The Az-Zahraa Youth Committee is a group of active youth from the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre in Richmond, British Columbia. The aim of our elected group is to provide the Shia Muslim youth of the Lower Mainland with engaging events and activities that promote Islamic values, provide various services at the centre, and provide opportunities to reach out and make a difference outside the greater Vancouver community. Our entire group works on a voluntary basis.
YouTalks
What: Interactive speaker series and workshops on various themes and topics
When: Last Thursday of every month
Where: Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre School/Madrasah area
Who: Open to the whole community, free of charge
This program has three purposes:
• To provide people in the community a chance to speak or lead a workshop to share their knowledge and skills
• To invite members of the community to expand their knowledge and skills, and broaden their perspective of
Islam
• To provide a platform for external speakers that can bring different perspectives
The program was aimed to attract more members into the centre on Thursday nights and has been very successful, with over 70 people of all ages attending every program.
Ramadhan 1434 [Fasting 2013]: “An Enlightened Eid”
This project was in collaboration with the Semiahmoo House Society (SHS), an organization that creates employment opportunities and provides other services for people with developmental disabilities. This opportunity was realized after talking to a member from our community who is currently employed there.
Flowers, cards and hand-made candles (from SHS) were sold on a pre-order basis. The event was promoted through announcements, posters and a special promotional video (below). On Eid day, we delivered the gifts to the recipients on behalf of their friends and family. The event was a huge success.
I worked with SHS to create four card designs which we then purchased and made available for members of the community to pre-order prior to Eid as gifts for their friends and family.
Video Slam – Our Saviour, Imam Mehdi (a)
This event was the first of its kind, and a variation of the Annual Poetry Slam. Youth ages 13-30 could apply individually or in teams of two, and would have to create a video with a poem.
This event was promoted through a video, keeping in tune with the event. Working with a partner, we filmed the background and then worked with iMovie to create the other graphics.
The Events of Muharram 1435 [The Month of Mourning]
We held three events over the second weekend of November.
We hold several social events too, one of which was Go-Karting for Boys, organized by a junior member of our team. I assisted him with the graphics.
