• Inaugural Ceremony
• Golden Jubilee Visits
• International Programmes
• Global Celebrations
• Memorabilia

• You are here:
• The Ismaili Home >
• Golden Jubilee >
• AKDN Speaker Series >
• A webcast for change...

A webcast for change in the developing world

Keynote speaker, Dr Tom Kessinger is responsible for coordinating the Aga Khan Foundation’s work around the world, and is the Deputy Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network. Photo: Courtesy of AKDN

On the evening of 10 September 2008, the Ismaili Councils for Canada and United States in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee Nazrana International Task Force hosted a live webcast to inform the Jamat in North America about the opportunity for volunteers who wish to offer a time and knowledge nazrana (TKN). Moderated by CNN’s Senior Business Correspondent, Ali Velshi, it featured keynote speaker, Dr Tom Kessinger, General Manager of the Aga Khan Foundation and Deputy Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network. The objective of the webcast was to convey an understanding of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s vision for volunteers in the Development Network, and the opportunity that TKN presents to serve within the AKDN and Jamati institutions.

Dr Kessinger’s video presentation stressed the need for professional competencies in developing world projects and the Imam’s vision with regard to institutional involvement. “We share His Highness’s vision for these volunteers,” he said. “He sees this [TKN] as an opportunity to access volunteers for the AKDN institutions, to meet the needs of those institutions during a period of growth and diversification as well as providing an opportunity for members of the Jamat to become directly involved in this important set of institutions that the Imamat sponsors, develops, and manages.”

Dr Kessinger explained that advanced degrees and high level career experience is not a prerequisite to being matched with a particular role, and that non-conventional skill sets may be greatly beneficial to AKF’s endeavours. “We are trying to build a database of interested people willing to give service to the AKF and AKDN institutions. We may, by looking at someone’s [TKN] form, discover an opportunity [for service placement] which we were not even aware that we had… formal qualifications are not necessary. If Bill Gates came to work for us out of college without a degree, I’d like to think we’d hire him.”

The first live webcast in the AKDN speaker series highlighted Mawlana Hazar Imam`s vision for TKN. Copyright: Celebrations Global Limited

Towards the end of the webcast, participants had an opportunity to electronically submit live questions to Dr Kessinger regarding volunteer opportunities and TKN. Topics ranged from travel and safety considerations for volunteers to whether the AKF and AKDN are pursuing environmental initiatives around the world. Dr Kessinger answered questions and provided detailed information on the scope of AKDN’s institutional endeavours in the next five years. He further stressed the need for volunteers to strengthen existing institutions as well as provide the human resource capacity to quicken the growth of new institutions.

The success and positive feedback of the first webcast has encouraged the hosting of a second webcast in two weeks with President Firoz Rasul of the Aga Khan University. The second webcast will provide a chance to explore volunteer opportunities within the University’s global initiatives and projects. It will also allow Jamati members who missed the first webcast to learn how their time and knowledge could be applied to help change the developing world.