The European Chapter Group of the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Alumni Association recently organised their Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2023 centred on Migration, Refugees and Muslim Diaspora.
Dubbed “Ittisaal” – a term symbolising connection and harmony – The two-day event took place on August 19-20 and was attended by number of alumni from across the UK and EU.
Day one started with a keynote address by  from University of Sussex, who spoke about the Islamic concept of ´³¾±·É²¹°ùÌýand its relevance to the pressing issues facing asylum seekers and refugees. A session on the response of  to refugee settlement in the UK and EU by  followed this. The day also featured alumni presentations, allowing ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ graduates,ÌýMurid Shah, Ula Zeir, and Fatima Jiwani, to present and share their research with a wider audience.
Day two opened with a keynote address delivered by , followed by a panel discussion on “Migration, Refugees and the New Ismaili Diaspora.” The panel presented views from diverse sociodemographic contexts and consisted of ,Ìý,Ìý, and .
Alumni then had the opportunity to participate in an interactive session with the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ Board of Governors Habib Motani,ÌýRahim Karim,ÌýKarina Govindji, and Dr Nadia Eboo Jamal, followed by a discussion with Dr Shiraz Kabani on the latest developments at the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡. The day ended with a talk delivered by GPISH graduate Amirali Parpia, on navigating a career in international development.
The AGM concluded with a soulful Qawwali performance by the . The performance was enjoyed by the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ staff, students, and members of the Jamaat, marking a fitting end to a successful event. The AGM was a valuable opportunity for ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ alumni to reconnect, network, and learn from each other. It also provided a forum for discussing the critical issues of migration and refugees, exploring how educational institutes like the ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ can play a role in addressing these challenges.
