A team of 26 members from Calgary travelled more than 4,000 kilometres across Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, holding interfaith conferences in four northern communities and beginning a new partnership with a First Nation school in Hay River.
By the grace of Allah, Jama‘at Ahmadiyya Calgary carried out its annual North Tablīgh Tour from 18 to 22 September, 2026. Over five days, a team of 26 members held Voices for Peace conferences in Grande Prairie and Peace River, Alberta, Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; as well as a joint program with a First Nation school near Hay River. In Yellowknife the hall was filled to capacity. In Peace River, a place long regarded as difficult ground to break, the mayor has already asked to begin planning for next year, Alhamdulillah! Also, on the K’atl’odeeche First Nation Reserve, the Ahmadiyya Muslim School (AMS) Calgary formally began a partnership with the Chief Sunrise Education Centre.
Since 2008, the Jama‘at in Calgary has sent teams of volunteers each year to the northern towns of Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. Their purpose is to convey the peaceful message of Islam, to foster interfaith understanding, and to build lasting friendships with community leaders, educators and Indigenous peoples.
This year’s team set out guided by the prophecy made to the Promised Messiah (as): “I shall cause thy message to reach the corners of the Earth.” They travelled with prayers, humility and a spirit of sacrifice, with a single objective: to win the hearts of people in remote communities and to introduce them to a Beneficent and Merciful God.
Themes Chosen by the North
In Dawson Creek, Peace River and Yellowknife, the conferences focused on themes chosen by local leaders to address the region’s most pressing issues: homelessness, addiction, climate disasters and economic uncertainty. Placing these challenges at the heart of the dialogue drew an unprecedented positive response. Mayors, Indigenous chiefs, clergy, educators and Elders helped shape the events, which drew large audiences from all backgrounds.
The Grande Prairie conference, titled “Building a Caring Society: Perspectives on Love, Empathy and Community,” explored the same concerns through the lens of compassion. In keeping with the Community’s motto, “Love for All, Hatred for None,” it brought together a diverse panel of presenters from faith-based and secular backgrounds.
Laying the Groundwork
In the weeks before the tour, a series of meetings prepared the ground, and by the grace of Allah each yielded encouraging results.
On Monday, 14 September, the Jama‘at was invited to address Grande Prairie City Council. A two-member delegation introduced the Voices for Peace Conference and outlined the Jama‘at’s continuing efforts to promote peace, harmony and social cohesion. During the same visit, Big Country 93.1 FM aired an interview with the organizers, a valuable opportunity to share the message of Islam and the Jama‘at’s peace-building work with the wider public.
The team met virtually with Yellowknife City Councillor Garett Cochrane, a longtime friend and supporter of the initiative, who agreed to moderate this year’s Yellowknife conference. He engaged thoughtfully with the program and the make-up of the panel, and offered valuable suggestions for reaching a broader and more diverse audience.
In a cordial virtual meeting, Mayor Shelly Shannon of Peace River expressed strong appreciation for the initiative, describing it as both a personal passion and a much-needed conversation for her community. She was especially enthusiastic about this year’s theme, saying it speaks directly to the needs of the time.
Organizers briefed Mayor Kandis Jameson of Hay River on “Lessons from the Land,” a program planned for 21 September at the Chief Sunrise Education Centre on the K’atl’odeeche First Nation (KFN) Reserve, in association with AMS Calgary. She welcomed both the concept and the theme, assured the team of her office’s full support, and committed to attending in person. She also thanked the Jama‘at for organizing events of such benefit to the region.
A virtual meeting was also held with Chief Bertha Rabesca Zoe of Behchokǫ̀, the largest Tłı̨chǫ Dene community in the Northwest Territories. She warmly received the conference and its mission of bringing diverse community voices together in dialogue, understanding and shared responsibility. The conversation extended to shared values and the prospect of future collaboration, a meaningful step in deepening the Jama‘at’s relationship with the Indigenous leadership of the Northwest Territories.
Finally, through the personal introduction of His Excellency Bishop Jon Hansen of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, a testament to the trust built with the Diocese over the years, the team held a series of meetings with Adam Murray, Superintendent of Yellowknife Catholic Schools, and his staff to explore how teachers and students might take part and benefit from the initiative.
The Journey Begins
The team assembled at Baitun Nur Mosque, Calgary, on the afternoon of Friday, 18 September. After the ‘Asr prayer, and with silent prayers, they set off for Edmonton, where the local Jama‘at hosted them warmly overnight. The next morning, after the Fajr prayer, the team drove on to Valleyview, where it divided into three groups bound for Grande Prairie, Peace River and Dawson Creek. Conferences were held in all three towns at the same time on Saturday, 19 September.
Grande Prairie, Alberta
The 11th Annual Voices for Peace Conference took place at Northwestern Polytechnic, a prestigious seat of learning in northern Alberta. Dr Duff Crerar, a longtime friend of the Jama‘at, moderated the program. Respected community leaders and faculty members presented Indigenous spirituality, the Bahá’í Faith and secular perspectives, and Murabbi Umair Khan Sahib presented the Islamic viewpoint with clarity and depth, holding the audience’s attention throughout. The event was publicized in local media and streamed live, and attendees came from all walks of life.
Dawson Creek, British Columbia
The 8th Annual Voices for Peace Conference took place at Northern Lights College. Veteran independent journalist Rob Brown, a longtime supporter of the initiative, moderated the event. The conference featured diverse interfaith insights, including an Islamic perspective from Murabbi Musawwar Bajwa Sahib and a Christian perspective from Rev Marilyn Carroll of the United Church. Local print and digital media covered the event, publishing feature articles and interviews with the organizers.
Peace River, Alberta
The 10th Annual Voices for Peace Conference was held from 2:30 to 4:00 pm, with Mayor Shelly Shannon moderating the program. Peace River has long been regarded as challenging ground, and at times the difficulty of finding presenters and an audience discouraged some organizers. By the grace of Allah, this year brought a remarkable change.
Father Cornelio Esguerra of Our Lady of Peace Parish represented the Catholic community, the predominant denomination in the area, and Deputy Mayor Stacey Messner of neighbouring Grimshaw also attended and spoke. Murabbi Zahir Ahmad Sahib presented the Islamic perspective. The audience included prominent opinion-makers of the community, among them the head of a local non-profit organization and the director of the municipal library.
The impact was evident in the days that followed. The mayor has already asked to begin planning for next year, and one of the town’s largest organizations has asked to take part in the 2027 program. These results were the merely due to the grace of Allah.
On Saturday evening, the Grande Prairie group and the main Peace River team travelled on to Hay River, where the Chief Sunrise Education Centre generously opened its doors to host them for the next three nights.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
On Sunday, 20 September, the team left Hay River after Fajr for the five-hour drive to Yellowknife. There, the 17th Annual Voices for Peace Conference was held at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, which hosts the event annually in recognition of its educational and community-building value.
Councillor Cochrane moderated the event. Former CBC broadcaster and respected Elder Paul Andrew, a longtime friend of the Jama‘at, was the Guest of Honour. Speakers included Chief Bertha Rabesca Zoe and Fr Luca Baraldi, Chancellor of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, while Murabbi Umair Khan Sahib presented the Islamic perspective.
By the grace of Allah and the prayers of Huzoor-e-Anwar (May Allah be his Helper), the event drew extraordinary interest from local dignitaries and residents of all backgrounds. The hall was filled to capacity, with some attendees standing throughout the program. All the major local media outlets attended and gave the conference lead coverage, and local community members volunteered their time to make it a success. The team returned to Hay River that night.
Hay River: “Lessons from the Land”
Monday, 21 September, was a school day at the Chief Sunrise Education Centre on the KFN Reserve. In the morning, former Chief April Martel led the team on a tour of the reserve, pointing out its historic landmarks and guiding the delegation through Sandy Creek, the school’s wilderness campsite on KFN land. The visitors listened intently as they learned of the community’s rich Indigenous history. A highlight of the day was a community barbecue for the whole school and local residents.
From 1:30 to 3:00 pm, AMS Calgary and the Chief Sunrise Education Centre came together in a joint session titled “Lessons from the Land: Indigenous Wisdom, Environmental Resilience, and Our Shared Future.” AMS Calgary joined online, while others took part in person at the school. The program opened with Tilawat (recitation) of the Holy Qur’an, relayed live from Calgary. Principal Adila Munir Sahiba of AMS Calgary then spoke on Islamic teachings about preserving the environment and natural resources. This was followed by presentations on science and the environment and a session on stewardship as a shared responsibility.
Several local Indigenous Elders and Mayor Kandis Jameson attended in person. The session connected the students and families of both school communities so that they could learn from one another’s experiences, and it marked the formal beginning of a long-planned collaboration between the two sister schools.
The return journey began on Tuesday morning, and the team reached Calgary safely that night.
In the News
The tour drew sustained and often unprecedented attention in print, broadcast and online media across Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
Coverage began before the team departed. EverythingGP, a news outlet, reported on the Jama‘at’s presentation to Grande Prairie City Council and ran a notice of the conference on the eve of the event. River Country FM announced the Peace River program, and CJDC TV in Dawson Creek highlighted the return of Voices for Peace and its focus on homelessness, addiction and climate challenges. In Yellowknife, Cabin Radio previewed the conference in an article that quoted organizer Basheer Islam Sahib on bringing “a message of hope and togetherness” and on the need for “justice and fairness for all” in confronting these crises.
During the tour, CBC North reported on reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and newcomers in connection with the Yellowknife conference, and CKLB Radio carried interviews with Chief Bertha Rabesca Zoe and with a local lawyer who spoke on the housing crisis. The Voices for Peace Conference Facebook page, which also streamed the Grande Prairie program live, gave the wider community a way to follow the tour. By the grace of Allah, this coverage carried the message of peace, interfaith respect and shared responsibility well beyond the rooms in which it was delivered.
Gratitude
All praise belongs to Allah, by whose immense blessings this tour was a success. The prayers of Hazrat Khalīfatul Masih V (May Allah be his Helper), the personal attention and continuous guidance of the respected Local Amir of Calgary, Majeed Ahmad Sahib, and the selfless efforts of a large number of volunteers were a constant source of strength throughout. May Allah accept these humble efforts, grant them lasting results, open further avenues for the Jama‘at and enable us to serve His cause with humility, sincerity and steadfastness. Ameen!
This report was prepared by Kaleem Ahmed Sahib, Local Naib Amir Calgary