Secretary General speech – Third Annual General Meeting Of WFSLM 2022

Assalamu Alaikum

Greetings from London, United Kingdom,

I am honoured and humbled to be here in the beautiful city of Toronto Canada today among our fellow Sri Lankans.

I am Rizwan Wahab Secretary General of WFSLM based in London, UK. Some of you may know me Personally, others through my work as the SG of WFSLM.

Chairman Barrie, BOM and Executive members, Members of the Canadian Chapter, Well-wishers, supporters of WFSLM, invited guests and observers for the AGM.

This AGM and conference to follow has brought intellectuals and professionals from around the world. We warmly welcome them all.  Participants will discuss the theme “Global voice for unity, coexistence and inclusive development in a Sri Lankan Canadian context”. It is significance in creating harmonious and productive communities that are engaged an Islamic fame work, in the civic process within. WFSLM resonate the type of world view necessary to successfully integrate our community with majority community.

I would like to say a few words about WFSLM before I proceed further.

WFSLM has been in existence since 2012, even though some discussion of a Global Forum was discussed way back in 2004 by Sri Lankan Muslims from around the world, deliberated forming a global Alliance to bring all Muslims globally. But we only succeeded in launching in October 2019, as WFSLM. It was a dream come true for everyone who were involved in attempting to form a worldwide organisation for many years.

Here we are three years on WFSLM is fully functional, structured with guidelines, protocol, rules, and regulations where necessary, we work with around 16 teams and wings supported ably by World coordinators in 23 countries who are in six continents and the BOM and Executive Committee.

WFSLM is registered organisation in the United Kingdom with Head Office in London and offices in Toronto and Melbourne. And planning to open regional offices once our membership increases.

So, ladies and gentlemen we have come a long way, with various obstacles and difficulties which I will not elaborate. Our Teams are managed by experienced team leaders, carefully selected for their KSA.

Commitment and dedication of team members who are selected globally again with stringent criteria and vetting process.  In my progress report for the year 2021/2022, you will be to see the activities of the forum.

WFSLM is focusing on many issues and of our people worldwide, and Sri Lanka in particular. Soon our chapters, in Canada, Melbourne and in UK will carry out activities in the respective countries with the guidance and will be fully supported by the Head Office in London.

For the past three years we embarked on number of important projects through our TEAMS, ie: Education, Gender Equality, Pluralism Coexistence, Youth, Health and Well Being, Climate change sub committees. We are forging further with our activities with the support of our members and donors. We urge our supporters in Canada to be part of our success story in serving our community at large.

As you are aware People of our motherland are facing untold hardship due to the economic downfall. It is our bounded duty to give back to our country rather than asking what the country can do for us.

We find our future based not on the experience of recent past nor the nonchalance and superficially of the post-colonial era.  But future define by our understanding and recognition of each other. We recognise the important role of Canadian Sri Lankan Muslims for number of years. Their unity and working together to support Sri Lanka is well known, and example to others. We can only achieve through leadership and, only then we can truly interact and engage all matters, spiritual, moral, economical social and intellectual. To understand and respect each other also means to shed misconceptions, stereotypes and prejudices, emerge out of cave mentality in our minds and are the larger goal of peace and prosperity in the island. Sri Lanka may be small in size, But we can be proud of rich and ancient history that goes back to thousands of years. Let’s join hands to save the Serendib, the paradise and identified as the tear drop of India for the benefit of all Sri Lankans.

We expatriate community and back home primarily come from great faith tradition we should not limit our great faiths to the narrowness of those who wish to hijack it dwell in its vastness and limitless appeal to human compassion and goodness Our cultures are diverse rich and diverse in their heritage. So let us not fall prey to monoculture mind set but celebrate our multi-cultural diversity

Our community around the world not only make a difference in our collective well being and understanding each other but carry the spirit of our motherland. We can see a future where our progeny can hold hands with our people and enjoy the natural beauty of our motherland

Allah bless our land.

WFSLM also working closely with our youth for peace building and challenges and opportunities for your ahead of them.