Among the awardees are Dr. Eileen de Villa, the Medical Officer of Health for the City of Toronto;  Rechie Valdez, a Member of Parliament for the riding of Mississauga—Streetsville and the first Filipino woman elected as a Member of Parliament in Canada; Anna Patrizio, a pharmacist and an entrepreneur who co-owns and manages the operations of an independent retail pharmacy in York Region, Ontario; and Joycelyn David, the CEO of AV Communications (AVC) and a well-known full-service multicultural marketing agency and the only Filipina-owned firm of its kind in Canada.

The Global FWN100™ Award celebrates influential women who are pioneering leaders, influencers, policymakers, and public figures. These remarkable women have risen to a top-ranking positions in corporations and non-profit, and government institutions in Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

Held this year from October 30 – November 2 in Lisbon, Portugal, the award announcement comes as the United States celebrates Filipino American Heritage Month which is observed annually in October. Also, it is worth noting that last June a Brampton, Ontario Park was renamed in honour of Philippine national hero Dr. José Riza during the celebration of Filipino Heritage Month.

Also given the rise in Anti-Asian violence in Canada, the significant month is dedicated to not only recognizing the contributions of Filipinos but coming together to address hate crimes present in the Asian community. Filipinos are the third largest ethnic group in Canada and continue to play a significant role in healthcare and key industries across the country. Their unique accomplishments are impossible to disregard.

In addition to celebrating the phenomenal achievements of the thought leaders, these phenomenal women have gone above and beyond to champion innovative projects that benefits the lives of people. As forward-thinking leaders, they continuously set the stage for leading initiatives that drive impactful change. Known for bringing together Filipina women business owners and professionals from around the world, the Summit fosters a networking pipeline to strengthen valued relationships.

Initially founded in the United States at the 2006 Filipina Leadership Summit, the notable conference has grown to become a renowned forum. From working for the greater good and reaching new heights around the world, all four women have shown resilience in giving back to the next generation leaders.

Get to know the remarkable women:

Dr. Eileen de Villa leads Toronto Public Health, the largest local public health agency in Canada, which provides public health programs and services to the nearly three million residents of Toronto. She has authored and presented research on issues including public health considerations for city planning and emergency preparedness, communicable disease control, and public health policy development. Since 2020, she has been leading the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto and advised Toronto’s municipal leaders and Torontonians on effective tools and information they need to keep themselves and others safe.

Also, Rechie Valdez was elected to office in the 2021 federal election, and ever since then has supported and advocated for approximately 118,000 constituents in Mississauga—Streetsville. Before getting elected, she was an entrepreneur, previously worked in corporate banking. Additionally, she was a not-for-profit leader and contributed to philanthropic causes.

Anna Patrizio manages the operations for Schomberg Village Pharmacy and has used her experience to build her business acumen and strengthen her skills on efficient administration, operations and building profitable stores. A recipient of the Dean Epifania Plana Excellence Award for Escolarian Entrepreneur Pharmacist, she is an acclaimed pharmacist that has worked on instrumental initiatives that include spearheading the Tagalog language Flu Vaccine Campaign where she provided the translation for the campaign poster. She worked on another major campaign, the “Spray Don’t Delay” Program, an opioid overdose campaign where Schomberg Village Pharmacy took part as a pilot store. She continues to also participate in feasibility studies and university research as a test ground.

Communications pioneer, Joycelyn David leads a well-known multicultural marketing agency that amplifies the voices of immigrants in their community while making a mark on the world. Through her work, she helps brands advance their mainstream multinational consumer base, products, and services in a favorable way. Joycelyn has fostered steady accomplishments managing AVC and its sister brands DAKAL Digital, Digital Avenue East, and a digital marketing agency, a media agency that specializes in Chinese marketing with special focus on WeChat advertising.

In a world where it might seem unimaginable for women to shatter glass ceilings or move up the corporate ladder, these career women demonstrate that massive progress is possible. Awarded in distinct categories, the career women have become a groundbreaking force and continue to blaze the trails in their appointed professions.

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Jalsa Salana conferences and gatherings are held globally and it’s come a long way from the first conference which was held on December 27, 1891 in Qadian, India. For the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community it is an annual gathering to bring greater spiritual awareness and to also promote peace.

We were interested in learning more.

What is the purpose of this conference?

The purpose of the Jalsa Salana, an annual conference that takes place in every country in which the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at is established, is to enable every attendee to attain religious benefits. It is an opportunity for the attendees to increase their knowledge about their faith, and comer closer to it. It is also an opportunity to meet other Muslim brothers and sisters, and strengthen bonds with them.

What will people expect?

Over 20,000 people will be travelling from across Canada to attend and volunteer for this event. Over the course of 3 days, many speeches will be delivered by our esteemed speakers, each covering a different topic in relation to Islam. For example, one of the speeches this year, being delivered by Imam Imtiaz Ahmad, will be discussing Islam as a champion of women’s rights. Throughout each day, over 20,000 Muslims will be seen offering congregational prayers together. There will be an array of exhibitions, each presenting different aspects of Islam, such as the world-renowned Holy Qur’an exhibition, featuring over 70 translations of the Holy Book.

It’s a major conference, can you share about what goes into planning something of this magnitude?

The planning for the next Jalsa Salana usually begins right after the last one ends, just about a year in advance. Planning this large-scale gathering includes putting together a comprehensive duty-chart, in which various departments are assigned to hundreds of volunteers. Some of these key departments include; security, transportation, accommodation, food preparation/serving, audio/video, setup/windup, first-aid, and public relations. Specifically, in regards to maintaining health and cleanliness in the preparation of meals, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at has its own kitchen facility called the “Langar Khana (a community kitchen that feeds all).” The volunteers who work in this kitchen maintain a high degree of cleanliness and ensure that all of the equipment and utensils used while cooking meals are thoroughly cleaned and stored away right after use until they are needed again. There is also a volunteer security team on site at all times, to ensure that the kitchen and all of its supplies are safely guarded. The meat, vegetables, and other ingredients used to cook each meal are always fresh and never stored for too long.

What are some of the customary dishes that will be served?

The customary dishes that you will find at the Jalsa Salana include daal (lentils) and aloo gosht (meat and potato curry), both South Asian dishes. There will be over 100,000 free and fresh meals cooked by volunteers over the course of 3 days. The meals will be cooked at the community’s kitchen facility in Vaughan and transported to the International Centre in Mississauga each day.

Can anyone register to attend?

Yes, the Jalsa Salana is open to all, and we are joined by hundreds of guests every year, including many notable personalities. This year, we will once again be joined by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Mayor John Tory, among other guests.

What about the etiquette?

The event sessions have prayer breaks in between, and at that time, all of the attendees who are not volunteering in a role that requires their immediate attention, are expected to join in the congregational prayers. Also, the Jalsa Salana is a segregated event, with males and females in separate halls.

The Jalsa Salana has become a meeting place for people of all faiths and backgrounds, and we invite everyone to come and attend, as we promote the true peaceful teachings of Islam.

For more information visit www.jalsasalana.ca

*Interview conducted with Jalsa Salana’s media spokesperson

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