Leaders of the Pakistani diaspora in Canada came together at Habib University’s “Shaping Futures in a Fractured World” fundraising gala in Mississauga to support equitable access to higher education and celebrate the power of knowledge to bring communities together.
The event highlighted Habib University’s mission of nurturing critical, conscious, and community-minded graduates who can lead positive change in Pakistan and around the world. Over the past decade, Habib University has emerged as a center for transformative learning, and the gala served as a celebration of this journey and a call for renewed commitment to its vision.
Prominent entrepreneurs, philanthropists, education advocates, and community leaders attended the evening, which featured a keynote address by award-winning Canadian journalist, writer, and podcaster Aaron Maté. He spoke about the role of education in fostering understanding and resilience in an increasingly divided world.
Muslim Hassan, Chair of Habib University Foundation Canada, welcomed the guests and paid tributes to the late Founding Chancellor, Rafiq M. Habib.
“He was a visionary business leader and philanthropist. His passing leaves a void that cannot easily be filled. It is now our shared responsibility to carry forward his mission of supporting higher education and shaping a better future for Pakistan and the world,” he said.
Habib University President Wasif Rizvi reflected on the institution’s founding as a response to global crises of knowledge and inequality. “Rafiq Sahib’s vision was not merely philanthropic, it was civilizational. His act of creating Habib University was a response to the ethical and intellectual collapse we witness today. His philanthropy was reparative, meant to rebuild what was broken in our society,” he said, adding that Habib University continues to serve as an independent and inclusive intellectual space dedicated to truth, conscience, and purpose.
In his keynote address, Aaron Maté emphasized that in a world where people are often discouraged from critical thinking, the most powerful act is to nurture minds that can question and imagine freely. Habib University embodies this mission by shaping thinkers who lead with compassion and courage, he added.
Habib University alumnus Sameer Nizamuddin shared his personal journey and spoke about the university’s impact through its HU TOPS (Talent Outreach, Promotion & Support) program, launched in 2016.
“In a country where only around 12 percent of youth have access to higher education, Habib University offers hope by providing full scholarships to deserving students from local boards,” he said. “Habib has shown that access to education is not just charity, it is a structural change with lasting impact.”
As the evening concluded, guests pledged continued support for Habib University’s efforts to make quality education accessible for all. Marzia Habib Hassan delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to attendees for their belief in the university’s mission and its transformative role in society.
