His Highness the Aga Khan's historic, 2014, address to the Canadian Parliament

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• published: 28 Feb 2014
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On 27 February, 2014, by invitation of the Prime Minister of Canada, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, His Highness the Aga Khan spoke in the Chamber of the House of Commons, addressing both the Members of the Senate and the House of Commons. The Aga Khan is one of a handful of individuals who are neither a head of state nor head of government to be accorded this privilege and the first faith leader to be so honoured. Among the topics the Aga Khan covered, in this historic, 45 minute speech, were the history of the Ismaili Imamat, his role as Imam and the need to engage both Shia and Sunni Muslims in global conversations, noting that clashes between the two have recently escalated, for various reasons, in nine countries. He also emphasised the unprecedented success of Canada -- as a model of a peaceful, democratic, pluralist society, calling Canada "a leader in the community of nations" -- was especially valuable to help "countries of crisis" become "countries of opportunity" as well as to help the world build a society based on a cosmopolitan ethic, an ethic which could be shared by, and embraced by, all peoples. The Aga Khan also highlighted some of Canada's close, past partnerships with the Aga Khan Development Network, particularly in education and health-care, while pointing out new ones underway. Click to read the full speech at the NanoWisdoms Archive of Imamat Speeches, Interviews and Writings: http://www.nanowisdoms.org/nwblog/10724/ ABOUT THE NANOWISDOMS ARCHIVE OF IMAMAT SPEECHES, INTERVIEWS & WRITINGS Launched several years ago, in 2011, upon receiving special permission from Aiglemont to publish His Highness the Aga Khan's speeches, the NanoWisdoms Archive is a unique website dedicated solely to the Ismaili Imamat's speeches, interviews and writings. With over 500 readings -- from akdn.org, iis.ac.uk, theismaili.org, aku.org, archnet.org, pluralism.ca, printed materials, media Web sites and other sources -- and 1,000 quotes, the Archive is the most comprehensive, public collection of Ismaili Imamat knowledge available today.