By A. Abdul Aziz, Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim JamaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢at ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sri Lanka.

His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, is the fifth Khalifa (Caliph) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Elected to this lifelong position on 22^ndƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ April 2003, he serves as the worldwide spiritual and administrative head of an international religious organisation with tens of millions of members spread across 200 countries.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ His Holiness is the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s leading Muslim figure promoting peace and inter-religious harmony. Through his sermons, lectures, books, and personal meetings, His Holiness has continually advocated the worship of God Almighty and serving humanity. He also continually advocates for the establishment of universal human rights, a just society and a separation of religion and state.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Since being elected Khalifa, His Holiness has led a worldwide campaign to convey the peaceful message of Islam, through all forms of print and digital media. Under his leadership, national branches of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community have launched campaigns that reflect the true and peaceful teachings of Islam. Ahmadi Muslims the world over are engaged in grassroots efforts to distribute millions of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”PeaceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ leaflets to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, host interfaith and peace symposiam, and present exhibitions of The Holy QurƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢an, to present its true and noble message. These campaigns have received worldwide media coverage and demonstrate that Islam champions peace, loyalty to oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s country of residence and service to humanity.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In 2004, His Holiness launched the annualƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ National Peace Symposium in U.K.,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in which guests from all walks of life come together to exchange ideas on the promotion of peace and harmony. Each year the symposium attracts many serving ministers, parliamentarians, politicians, religious leaders and other dignitaries. In 2009, His Holiness also launched the annual ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of PeaceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”; an international peace award for individuals or organisations that have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment and service to the cause of peace and humanitarianism. Now, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community organizes Peace Symposium in many countries. In Sri Lanka too, a Peace Symposium was held in November 2012. In his lengthy message to the Symposium, Ahmadiyya Khalifa said:

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦We must constantly raise our voice calling for peace in the world, and it is the pain and anguish we feel in our hearts that inspires us to try and alleviate the suffering of mankind and to make the world we live in a better place.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I would request all of you to strive for peace to the best of your abilities so that we can keep the flicker of hope alight, that a time will come when true peace and justice will be established in all parts of the world.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Inshallah.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ His Holiness has travelled globally to promote and facilitate service to humanity. He regularly meets presidents, prime ministers, other heads of state, parliamentarians and ambassadors of state.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ His Holiness takes a particular interest in alleviating the suffering of developing nations, by helping to improve their agriculture and facilitating access to food, clean water and electricity. He oversees the work of the International Association of Ahmadi Architects and Engineers (IAAAE), an organisation briefed with leading various humanitarian and development projects, in remote areas of the world. The scope and expertise of this organisation has grown at a rapid rate under his leadership.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Likewise, His Holiness supports the work of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Humanity FirstƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-, an international non-profit disaster relief and development charity and other such organisations.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Under the leadership of His Holiness, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has built a number of schools and hospitals that provide high class facilities in remote parts of the world. And through various schemes of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness has funded the tuition and education of numerous underprivileged students around the world, irrespective of their religious background.