FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aga Khan Foundation Canada and its National Network of Volunteers
Kick Off World Partnership Walk Campaign in Nation's Capital

International Development Week Offers Ideal Backdrop for Gathering

OTTAWA, February 5 - On the eve of International Development Week, volunteers from across Canada are converging on the nation's capital this weekend to kick off the 2010 World Partnership Walk, an annual campaign to raise funds and awareness to address the root causes of poverty in some of the world's most isolated and impoverished regions.

The World Partnership Walk, an initiative of Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), is the largest event of its kind in Canada - held in nine cities over three weekends beginning on Sunday, May 30th.

This year, International Development Week offers an ideal backdrop to consider the vital role volunteers play in extending Canadian partnership to communities beyond our borders. Over the past 25 years, thousands of Walk volunteers have enabled communities in Asia and Africa to bring about positive, lasting change. The Foundation is urging its supporters to be champions for this vital cause by inviting Canadians from all walks of life to join.

"Canadians have a tradition of caring about the world beyond our borders that has found expression in the World Partnership Walk," said Khalil Z. Shariff, Chief Executive Officer of AKFC. "For more than a quarter century, we have counted on the support of our volunteers and the generosity of Canadians to help AKFC bridge the gaps that deny opportunities to the poor," he said.

Over the years this popular event has generated an impressive $56 million and attracted tens of thousands of Canadians in support of the cause.

The Walk's success is a tangible sign of the commitment of individual Canadians to the cause of global poverty alleviation. All of the funds raised by participants (100%) go directly to international development programs, including health, education, rural development, as well as support for community-based organizations in Asia and Africa. Not a cent is spent on administration. Support for the Walk also helps AKFC leverage additional contributions from major donors like the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

An initiative of Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), a registered Canadian charity, the Walk is organized every year by hundreds of dedicated volunteers. The 2010 Walk will take place in Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto and Edmonton on May 30th, followed by London and Montréal on June 6th and Calgary, Kitchener-Waterloo and Ottawa on June 13th.

Participants can register online, quickly and easily, at:
www.WorldPartnershipWalk.com to become Walk Ambassadors or to form a team.

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For further information:
Jennifer Morrow,
1-800-267-532 (ext. 107),
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ,
http://www.worldpartnershipwalk.com/www.WorldPartnershipWalk.com

For more information on International Development Week, visit http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/idw