ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Pir Syed Imran Ahmed Shah will visit Chicago to attend the annual Turkish Festival hosted by the Zakat Foundation of America (ZFA) on August 1-2, 2026.
According to an announcement by ZFA, Minister Shah will attend the two-day event at the invitation of Halil Demir, founder and chief executive officer of the Zakat Foundation of America.
The Turkish Festival is regarded as one of the largest Muslim community gatherings in the American Midwest and is expected to attract more than 30,000 participants. The gathering will include members of Chicago’s Turkish, Pakistani and broader Muslim-American communities, as well as civic and interfaith leaders.
As part of the festival programme, Minister Shah is scheduled to speak on “Poverty: A Global Threat”. His remarks will focus on the scale of poverty around the world, the factors pushing millions of families into economic hardship, and the measures Pakistan and the international community can jointly pursue to address the challenge.
The address is expected to refer to Pakistan’s experience with social protection initiatives, including the Benazir Income Support Programme and the work of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal. It will also include recommendations for strengthening social safety systems at the global level.
Minister Shah will also participate in a panel discussion titled “The Enduring Legacy of Mawlana Rumi”, being held to mark Rumi’s anniversary under the theme “His Impact on the Contemporary Muslim World”.
The session will discuss the life and teachings of the 13th-century poet and mystic, the historical links between Sufism and the region that is now Pakistan, and Rumi’s continuing influence across the Muslim world.
Organisers said the minister’s participation highlights the longstanding relationship between ZFA and Pakistan, where the organisation has been active for nearly two decades.
Through its Pakistan office in Islamabad, ZFA has reported reaching more than 750,000 people and over 100,000 families. Its work in the country includes food assistance, emergency flood relief, housing reconstruction, orphan sponsorship and healthcare programmes, including continued support for Humanity Hospital in Lahore.
The Chicago Turkish Festival will include cultural performances, traditional food, exhibitions and community programming over two days, along with the keynote address and panel discussion featuring Minister Shah.
The Zakat Foundation of America is a Chicago-based charitable organisation working in humanitarian relief, food security, healthcare and community development in the United States and abroad, including nearly two decades of operations in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety oversees national initiatives such as the Benazir Income Support Programme and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, with a mandate to expand social protection and reduce poverty across the country.
