Creativity and community converge in Toronto this weekend for an artistic celebration like no other - the inaugural Illume Visual Arts and Film Festival.

Showcasing the incredible range of talent within the Canadian Jamat, this two-day festival features captivating film screenings, an immersive art gallery, and insightful dialogues.

On November 11 and 12,  the Aga Khan Museum and Ismaili Centre Toronto will come alive with imagination and inspiration - or as Gen Z'ers say, it's about to get lit!

From documentaries that illuminate to dazzling canvas creations, experience excellence across creative mediums and cultures. Discover emerging voices. Meet established visionaries. Let boundless arts awaken your senses. Take in live music and performances infused with soulful Sufi influences. And connect with our creative community through exhibits and hands-on workshops.

Check out the full schedule of events taking place this weekend. Then grab your Festival Pass while supplies last and unlock a world of discovery, community and inspiration.

Beret and turtleneck optional - the art scene is for everyone. Let's unite through creativity this weekend at Illume 2023! 

Join us for an enlightening session led by Rehana Rajabali in which we will explore the realm of Anticipatory Adaptation to Climate Change, paving the way for a more resilient future.

Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 10am PT | 11am MT | 1pm ET.

Register

Get ready to be inspired! This evening, the beloved Friday Night Reflections returns for a special episode, delving deep into Global Encounters, the newest Jamati institution established by Mawlana Hazar Imam to unite and uplift the global Jamat.

Join host Salima Ladhani as we discover the origins and aims behind this groundbreaking initiative through an exclusive Ismaili TV conversation with Malik Talib, Chairman of the Leaders International Forum. Explore how Global Encounters fosters talent and creates transformational experiences in arts, culture, sports and leadership development.

Hear stories from members of the Jamat, whose passions have blossomed through Global Encounters programs. From developing artistic talents at Jubilee Arts festivals, to completing alongside brothers and sisters at the Jubilee Games, to creating lifelong friends from around the world at international camps, these first-hand accounts showcase the tangible impact.

So pour some green tea, gather the family, and tune in this evening at iicanada.live. Can't catch the live stream? Watch it anytime after at iicanada.org/fnr.

Lights! Camera! Action! The stars are aligning for an awards night like no other. Forget the Grammys - the real talent is coming together at the Illume Performing Arts Virtual Awards Ceremony on Friday, October 6.

You watched the grueling regional qualifiers. You witnessed the mesmerizing national showcase in Hamilton. Now watch as dreams come true and lives change forever. Okay, we're being a little dramatic, but this is going to be an epic night!

Tune in as your dazzling hosts Tanya Yousofi and Aryaan Kanji roll out the red carpet. Expect outrageous outfits, riotous banter, and more surprises and special guests than a Beyonce album drop. Most importantly, incredible performing artists from across Canada will take center stage. The winners announced will represent Canada at the Global Encounters Festival next July in Dubai!

When the curtains rise, you won't believe your eyes. Spectacular vocalists, instrumental virtuosos, phenomenal dancers, and creative visionaries will inspire you with passion and artistry.

So mark those calendars and get ready for the glitz, glamour and talent that is the Illume Awards. 

A special in-person viewing event will take place in the following Jamatkhanas at 8:30pm (local time):

• Headquarters
• Westwinds
• Franklin
• Northwest
• South
• Generations
• Saskatoon

For details about the live broadcast, please visit here.

See you there!

Lights! Camera! Action! The stars are aligning for an awards night like no other. Forget the Grammys - the real talent is coming together at the Illume Performing Arts Virtual Awards Ceremony!

You watched the grueling regional qualifiers. You witnessed the mesmerizing national showcase in Hamilton. Now watch as dreams come true and lives change forever. Okay, we're being a little dramatic, but this is going to be an epic night!

Tune in as your dazzling hosts Tanya Yousofi and Aryaan Kanji roll out the red carpet. Expect outrageous outfits, riotous banter, and more surprises and special guests than a Beyonce album drop. Most importantly, incredible performing artists from across Canada will take center stage. The winners announced will represent Canada at the Global Encounters Festival next year in Dubai!

When the curtains rise, you won't believe your eyes. Spectacular vocalists, instrumental virtuosos, phenomenal dancers, and creative visionaries will inspire you with passion and artistry.

A special in-person viewing event will take place in Jamatkhanas this evening at 8:30pm (local time).

Watching at home? Pop some popcorn and put on a fresh pot of chai, gather the family, and tune in at iicanada.live. Can't catch the live stream? No worries! You can enjoy the show anytime afterward by visiting iicanada.org. See you there!

Join us on Friday May 26 to celebrate Prince Hussain and Princess Fareen's visit to Canada with a special episode of Friday Night Reflections.

Host Ziyana Vasaya kicks us off in Calgary and ends in Toronto, with a stop in Waterloo. Along the way, we recap events of the past week and reflect on some of the critical themes emerging from Prince Hussain’s captivating underwater photography exhibition The Living Sea - Fragile Beauty.

A special in-person viewing event will take place this evening in all Jamatkhanas at 8:30pm (local time),

Watching at home? Grab some nankaitai and green tea, gather the family, and tune in at iicanada.live. Can't catch the live stream? No worries! You can enjoy the show anytime afterward by visiting iicanada.org/fnr. See you there!

The year 2022 is a milestone one for the Jamat in Canada. It is the 65th anniversary of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Imamat as well as 50 years since the Jamat's significant establishment in Canada. Starting in 1972, with the first mass migration of Ismailis, Jamati members from around the world have established themselves and made Canada their permanent home. 

On our upcoming episode of Friday Night Reflections, President Ameerally Kassim-Lakha joins us to launch a year of commemorative events marking this milestone 50th anniversary.

Host Husein Madhavji will then take us on a voyage across our great country, kicking-off in Toronto, stopping along the way in Edmonton, and ending in Vancouver. Together, we will enjoy highlights of the special events that will take place over the week in the presence of members of the Imamat family.

Join us in Jamatkhana on Friday, September 30, for a special in-person viewing event at 8:30pm (local time), and enjoy some cake and sherbet..

Watching at home? Enjoy the show with your family by tuning in at iicanada.live, or watch anytime following the live stream at iicanada.org/fnr.

Catch a sneak peak of what's to come! 

Over the past 40 years, the situation in Afghanistan has grown ever more complex. Amidst droughts and insecurity, the country has endured conflict and 30 years of civil war. Today, Afghanistan is in the throes of a humanitarian and economic crisis.

On this evening's episode of Friday Night Reflections, we are privileged to be joined by Khalil Z. Shariff, CEO of Aga Khan Foundation Canada and Dr. Najmuddin Najm, CEO of Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan. The two leaders sit down with host Kiran Hayat for a conversation exploring the situation in Afghanistan on the ground, the lifesaving impact of AKDN activities and efforts to address food insecurity, employment, health care, education and the status of women.

Of course, it would be impossible to recognize the impact of Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), without recognizing the leadership, generosity, and global-mindedness that the Jamat has demonstrated through the World Partnership Walk.

Join us in Jamatkhana tonight, Friday, May 20, for a special 35-minute in-person viewing event at 8:30 pm (local time).

Watching at home? Enjoy the show with your family by tuning in at iicanada.live, or watch anytime following the live stream at iicanada.org/fnr.

Join us in Jamatkhana tonight for a special Navroz edition of Friday Night Reflections. Hosts Rizwan Manji and Husein Madhavji kick off Navroz weekend, celebrating a new season of spiritual renewal and physical rejuvenation as One Jamat.

Special guest Farah Bundeali sits down with President Ameerally Kassim-Lakha to discuss the challenges and opportunities that await the Jamat, support for those facing global uncertainty and conflict, and exciting new development activity.

Commentary from everyone’s favourite Nani reminds us how even difficult times can offer reasons to smile. And special reflections from Mukhi and Mukhiani Nazmudin and Shahenaz Bhanji inspire hope and gratitude.

Join us to watch FNR in-person in Jamatkhana on Friday evening, catch it at iicanada.live, or watch the program anytime following the live stream at iicanada.org/fnr.