BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Palaner//palaner Single Event//EN METHOD:PUBLISH CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:luma-54df8630d0@palaner.app DTSTAMP:20260802T141933Z DTSTART:20260805T213000Z DTEND:20260805T230000Z SUMMARY:How can Muslims build the systems society needs? | Pillars Network x Urban Alliance x Shoot For Peace DESCRIPTION:Saved in Palaner as: saved\n\nPalaner match: 25% · why: matches your usual pattern\n\nBuild from our values. Build for the world.\nAbout the event\nWhat does it really mean to be a builder?\nIs it limited to sol ely launching a tech startup\, developing an app or creating the latest en terprise solution?\nOr can we use these mediums\, within our respective di sciplines\, to transform the systems and societies around us?\nThis event brings together five Muslim leaders from different backgrounds who share o ne common thread: their work extends beyond solving the immediate problem in front of them. Each has used their discipline to influence communities\ , institutions and the systems they operate within.\nThrough five distinct stories\, this conversation expands our understanding of what it means to be a founder or builder.\nThe goal of this event is to think beyond short -term solutions. We want to consider how our Islamic values can guide us i n building work that serves something greater than ourselves and meaningfu lly changes the world around us.\nFrom technology to storytelling to polit ics to art to justice. Muslims can build the systems society needs\; roote d in our values\, for the world.\nAbout the speakers\nDr. Mohamad Sawwaf i s the Co-Founder and CEO of Manzil\, a Canadian Islamic fintech company cr eating Shariah-compliant financial solutions\, including home financing an d investment products. He holds a doctorate in Islamic finance\, an MBA sp ecializing in finance from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Ma nagement and an MSc in Corporate Governance. His work demonstrates what it can look like to build financial infrastructure around a community’s valu es rather than asking that community to compromise them.\nFares Al Soud is a Palestinian-Canadian Member of Parliament for Mississauga Centre\, elec ted in 2025. As one of Canada’s youngest MPs\, he brings a fresh perspecti ve to federal politics. Before his election\, Al Soud worked as a Policy A dvisor in the Minister’s Office at Fisheries and Oceans Canada\, engaging with stakeholders on fisheries\, environment\, and infrastructure issues. He is a passionate advocate for youth involvement\, diversity\, and inclus ion in government\, aiming to amplify young Canadians’ voices in decision- making.\nYasin Osman is a Toronto-based photographer\, visual storyteller and the Founder of Shoot For Peace. Founded in 2015\, the organization use s art\, mentorship and accessible creative programming to support underser ved youth and strengthen communities. Yasin’s photography has appeared in publications including Maclean’s and VICE\, and he is also a regular carto on contributor to The New Yorker. His work illustrates how storytelling an d artistic expression can become tools for healing\, representation and co mmunity transformation.\nUmair Ashraf is the Executive Director of The Can adian-Muslim Vote\, a non-partisan organization working to strengthen Musl im civic engagement and political participation across Canada. He brings m ore than a decade of experience in consulting\, operations\, campaign mana gement and community mobilization. Through voter education\, leadership de velopment and national organizing\, his work explores how communities can turn shared concerns into sustained civic action and meaningful public inf luence.\nZubair Patel is the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partner ships at BHive\, where he works across economic development\, startup incu bation and partnerships supporting entrepreneurs entering and growing with in the Canadian market. He previously served as Director of Community Outr each in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. His experience across government\, business and innovation offers a perspective on how ideas mov e from communities into institutions\, partnerships and systems with broad er public impact.\nAbout Pillars Network ​\nPillars Network is a Canadian Muslim movement building spaces and programs for Islamic education\, profe ssional growth and cross-sector collaboration. We exist to bring Canadian Muslims into the same rooms to learn\, connect\, upskill and collaborate a round what we are responsible for building together. ​Questions? Email the Pillars Network team or reach out to the Co-Founders directly: Afifa\, Mu hib or Nabeeha.\nAbout Urban Alliance\nThank you to Urban Alliance\, our f unding partner.\nUrban Alliance on Race Relations is a non-profit charitab le organization that works primarily and proactively with the community\, public and private sectors to provide educational programs and research\, which are critical in addressing racism in society.\nAbout Shoot For Peace \nThank you to Shoot For Peace\, our venue partner.\nShoot For Peace is a non-profit organization with the mission of community healing through art. They aim to deliver community programming that makes art accessible to un derserved youth and launch a generation of storytellers empowered by their identities and experiences\, prepared for success. URL:https://luma.com/jgfwskfl CATEGORIES:palaner,saved STATUS:TENTATIVE END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR