology, the landscape of work and jobs has changed significantly in recent years. Some industries have progressed rapidly, while others have declined. This has disrupted standards of living and caused a shift in career aspirations. As the relationship between in person and virtual becomes ever more blurred, how can we prepare for the years ahead?
The Careers of the Future podcast hopes to address and explore such questions.
The series first launched in November 2020 as a show on The Ismaili TV to support students as they prepare to navigate the future of work. Each episode focuses on a particular industry and features an interview with a member of the Jamat at the cutting edge of their field. The interviews cover their career journey and elicit their perspective on where their field will go in the near future. Episode topics range from entrepreneurship, to user experience, to management consulting.
The podcast will feature audio versions of these conversations optimised for listening on the go. Episodes will be released weekly on Tuesdays and can be accessed on all major podcast platforms, including Apple, Google, and Spotify.
The first episode will feature a conversation about what the future of work is and how students should approach building their skill sets for a changing world.
To find the podcast, search 'Careers of the Future' on Spotify or Apple podcasts, or visit The Ismaili Podcasts page https://www.podbean.com/theismaili. You can also see video versions of all episodes on The Ismail TV on demand http://tv.ismaili/browse/careers-of-the-future.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... re-podcast
The Ismaili is excited to announce that Careers of the Future is launching a weekly podcast starting today, 14 September.
Even before 2020, our youth were expecting to inherit a vastly different world from their parents, but post-pandemic, this has been brought into sharper focus. Careers of the Future hopes to equip young people for the rapid changes in workplaces across all fields in every part of the world.
Along with advancements in technology, the landscape of work and jobs has changed significantly in recent years. Some industries have progressed rapidly, while others have declined. This has disrupted standards of living and caused a shift in career aspirations. As the relationship between in person and virtual becomes ever more blurred, how can we prepare for the years ahead?
The Careers of the Future podcast hopes to address and explore such questions.
The series first launched in November 2020 as a show on The Ismaili TV to support students as they prepare to navigate the future of work. Each episode focuses on a particular industry and features an interview with a member of the Jamat at the cutting edge of their field. The interviews cover their career journey and elicit their perspective on where their field will go in the near future. Episode topics range from entrepreneurship, to user experience, to management consulting.
The podcast will feature audio versions of these conversations optimised for listening on the go. Episodes will be released weekly on Tuesdays and can be accessed on all major podcast platforms, including Apple, Google, and Spotify.
The first episode will feature a conversation about what the future of work is and how students should approach building their skill sets for a changing world.
To find the podcast, search 'Careers of the Future' on Spotify or Apple podcasts, or visit The Ismaili Podcasts page https://www.podbean.com/theismaili. You can also see video versions of all episodes on The Ismail TV on demand http://tv.ismaili/browse/careers-of-the-future.
https://the.ismaili/global/news/communi ... re-podcast
Odyssey X Ismaili CIVIC: Looking to the Future with Strength
Launching Odyssey X Ismaili CIVIC, a virtual program for youth across Canada from Friday, September 24 to Sunday, September 26. Students in grades 7-12 will have the opportunity to forge new connections, hear inspiring stories from mentors in the Jamat, develop new skills through interactive workshops, and make a difference within their local community.
Space is limited - register now! https://iicanada.org/form/odyssey-x-ism ... gistration
If you are interested in being a counsellor, please register here https://iicanada.org/form/odyssey-x-ism ... nformation
The deadline to register is Monday, September 20.
Come #RideTheWave towards the exciting future that you will help shape.
Register
https://iicanada.org/form/odyssey-x-ism ... gistration
Launching Odyssey X Ismaili CIVIC, a virtual program for youth across Canada from Friday, September 24 to Sunday, September 26. Students in grades 7-12 will have the opportunity to forge new connections, hear inspiring stories from mentors in the Jamat, develop new skills through interactive workshops, and make a difference within their local community.
Space is limited - register now! https://iicanada.org/form/odyssey-x-ism ... gistration
If you are interested in being a counsellor, please register here https://iicanada.org/form/odyssey-x-ism ... nformation
The deadline to register is Monday, September 20.
Come #RideTheWave towards the exciting future that you will help shape.
Register
https://iicanada.org/form/odyssey-x-ism ... gistration
Finding Her Voice
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqv2kxfGWpY
Many youth in Pakistan don’t have the platform and opportunity to participate in and influence decision-making.
Adiba, a youth advocate in Pakistan, is part of a youth group supported by AKF that comes together to discuss gender equality, health, and other issues. Through the group, Adiba is gaining confidence and navigating how she can use her voice to make a positive change in her community.
Learn more about AKF's work in Pakistan by joining the Virtual Voyage at virtualvoyage.akfusa.org. #AKFVirtualVoyage
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqv2kxfGWpY
Many youth in Pakistan don’t have the platform and opportunity to participate in and influence decision-making.
Adiba, a youth advocate in Pakistan, is part of a youth group supported by AKF that comes together to discuss gender equality, health, and other issues. Through the group, Adiba is gaining confidence and navigating how she can use her voice to make a positive change in her community.
Learn more about AKF's work in Pakistan by joining the Virtual Voyage at virtualvoyage.akfusa.org. #AKFVirtualVoyage
English translation of the original article in Portuguese https://the.ismaili/portugal/candidatur ... nters-2022
Global Encounters 2022 Applications
Global Encounters, an initiative for Ismaili Youth, is accepting applications for the 2022 cycle.
Through Global Encounters, nearly 1,200 participants from 35 countries have made lifelong friendships with their peers around the world, and collectively contributed more than 30,000 hours of service to local schools and communities, transforming the how they see the world.
Global Encounters camps are organized in partnership with the Aga Khan Academies and University. Participants have a unique opportunity to experience pluralism while staying in Mombasa, Hyderabad or Karachi.
Young Ismailis between the ages of 15 and 18 are encouraged to apply and must attend secondary education. Applications are also open for volunteers who have completed higher education, young professionals, and who are passionate about working with youth.
In 2022, three fields are planned:
- Global Encounters Kenya at the Aga Khan Academy. in Mombasa, from 25 June to 17 July 2022.
- Global Encounters India, at the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabadi, December 24, 2022 to January 7, 2023.
- Global Encounters Pakistan, at the Aga Khan University (Karachi), from December 24, 2022 to January 7, 2023.
Note: More locations may be added and dates may be changed.
With safety being a priority for those interested, Global Encounters will regularly share with participants and their families considerations, information and adaptations to the program, due to COVID-19.
For more information and applications visit the.Ismaili/globalencounters, or contact the relevant Jurisdiction Coordinator. The deadline for candidacy for the three programs is January 23, 2022.
https://the.ismaili/portugal/candidatur ... nters-2022
Global Encounters 2022 Applications
Global Encounters, an initiative for Ismaili Youth, is accepting applications for the 2022 cycle.
Through Global Encounters, nearly 1,200 participants from 35 countries have made lifelong friendships with their peers around the world, and collectively contributed more than 30,000 hours of service to local schools and communities, transforming the how they see the world.
Global Encounters camps are organized in partnership with the Aga Khan Academies and University. Participants have a unique opportunity to experience pluralism while staying in Mombasa, Hyderabad or Karachi.
Young Ismailis between the ages of 15 and 18 are encouraged to apply and must attend secondary education. Applications are also open for volunteers who have completed higher education, young professionals, and who are passionate about working with youth.
In 2022, three fields are planned:
- Global Encounters Kenya at the Aga Khan Academy. in Mombasa, from 25 June to 17 July 2022.
- Global Encounters India, at the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabadi, December 24, 2022 to January 7, 2023.
- Global Encounters Pakistan, at the Aga Khan University (Karachi), from December 24, 2022 to January 7, 2023.
Note: More locations may be added and dates may be changed.
With safety being a priority for those interested, Global Encounters will regularly share with participants and their families considerations, information and adaptations to the program, due to COVID-19.
For more information and applications visit the.Ismaili/globalencounters, or contact the relevant Jurisdiction Coordinator. The deadline for candidacy for the three programs is January 23, 2022.
https://the.ismaili/portugal/candidatur ... nters-2022