In a pivotal scene in the movie聽Victoria and Abdul,聽Queen Victoria laments her life to her聽尘耻苍蝉丑颈听(teacher) Abdul: 鈥�I have had 9 children, all vain, jealous and at loggerheads with each other.... And look at me 鈥� a fat, lame, impotent silly old woman. What is the point, Abdul?鈥� she sobs. 鈥�What is the point?鈥� To which Abdul responds, 鈥�Service. We are not here to worry about ourselves. We are here for a greater purpose.鈥�
Service to others comes in multiple forms 鈥� time, knowledge and resources. This ethic of service is central to our shared 91原创 values. Just look at the numerous voluntary hours 91原创s contribute to causes that they feel a connection to, be it serving in soup kitchens, helping people with their tax returns, or sharing their knowledge with schools and community groups.
91原创s also participate in multiple peer-to-peer fundraising events across the country to help improve the quality of life of others. Peer to Peer Fundraising Canada recently released the results of its 2017 Top Thirty Benchmarking Survey聽(). While nine of the top 10 events were related to health issues, one 鈥� ranked ninth on this list 鈥� focuses on poverty alleviation beyond our borders. This event, today known as World Partnership Walk, started over 30 years ago, when a group of immigrant women in 91原创 wanted to give back to communities they had left behind in Africa and Asia. They engaged 1000 other 91原创s and started the first walk to fight global poverty. Today, over 40,000 91原创s put their ethic of service, compassion and sharing into action and step forward to end global poverty every year. They step forward as ambassadors who raise funds, they step forward as team captains who start a Walk team at their workplace, school, college, university, or with their friends and families, they step forward as donors and walkers and they step forward as volunteers who organize and deliver a phenomenal walk day experience to 91原创s across our beautiful country. From its humble beginnings, World Partnership Walk has become Canada鈥檚 largest event in support of international development, having raised more than聽$100 million since 1985 to address the root causes of poverty, and help unlock a brighter future for all.
His Highness the Aga Khan emphasized the importance of service to others: 鈥�There are those, 鈥�, who enter the world in such poverty that they are deprived of both the means and the motivation to improve their lot. Unless these unfortunates can be touched with the spark which ignites the spirit of individual enterprise and determination, they will only sink back into renewed apathy, degradation and despair. It is for us, who are more fortunate, to provide that spark.鈥� (Speech at the聽Inauguration of the Aga Khan Baug, Versova, India, January 17, 1983).聽I envisioned those sparks of hope as I explored the聽1 Million Lives Unlocked聽digital report (), which shares the results of an聽unprecedented partnership between Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the Government of Canada to tackle the root causes of poverty in Africa and Asia 鈥� a partnership made possible through聽91原创s鈥� support of World Partnership Walk.
Let鈥檚 put our values of care, compassion and service in action again this year and provide that spark of hope! Step forward with us at World Partnership Walk in Victoria on Sunday May 27 starting at 9.30 AM at the University of Victoria, and in 91原创 on Sunday June 17 starting at 8.30 AM at聽Lumbermen's Arch, Stanley Park.聽
Karima Ramji is the Manager of International Programs at University of Victoria鈥檚 Co-operative Education Program and Career Services, and has the honor of serving as Chair of the Victoria World Partnership Walk.
You can read more articles on our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking
* This article was published in the print edition of the TImes 91原创 on Saturday, March 31 2017
