The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a religious organization, international in its scope, with branches in over 181 countries in Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. This is the most dynamic denomination of Islam in modern history, with worldwide membership exceeding hundreds of million.
The Ahmadiyya Community was established in 1889 by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) of Qadian, India. He claimed to be the expected reformer of the latter days, the Awaited One of the world community of religions (the Mahdi & Messiah). The Community is an embodiment of the benevolent message of Islam - peace, universal brotherhood, and submission to the Will of God - in its pristine Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad purity.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam was created under divine guidance with the objective to rejuvenate Islamic moral and spiritual values. It encourages interfaith dialogue, and diligently defends Islam and tries to correct misunderstandings about Islam in the Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
West. It advocates peace, tolerance, love and understanding among followers of different faiths. It firmly believes in and acts upon the Qur`anic teaching: "There is no compulsion in religion." (2:257).
Conference Objective
The Interfaith concept is a unifying vehicle, which can aid us in bringing the reformation of the world nearer to reality. This conference was envisioned by the founder of worldwide Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, over a hundred years ago.
The Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam organizes it in many countries on a regular basis. Scholars of various religions express the beauties of their respective faiths, in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere of love and brotherhood.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Calgary is holding this conference first time in the city of Medicine Hat. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Canada has been holding many Interfaith Symposia and Conferences across Canada.
The Community firmly believes and promotes its blessed slogan; “Love for All Hatred for None”.
Program Agenda March 29, 2007
6:00 pm
Door Opening & Refreshments
6:30 pm
Event Commencement
6:40 pm
Greetings from the Mayor
6:45 pm
Ms. Deborah Lloyd – First Nations Perspective
7:05 pm
Mr. Yasuo Izumi – Buddhist Perspective
7:25 pm
Mr. Russell Stagg – Jewish Perspective
7:45 pm
Reverend Gene Packwood – Christian Perspective
8:05 pm
Mr. Naseem Mahdi – Islamic Perspective
8:25 pm
Question & Answers
8:55 pm
Vote of Thanks
SPEAKERS PROFILIES
Deborah Lloyd
Representing First Nations
Deborah is currently employed as First Nations, Metis and Inuit Education Teacher in Medicine Hat School - a position she has held for 19 years. She has worked on Provincial and Federal initiatives, served on many boards and committees and has worked toward unity amongst all peoples. Her extensive work on the Elimination of Racism and work to improve racial harmony in her community has brought many different peoples together and earned her the name of Buffalo Woman. Deborah is of Cree ancestry and is a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation.
Deborah is a descendant of one of the first ordained Methodist ministers of Aboriginal ancestry in Canada whose family grew to become a strong presence in the United Church of Canada.
She is currently the President of the board for the Miywasin Society of Aboriginal Services in Medicine Hat and is a Commission Board member for the Alberta Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Commission.
Mr. Yasuo Izumi
Representing Buddhism
Yasuo Izumi was born in Kawasaki City, Japan in 1944. He graduated from Taisho University in Tokyo, Japan. He received Master of Buddhist Study from the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkley, California.
Currently, Mr Izumi is the Minister of Buddhist Federation of Alberta.
Mr. Russell Stagg
Representing Judaism
Russell Stagg (B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D) interned in 2006 as Calgary's first Jewish hospital chaplain, ministering to patients of all faiths. He now serves as the Jewish chaplain at the U of C (where he teaches Physics). He will soon complete his MA in Jewish Studies with Gratz College in Philadelphia.
A member of Temple B'nai Tikvah, he also leads services for a local Renewal chavurah. He and his Evangelical Christian wife Suzy have five children and five grandchildren.
Reverend Gene Packwood
Representing Christianity
St Barnabas Anglican Church, Medicine Hat
Gene is married to Judy. They were both born in New Zealand, immigrated to Canada in 1974, and have two grown married children and two granddaughters. Gene has been a follower of Jesus for nearly 30 years. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1991 after seminary studies in Saskatoon.
Before seminary he spent some 20 years making television programs for a living…most recently with Alberta’s ACCESS Network. His first parish was St Francis of Assisi Anglican Church in Airdrie, Alberta, where he served for 8 years. Gene is presently the parish priest at St Barnabas in Medicine Hat and has been for 8 years.
Mr. Naseem Mahdi
Representing Islam
Mr. Naseem Mahdi,National President and Missionary In-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Canada, is a learned scholar in Islam. He is a graduate from an Ahmadiyya Muslim University in Rabwah, Pakistan.
Mr. Mahdi is also the recipient of the Governor General’s Award for community services, Chair of the Ahmadiyya Gazette, and President and CEO of Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (MTA) Canada.
Mr. Garth Vallely
Mayor, City of Medicine Hat
Garth Vallely was elected as Mayor of the City of Medicine Hat – October 2001 and re-elected October 2004. Garth has served on the Medicine Hat Community Foundation as Chairman from 1996 – 2000 and is a past member of the Provincial Board of the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
The community recognized Garth with the 1999 Civic Recognition ‘Humanitarian’ Award for his contribution to Medicine Hat as a volunteer and community leader. Garth has been married to Maryanne for 48 years. They have three children (one deceased) and eight grandchildren.
