On September 28, members of the local Ismaili community gathered with University of British Columbia students, faculty, staff, and leadership to commemorate the signing of a Statement of Cooperation between the University and the Ismaili Council for BC.

Signed by UBC’s 15th President Santa J. Ono and Ismaili Council for BC President Samir Manji, the statement sets the foundation for continuous institutional cooperation in the areas of community engagement and knowledge exchange.

Read more at UBC Community Engagement.

Environment Canada is forecasting temperatures above 30°C - are you prepared?

Being prepared requires planning ahead to handle extreme heat. The BC Government has shared resources to help you Be prepared for extreme heat.

The Jamat is advised to take precautions for their own safety:

• Drink plenty of water even before you feel thirsty and stay in a cool place.
• Check on older family, friends and neighbours. Make sure they are cool and drinking water.
• Never leave people or pets inside a parked vehicle.
• Watch for the symptoms of heat illness: dizziness/fainting; nausea/vomiting; rapid breathing and heartbeat; extreme thirst.

Please reach out to the Access Line at 1-888-536-3599 for any questions or for support.

Environment Canada is forecasting temperatures above 30°C from Monday, July 25 onwards - are you prepared?

Being prepared requires planning ahead to handle extreme heat. The BC Government has shared resources to help you Be prepared for extreme heat.

The Jamat is advised to take precautions for their own safety:

• Drink plenty of water even before you feel thirsty and stay in a cool place.
• Check on older family, friends and neighbours. Make sure they are cool and drinking water.
• Never leave people or pets inside a parked vehicle.
• Watch for the symptoms of heat illness: dizziness/fainting; nausea/vomiting; rapid breathing and heartbeat; extreme thirst.

Please reach out to the Access Line at 1-888-536-3599 for any questions or for support.

The Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for infants and preschoolers between the ages of six months and five years old by Health Canada.  In the coming weeks, doses of the Moderna vaccine for young children will be available across Canada. For parents and caregivers of young children, it is normal to have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. To help you navigate, we have compiled relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine and answered some frequently asked questions. We also recommend that you always consult a health care provider if you have specific questions or want more information about vaccination.

Q: What are the benefits of vaccinating my child?

The COVID-19 vaccine helps the body to fight off the virus, making it so that children are less likely to get COVID-19 or experience its symptoms. It also provides an extra layer of protection to help children participate more safely in important developmental activities like in-person learning, sports and social gatherings.

Although children are less likely to get really sick from COVID-19, some can develop more serious cases and may require hospitalization. We have seen hospitalizations among children under five rose considerably with the Omicron variant since December. Vaccines can help to reduce the risk of hospitalization and serious illness from COVID-19, which is one of the most common infectious disease risks for children at this time.

Q: How many doses are needed to fully vaccinate my child?

A: Two Moderna vaccine doses at least 8 weeks apart are recommended for children in Canada. All doses that are given to children under the age of 12 are a smaller dose than what is recommended for other age demographics such as adults.

At this time children between 6 months to 5 years old are not eligible for booster doses.

Q: Should I vaccinate my child if they have already had COVID-19?

A: Yes – vaccines help to reduce your child's risk of getting sick again, and can help to increase their potential protection against future COVID-19 variants. If your child (ages 6 months – 5 years old) has had COVD-19, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that they should wait 2 months after their symptoms started or after testing positive before receiving a first or second vaccine dose (I.e. their primary series). This is not due to a risk of complication but to help maximize the immune response to the vaccine.

Q: How was the vaccine approved for young children?

Approval by Health Canada of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was based on clinical trial data from Canada and the United States where the vaccine was tested for safety and effectiveness. In these studies, no safety issues were detected and the vaccine was demonstrated to provide good protection against COVID-19 infection in the two months post-vaccination.

Q: Are there side effects from the vaccine?

Some people have no adverse reaction when receiving their vaccine dose and some people may experience some type of side effect. Most side effects are mild, and will go away by themselves within hours or days. Many of the side effects for children are similar to those for adults and include:

• Redness, soreness or swelling at the injection site
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Mild Fever

Severe allergic reactions are very rare and treatable, and will usually occur shortly after receiving a vaccine.

The Immunization Monitoring Program ACTive (IMPACT), Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada will continue to monitor and detect any possible rare side effects that didn’t appear in clinical trials.

NACI also recommends waiting 14 days between the vaccine for COVID-19 and another vaccine to help differentiate potential side effects.

To learn more about potential side-effects you can access the Government of Canada’s website on Vaccines for Children.

To get an appointment for vaccination, you need to register your child with the provincial Get Vaccinated system. Vaccination appointments will begin on Tuesday, August 2.

The BC Government has posted more details about vaccination including information on appointments, dosages for children and consent requirements at COVID-19 vaccines for children 6 months to 4 years.

BC Premier John Horgan issued the following statement to mark Imamat Day:

“Today, we join Ismaili Muslims in Canada and around the world in celebrating Imamat Day. This joyful day marks the 65th anniversary of the accession of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV as the 49th hereditary Imam of Shia Ismaili Muslims.

“The Aga Khan’s profound commitment to social development is expressed through his support for countless humanitarian causes and projects. The Aga Khan Development Network helps promote health and education while advancing civil society and pluralism in communities around the world.

“Ismaili Muslims have enriched our province immensely over the years. This special connection is represented by the Ismaili Centre in Vancouver, which was the first to be built in North America.

"Throughout the challenges of the last several years, members of the Ismaili Muslim community have demonstrated the community’s long-standing ethics of generosity and service through initiatives that have supported some of the most vulnerable members of society.

“This fall will mark the 50th anniversary of the community’s first mass migration to Canada. In that short time span, the community and His Highness have contributed immeasurably to the quality of life in this province and country.

“I had the great honour of meeting the Aga Khan in Vancouver in 2018 to mark his Diamond Jubilee.

“The Aga Khan’s values of compassion and respect for diversity are shared by British Columbians. On behalf of all British Columbians, I extend our congratulations to His Highness on the anniversary of his accession as Imam.

“Khushiali Mubarak!”

On behalf of all BC Jamati institutions, Jamati and Majalis Mukhi Kamadia Sahebs and Mukhiani Kamadiani Sahebas, we wish you a heartfelt Imamat Day Mubarak. On July 11, along with Ismailis from all over the world, we will celebrate the 65th anniversary of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s accession to the throne of Imamat.

This Imamat Day, we celebrate 65 years of the Imam’s spiritual and material guidance. We express our gratitude for his tireless efforts, every day, to help ensure the safety and security of his Jamat around the world; for his contributions to humanity at large, towards building a more compassionate, equitable and understanding world; for motivating us to develop our true potential; and for lighting the path, for each one of us, to spiritual understanding. For all this, we are ever grateful.

Throughout history, our Ismaili community has experienced periods of peace and prosperity, but also episodes of challenge and turbulence. What has always remained constant has been the Imam of the time who has shone a guiding light in spiritual and material matters. In his Diwan, Nasir Khusraw writes “The bottom of the seas lies thick with jewels and pearls. Why do you keep running along the shore? Go, seek a diver”. Let us offer shukhrana for Mawlana Hazar Imam’s guidance, unconditional love and affection for the Jamat.

Imamat Day is also an opportunity for us to contemplate the ways we can convey our love for our Imam. We can re-affirm our allegiance, express our gratitude for ensuring the well-being of the Jamat around the world, and support each other and the community at large by living the principles of Islam. Today, let us pray for the strength to fulfill Mawlana Hazar Imam’s vision of a united Jamat.

We wish each and every one of you a joyful and fulfilling Imamat Day. May you, your families and your loved ones be blessed with immense barakah, good health, prosperity, peace, spiritual understanding and the alleviation of all your difficulties. Imamat Day Mubarak.

On Monday, July 11, the global Jamat will commemorate a rare milestone - Mawlana Hazar’s 65th Imamat Day.

Celebrations will conclude on Saturday, July 16 as we come together to celebrate Imamat Day at all Jamatkhanas with a Jaman and Raas program.

We warmly invite multi-faith family members to join us for all the above celebrations following Jamati ceremonies in the social hall. We look forward to celebrating as one united family.

Given the on-going COVID risks, please stay home if you are unwell and continue taking appropriate precautions such as hand sanitizing and masking where appropriate.

The Jamat is kindly requested to continue following all local health and safety precautions when attending Jamathkana, and to avoid attending Jamatkhana if you are feeling unwell. Following these simple guidelines will benefit all members of the Jamat.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or come in close contact with someone who has, please avoid attending Jamatkhana for 5 days, and wait until your symptoms improve and you no longer have a fever.

Review The BC Centre for Disease Control guidelines for self-isolation and self-monitoring if you have tested positive for COVID-19, are having COVID-19 symptoms, or have been in close contact with some who has COVID-19.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we strive to protect the safety of the Jamat.

The 13th Burnaby Ismaili Scout Group travelled to Merritt recently to hand out around 170 packages of essential items such as cleaning supplies, food items and toiletries. Their story was featured by the CBC.

Read their story.

Photo Credit: Junaid Aslam

As a result of provincial health orders announced this week, effective immediately (Friday, March 11), proof of vaccination and government-issued ID are no longer required to attend BC Jamatkhanas.

However a disposable 3-layer mask or medical-grade mask will still be required to be worn while in Jamatkhana.

Please note that proof of vaccination and government-issued ID will be required for attending weddings.

As we adapt to changing health regulations, please continue to exercise personal judgement in protecting the health of others, and to be respectful of other’s choices. Thank you for creating a safe and respectful environment for all.

A reminder - set your clocks forward by one hour at 2am on Sunday, March 13 in observance of Daylight Savings Time.