Mrs. Wahida Valiante, founding member and longest-serving board officer of the Canadian Islamic Congress, stepped down on Jan. 1 as the organisation’s national president.

She has served the CIC for thirteen years – ten as its vice-president and the last three as national president.

“I leave this unique and vital organization with the memory of many challenges and triumphs,” Ms. Valiante said.

“Over the years we have witnessed some real gains for peace, multicultural engagement, and inter-faith harmony, but I also feel concerns shared by many fellow Canadians over our future as a vibrant society and nation … I have utmost faith and confidence in the skilled and dedicated people with whom I have been privileged to work in the CIC.”

An accredited career social worker, family therapist and author, Mrs. Valiante said she made the decision to step down in order to focus on her new book on Muslim family dynamics and family therapy, as seen through a Quranic perspective.

“This is a much-needed area of research,” Mrs. Valiante said, “and for me to complete my current book and several other related projects, I find myself at a point where I need to devote more time to them.”

She will continue to be part of the CIC board as national chair of IHMC and its public relations spokesperson.

Stepping into the CIC presidency is Mr. Sikandar Khan, the former head of the British Columbia Muslim Association, an umbrella organization that represents more than 80,000 Western Canadian Muslims. ■