This past month’s Coffee Lounge session featured the most inspiring and engaging speaker to date in this short series. Khalil Shariff is the CEO of Aga Khan Foundation Canada and a self-professed champion of civic engagement.

Khalil opened up his 40 minute talk with a long pause before stating: “We are currently living in a world where there is lots of instability.” Thus started a very thought provoking and inspiring discussion.

Here are some notes from the session this past weekend:

• What should we understand and how should we react to this fragile global situation is our problem and possibility.
• While the rest of the world might take different routes, we, as Ismaili leaders, can influence the path so that the results are peace and plurality for the world.
• Aga Khan still educates people on the difference between philanthropy and duty, “the mandate of the office of Imam to improve the quality of worldly life for the concerned communities.”  Speech by Aga Khan in Germany
• Encouraged all of us to watch the address by Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter to the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat. 

• Being a Canadian Ismaili has both opportunities and responsibilities. We have the responsibility to use our talents, education, and status in the world as Canadians and in Canada as Ismailies to make this world a better place through tools such as institutions.
• Canadian Ismailies don’t throw their hands up but they respond. How?  They take action: Whether through the Partnership Walk. Volunteer assignments and even travelling abroad to work and serve in developing communities.

There were so many more points. More than can fit into a short blog post.

Here’s what I strongly recommend: If you’re in Toronto and you know that there is a Coffee Lounge with the Ismaili leadership do everything you can to connect and attend.