Calgary/Vancouver (Rajeev Sharma): A transformative chapter in Canadian civic and religious history unfolded across Western Canada as His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the 50th Imam of the Shia Nizari Ismaili Muslims, completed his inaugural official tour of the region. Accompanied by his sons, Prince Irfan Aga Khan and Prince Sinan Aga Khan, the multi-day visit marked the Imam’s first regional tour since succeeding his late father, Shah Karim al-Husseini (Aga Khan IV), following his passing in February 2025. Spanning high-level engagements and spiritual assemblies across Alberta and British Columbia, the visit celebrated over five decades of deep-rooted partnership between Canada, the Ismaili Imamat, and the global Aga Khan Development Network.
The journey commenced on July 23, 2026, in Calgary, where local leaders and community members extended a warm Western welcome to His Highness and his family. In keeping with Calgary’s cherished tradition of hospitality, civic leadership presented His Highness and his sons with the iconic Calgary White Hat, symbolizing enduring friendship and mutual respect. During his time in Alberta, His Highness met with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas to discuss shared commitments to education, healthcare, social development, and community resilience. The spiritual centerpiece of the Prairie leg took place at Calgary’s BMO Centre, where over 20,000 Ismaili Muslims gathered from across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba for a landmark regional assembly (Didar), celebrating faith, unity, and ethical service to society.
Following the intense Prairie sessions, Aga Khan V traveled to British Columbia over the weekend for an extensive series of diplomatic meetings and social development launches in Vancouver. British Columbia Premier David Eby officially welcomed His Highness and held a bilateral meeting to praise the Ismaili community’s extraordinary contributions to humanitarianism, healthcare, and volunteerism across the province. Simultaneously, federal Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand met with Prince Rahim Aga Khan V to review joint global development initiatives, regional security, and national affordable housing partnerships, referencing the progress made since earlier consultations with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
At a high-profile Building Together event in Vancouver, His Highness joined Premier David Eby, Minister Anita Anand, and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim to unveil landmark community projects, including the expansion of Generations Vancouver. The initiative represents an innovative multi-generational development model combining affordable housing, senior care, early learning, and social infrastructure. During the ceremonies, Mayor Ken Sim presented His Highness with a commemorative civic gift recognizing more than fifty years of civic partnership between the City of Vancouver and the Ismaili Imamat. Emphasizing the core values of his leadership, His Highness noted that in Ismaili tradition, faith must find practical expression in efforts to improve the quality of human life through self-reliance, compassion, and sustained community service.
