And finally on March 20th, there will a special event entitled Islam and Music: A Mystical Journey. Join us to explore into the mysteries of Islamic music. What defines a piece of music as “Islamic”? What connection does this piece have to Islam? This session will be an opportunity to understand the role of music as an expression of spirituality in Islam. The session will include a Whirling (Sema) Ceremony along with explanations.

Wednesday, March 20th, 12 noon in the Chapel of the Epiphany. Sponsored by Vancouver School of Theology and the Iona Pacific Inter-religious Centre.

In remembrance of this event, a one hour commemoration will be held in VST’s Chapel of the Epiphany. The program will feature an address delivered by a survivor of the Holocaust, who was hidden as a child in Poland: Lillian Borak Nemetz. Ms. Nemetz is an award-winning author of children’s literature who earned an M.A. at UBC, where she currently teaches in the Writing Centre. Following her remarks, children’s musical composer and cantorial soloist Paula Rosen will sing. Rabbi Philip Bregman of Temple Sholom, who also is president of the Rabbinical Association of Vancouver, will kindle a memorial candle. The program will conclude with a flute and harp duet by two VST students. VST is particularly grateful to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre for arranging the visit by Lillian Borak Nemetz. For more information please contact shannonl@vst.edu or info@ionapacific.ca.

El-Haj Dr. Abdulaziz Khak,i known to everyone as Aziz, passed away May 22, 2012 in Vancouver, BC while celebrating his birthday with his wife Gul.

Born in Zanzibar in 1929 and raised in Dar-es-Salaam on the mainland, Aziz was a proud Zanzibari whose heart blazed with love for Africa. His activism started in his early years, entrenched in his passion for social justice and human dignity: two concepts that shaped his personality, activism and vision.

Always an outspoken rebel, he joined and became active in the independence movement. In August 1962, he married Gulbanu Haji. Their son, El-Farouk, was born in October 1963. After Independence, Aziz immersed himself in working for the betterment of the Muslim and general populations of the country. As the Secretary General of the Tanzania Welfare Society, he was instrumental in creating a Muslim secondary school system that made education possible for thousands of Africans regardless of skin colour, religion or gender.

Aziz performed the Hajj in 1964 with a delegation from the Tanzania Muslim Welfare Society that also took him to Jerusalem. In 1970, Aziz, Gul & El-Farouk fled political repression in Tanzania. And after 3 years in England, found themselves in Canada, drawn to it by its official policies of multiculturalism and bilingualism.

In no time, Aziz was immersed in social justice work. First with the Pacific Interfaith Citizenship Association of BC, transforming it from a tea social to a genuine engagement of the diverse faith communities of BC. In 1982 he was asked to head up the Committee for Racial Justice, a human rights organization that was in the front for human rights and race relations in BC for many years.

Aziz was for many one of the first public faces of Islam in Vancouver & the country. Respected by all the diverse Muslim communities in BC, Aziz’ vision of Islam was broad and inclusive. His many roles includes adviser to the BCMA, Vice President of the Council of Muslim Communities of Canada, Vice President of Canadian Muslim Federation. He was also one of the founders of the IDRF (international Development & Relief Foundation) (idrf.ca).

Aziz was: co-chair of the Provincial Committee on Diversity and Policing; a member of the Commanding Officer’s Advisory Committee on Cultural Diversity – RCMP ‘E’ Division; and the Advisory Committee to the Federal President of the Treasury Board on Employment of Visible Minorities in the Public Service and Crown Corporation.  In addition, Aziz sat on the National Defence Consultative Committee on Social Change; was recipient of the Federal Minister of Multiculturalism Award on Excellence in Race Relations and was recipient of the Governor General’s Award on 125^th Anniversary of Canada.   In 2000 Aziz was declared as one of the 25^th influential spiritual leaders of the past 100 years in British Columbia.

Aziz’ health had been declining in the last few years. In 2009, he received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from St. Marks at UBC. Aziz performed the Umrah in April 2011 with his family including his wife Gul and sister Dolly but sadly did not get to see his beloved Zanzibar again in this life.

Aziz was a valued inaugural member of the Iona Pacific Inter-religious Centre’s Community Advisory Council. He will be greatly missed by his friends and colleagues at VST and Iona Pacific.

The Funeral service will be held on Friday May 25, 2012 at the Burnaby Mosque.

5060 Canada Way Burnaby V5E 3N2

Viewing: 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Juma/Friday congregational Prayers will be conducted from 1:00 – 2:15

Funeral Services will commence @ 2:30.

All regardless of religious or non-religious traditions are invited to attend and join.

For more information: elfin925@rogers.com

May 15, 2012 | 7:00 PM
FREE

Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, 3rd Floor
Goldcorp Centre for the Arts

SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement and the Iona-Pacific Inter-Religious Centre present:

Islamophobia and Interfaith Dialogue: Challenges and Opportunities

A Public Talk with Daniel Tutt

Followed by an interfaith dialogue with local participants

Free admission, but seating is limited. RSVP via EventBrite:
http://islamophobiaandinterfaithdialogue.eventbrite.com

Islamophobia is worse now than it was immediately following the September 11th, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington. Since the election of Barack Obama to President, hate groups have expanded, and American Muslims report higher levels of employment discrimination, hate crimes, and attitudes are generally unfavorable towards Muslims in the United States. Looking historically, the example of homophobia, racism towards African Americans, and other movements present models for activists and community leaders to emulate, however, Islamophobia in America presents unique challenges, and is intimately tied to international politics and a whole range of foreign policy concerns.

The media’s role in perpetuating the “otherizing” of Muslims and Islam contributes to the problem. In this lecture, Daniel Tutt will describe the ways in which Islamophobia can be curbed, as well as share innovative resources that can be applied at a grassroots level.

The talk will be followed by a moderated discussion with local participants and a Q and A with the audience.

Daniel Tutt’s work focuses on creating dialogue and action around persisting problems between Muslims and American mainstream culture. He has directed “20,000 Dialogues,” a project of Unity Productions Foundation that uses film and dialogue to bring different affinity groups together for transformative dialogue on Islam in America. Currently, he is a Fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, a non-partisan think tank that seeks to provide commentary and analysis on issues relating to Islam and Muslims. He serves as an advisor for social justice organizations such as the 9/11 Unity Walk and Religious Freedom U.S.A.

Moderated by Peter Elliot, Christ Church Cathedral

Panellists include:

• Seemi Ghazi, Instructor in Arabic Studies, UBC
• Ali Lakhani, Editor of Sacred Web
• Meharoona Ghani, Former director of the provincial multiculturalism and anti-racism program in B.C
• Robert Daum, Director, Iona-Pacific Inter-Religious Centre
• Paula Carr, Collingwood Neighbourhood House

Besides the keynote address by Karen Armstrong at the Student Conference, delegates will have the opportunity to listen and learn from a host of storytellers from diverse religious backgrounds, including First Nations (Chief Joseph Gosnell), Sikh (Pallbiner Shergill), Jewish (Shoshana Litman), Muslim (Meharoona Ghani), Christian (Stephen Farris), Hindu (Gira Bhatt), Baha’i (Jelana Bighorn) and Buddhist (Michael Ling). Profiles of these storytellers can be found at:

http://www.ionapacific.ca/learning/public-events/storytellers

A limited number of spots remain open to post-secondary students for the Student Conference. To find out more information about the conference, and to register, please visit:
https://www.vst.edu/main/programs/continuing-education/compassion-and-religion
or contact Aliya Hirji at aliya@vst.edu

Also, come find the Student Conference on Facebook by visiting Karen Armstrong Student Conference on Compassion in Religion.