INK Author Association Holds First Event in Canada and Honors Writers, with Sheikh Al-Karkari Recognized by Ontario Legislature

Toronto, Canada, June 18, 2026 --(PR.com)-- The INK Author Association, the writers' body affiliated with the Al-Noor Al-Karkari Institute, held its first official event in Canada as part of the Sufism Conference, drawing a wide gathering of writers, researchers, artists, and media figures from a range of nationalities and cultural backgrounds. The event reflected the values of dialogue, tolerance, and creativity on which the association was founded.

The INK Author Association is a non-profit cultural organization that works to bring together writers and creatives from different intellectual and cultural backgrounds in order to spread the values of love, tolerance, human fellowship, and creativity. It operates under the unifying motto "No Compulsion."

A central moment of the event was the recognition extended to the association by Sheref Sabawy, Member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario, who presented a certificate of appreciation issued by the Legislative Assembly in acknowledgment of the cultural and humanitarian role the association plays in serving literature and dialogue between cultures.

The certificate was received by the founder of the association, Sheikh Mohamed-Faouzi Al-Karkari, alongside its Executive Director, Dr. Khaled Salem. In his remarks, Sheikh Al-Karkari praised the role that writers and creatives play in building bridges of understanding between peoples, and affirmed that the honest word and purposeful art are able to root the values of peace, beauty, and love among people.

Sheikh Al-Karkari also delivered an intellectual and cultural address centered on his latest work, "The Secret of the Word," a spiritual and intellectual book that has been translated into several languages. The work examines the effect of the word in shaping the human being, forming awareness, and grounding moral and spiritual values in society. On behalf of the association, the Sheikh presented a shield of gratitude and appreciation to Sheref Sabawy in recognition of his support for cultural and dialogue activities.

The conference brought together literary, academic, and artistic figures from Canada, the United States, Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, India, Afghanistan, Mauritius, Pakistan, Iraq, and other countries, reflecting the international reach of the association and its humanitarian message. Among the participants were Dr. Khaled Salem, a physician, author, and practitioner of Sufism; Amira Al-Musaabi, a university professor and researcher in transformational leadership; the Egyptian-Canadian writer and storyteller Asia Ahmed; the Yemeni-Canadian writer Saba Al-Eryani; the writer and poet Shah Jahan Ashrafi; Dr. Amal Ben Charef of Algeria and Canada; Dr. Ahmed Al-Khafaji, an expert in educational psychology and a former deputy minister; the novelist Omar Murad; the Jordanian-Canadian architect and writer Imad Kayali; and a number of other writers and cultural figures based in Canada.

The program also honored a group of authors who have contributed to the service of culture and the spread of beauty and human compassion. Among the most prominent was the Palestinian-Canadian novelist and poet Basma Al-Takrouri, author of the novel "The Imam: The Story of a Sheikh Who Dwelt on the Path" and a recognized literary voice in the diaspora, whose works have been translated into several languages. She is also the founder and director of the Nawat foundation for arts and cultural production in Canada.

An artistic segment was led by the Egyptian-Canadian musician Maged Zarif, founder of several musical and artistic projects, who performed a selection of songs that drew a warm response from the audience, including pieces about the love of one's homeland and classical works requested by those present. In a moving tribute, attendees stood to recite Surat Al-Fatiha and offer prayers of mercy for the late Arab artist Hani Shaker, honoring the artistic and human legacy he left behind.

The event also saw the participation of the Syrian-Canadian media professional Doha Al-Darwish, who brings long experience in media coordination and cultural production.

The breadth of cultural and artistic participation underlined the success of the association's first event in gathering a distinguished group of creatives in one place and strengthening cultural dialogue between peoples. With this launch, the INK Author Association affirmed that it will continue to organize future events aimed at supporting literature, art, and thought, and at deepening the values of love, tolerance, and human creativity.