Health and Wellness at Global, Local (Glocal) and Personal Levels

On a global level, I would like to share the work of the Aga Khan Development Network which for the next year, starting from today (July 11, 2017) will be celebrating His Highness the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee, or 60th year as the 49th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the world’s Shia Ismaili Muslims. The AKDN videos below (shared on the organization’s website) are part of the press releases for this year- long celebration.

I am a firm believer in experiential education such as internships, study abroad and exchange programs. My paid internship (almost 20 years ago) with the Aga Khan Foundation USA in Washington DC was a highly rewarding and fulfilling professional experience which led to many exciting professional experiences and conversations in the realm of international development management. The Aga Khan Development Network’s pluralistic approach to international relations and local community development make its  programs compelling for both Sunnis and Shias as well as non-Muslims. Below is the positive impact of His Highnesses’ and AKDN’s work over the last 100 years.

At the local level, being a certified squash coach with ups and downs of mental illness, I am a strong believer in the health benefits of exercise and physical activity to aid in recovery. Through my ongoing professional and personal explorations in sport for development and peace at global and local levels, I would like to share a research study being conducted at Boston University’s Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation on “Exercise and Cognitive Training,“ If there is anyone reading this blog, who knows of individuals who fit the parameters for the study, please contact the principal investigators.

The reason I am sharing this study is that this important research may advance the knowledge and capacity to effectively treat others with severe mental illness and support them with their recovery, whether it be in the United States or overseas, particularly in developing countries. Without going into details, I know how tough it can be for others struggling with mental illness and therefore can relate with what experts call “lived experience.”