The Ismaili Center
Events at this venue
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TEDxHouston Countdown
The Ismaili Center 2323 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TXSince its launch in 2020, TED Countdown has mobilized the world’s boldest problem-solvers to address climate impacts being felt across communities everywhere — from rising energy costs to severe weather. The shift to a cleaner, healthier and more affordable future is already underway. Our mission is to accelerate that momentum by changing the narrative through compelling storytelling, identifying and scaling high-impact solutions, and building a collaborative community by bringing people together across sectors and regions. TEDx Countdown supports locally-curated climate events, giving host communities the opportunity to showcase their own innovative solutions with the world. In 2025, TED selected TEDxHouston as one of the 19 TEDxCountdown events in 13 countries to participate in the TEDxCountdown anchor program, convening thought leaders from around the world to share diverse perspectives, build community and foster new collaborations that can lead to tangible progress. REGISTER HERE
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The Cardamom Challenge
The Ismaili Center 2323 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TXSpice Routes: The Cardamom Challenge is a culinary showcase celebrating the global influence of cardamom through inventive sweet and savory dishes created by a curated lineup of chefs. Presented by Sysco Nourishing Neighbors and McCormick, the event will transform the Ismaili Center into a vibrant culinary and cultural marketplace featuring food tastings, zero-proof cocktails and signature beverages, a shopping bazaar, and timed guided tours to the Center’s art collection, gardens, and architecture. The event will also feature a chef “throwdown” competition with Critics’ Choice and People’s Choice awards, while benefiting Urban Harvest. Guest judges include personalities from the Houston food scene. Tastings and beverages: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tours: 11:30 a.m., noon, 12:30 p.m., and 1 p.m. Winners announced: 1:30 p.m. Spice Routes is just one of the many events where the Ismaili Center spotlights its mission to nurture mutual understanding by bringing diverse communities together through shared cultural experiences.
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Center Talks | Ethical Decision Making: What Should Matter Most?
The Ismaili Center 2323 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TXJoin us for the launch of Center Talks, a new speaker series and platform to explore ethics, faith, culture, and civic life through thoughtful dialogue. The inaugural session will be led by Dr. Bashir Jiwani, Lead Ethicist and Executive Director of Ethics Services at Fraser Health Authority and a Member of the Bioethics Council of Canada. Dr. Jiwani brings decades of experience applying ethical insights across healthcare and public life. Drawing on real-world examples from workplaces, neighborhoods, and institutions, Dr. Jiwani will invite participants to reflect on how ethical reasoning operates in practice—not in theory alone. The conversation will be in partnership with Dr. Zahra Jamal, Director of Workplace Strategy at Interfaith America and a Harvard‑trained scholar‑consultant specializing in religious inclusion, Muslim diversity, and organizational change. Together, they will explore how ethics can serve as both a personal compass and a shared civic language in pluralistic societies. The event will explore a central question of contemporary civic and professional life: how do we make good decisions when the values we hold genuinely conflict — and what role does one’s faith play in shaping those decisions? Participants will engage with real-world cases drawn from workplaces, neighborhoods, and institutions, decide what they think should matter most, and watch as their own choices reveal the complexity of living ethically in a pluralist world. Drawing on his framework for ethical literacy, Dr. Jiwani will help participants name what they are already doing when they reason well — and identify the specific skills and qualities of character that make it possible to do it better. Please join us for a pre-event reception at 6:00 pm, followed by the event at 6:30 pm. Stay tuned for the next Center Talks session, coming in Fall 2026.