Golden Jubilee :Visits: Madagascar visit

Madagascar visit



The second stop in this visit to Africa was to the island of Madagascar. Upon arrival at the airport of Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, on 26th November, Mawlana Hazar Imam was welcomed as a State Guest by the President of the Senate, Rajemison Rakotomahoro, along with government ministers, civic and military officials, as well as senior Jamati leaders. The ceremonial welcome included a military guard of honour, replete with a rendering of the Imam’s Anthem, the Nashid al-Imamah, and the Madagascar National Anthem.
During his four-day visit, Mawlana Hazar Imam had formal meetings with Madagascar’s President, His Excellency Marc Ravalomanana; the Prime Minister, Charles Rabemananjara; the Senate President, Rajemison Rakotomahoro, and the National Assembly President, Jacques Sylla.
In remarks made at a formal banquet hosted by the Prime Minister, Mawlana Hazar Imam said that Islam’s ethics establish an inextricable link between spiritual and material life, din and dunya. The Imam’s responsibilities as spiritual leader and interpreter of the faith are coupled with a deep commitment to improving the quality of life – not only for the Jamat, but also others who share their lives.
“Our duty is to try to free people from poverty. And to me, poverty means being without shelter, without protection, without access to healthcare, education, or credit, and without hope of ever controlling one’s own destiny. This means condemning one’s children and grandchildren to unacceptable living conditions.”
In his address, Prime Minister Charles Rabemananjara commended Mawlana Hazar Imam for his leadership. “Your attitude as a spiritual leader who is tolerant, moderate and respectful of others is precious. The world, in fact, needs leaders who can demonstrate by their words and acts that religion can be a force for peace, justice, common ethical values and development.”
The following day, Mawlana Hazar Imam travelled to the village of Ambalafary in the remote Sofia region in the north of the country where he met with village representatives who are benefiting from, and working with, the AKF’s rural development programme. This programme has helped some 10,000 villagers to multiply their yields of rice, in some cases by up to six times. Speaking to the villagers, Mawlana Hazar Imam indicated that the Imamat plans to increase its work in the region.
“I would like to confirm to you that the Foundation would like to increase its activities in the region, and allow other rural populations of Madagascar to benefit from what we have learnt here. But we would like to extend our activities in different fields; in health, in education and in habitat. And I hope that in the years ahead, we can grow our partnership to have an even greater impact on the quality of life of the populations of Sofia and elsewhere.”
Returning to Antananarivo, Mawlana Hazar Imam visited the site of the renovation of a Malagasy Royal Palace, knows as the Palais du Rova. Originally built in the 18th Century by King Andrianampoinimerina, this Palace is considered to be a symbol of the national and cultural heritage of Madagascar. Destroyed by a devastating fire in 1995, the Government of Madagascar is now rebuilding the Palace. Later that evening, Mawlana Hazar Imam hosted a dinner in honour of President Marc Ravolamanana who was represented by Prime Minister Charles Rabemananjara.
The highlight of the visit for the Jamat was the Golden Jubilee Darbar held on Thursday 29th November. President Nishad Djaffar delivered a loyalty address to the Imam on behalf of the Jamat of Madagascar and the countries under its jurisdiction. Members of the Jamat from across the world, in particular from the francophone world, gathered for this momentous occasion.
In the afternoon, Mawlana Hazar Imam visited the offices of the Premiere Agence de Microfinance, an agency of the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance, established in Madagascar in 2006, which now has seven branches in both rural and urban areas, serving nearly 3,000 small entrepreneurs, after which he attended a dinner hosted by the Jamati Institutions of Madagascar.
As this visit to Southern Africa came to a close, the Jamat in Madagascar gathered at the airport to bid farewell to Mawlana Hazar Imam in a departure that was as ceremonial as his arrival, with the Government delegation headed by President of the National Assembly, Jacques Sylla.
As the Jamat and its leadership across Africa reflects upon Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visit and the many messages he has delivered, the confidence he has expressed in the future of the continent is evident. So, too is the recognition of the work to be done in the years ahead. Indeed, this was summed up by Mawlana Hazar Imam in his speech at the Institutional dinner in Madagascar: “I wanted to tell you that this visit to Madagascar has been a marvellous visit, that I have confidence in the future of Madagascar and of Africa, that we must continue working, building, building for the future of this country, and building stable institutions and help in establishing good governance.”