By HIS HIGHNESS THE AGA KHAN

Prayer, greeting and welcome

Bismi’l-lahi’r-rahmani’r-rahim
As-salamu ‘alaykum, Peace be upon you

Your Excellency Mintimer Shaimiev,
Your Excellency Eleonora Mitrofanova,
Respected Members of the Government,
Distinguished Guests

What an enormous pleasure it is to welcome all of you to this ceremony.

We gather today with a group of extraordinary people, in an extraordinary place, and for an extraordinary purpose.

The 14th Cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is organised around a series of three-year cycles — each one culminating in the recognition of our Award recipients.

Tonight we celebrate the outcomes of our Fourteenth Cycle [first cycle in 1980, in Lahore, Pakistan – Ed.]. 

This is an extraordinary moment for me as I think back to our decision to launch this programme — more than four decades ago.

What led to the decision to launch the Awards?

You may ask — as many have asked…Just why should the Ismaili Imamat become so deeply involved in the world of professional architecture?

The simple answer lies in my conviction that Architecture — more than any other art form — has a profound impact on the quality of human life. As it has often been said, we shape our built environment — and then our buildings shape us.

This close relationship of architecture to the quality of human experience has a particularly profound resonance in the developing world. I believe that we all have a responsibility to improve the quality of life whenever and wherever that opportunity arises. Our commitment to influencing the quality of architecture — intellectually and materially — grows directly out of our commitment to improving the quality of human life.

Award not simply a prize but a process

Over these four decades, we have recognised a vast array of architectural contributions, including over nine thousand nominated projects.

But the value of this programme goes far beyond recognising specific projects.

The Aga Khan Architectural Award is not simply a prize; it is a process.

This process involves a wide range of conversations — all across the world — that shape the selection process. 

What is true dialogue?

The theme of the Cycle, which culminates today is: “Architecture in Dialogue”.  This theme sees architecture as a robust interchange, one that can embrace a variety of diverse and even divergent perspectives.

A true dialogue requires not only that we articulate one perspective, but also that we listen — attentively — to other perspectives. More than that, it asks us not only to listen to one another, but also to learn from one another.

4 types of dialogues that should be taking place

There are several ways in which architecture can blend different perspectives. Let me briefly describe just four of them.

1. Dialogue Among Participants

First of all, we must foster a healthy dialogue among the actual participants in the architectural process. I do not mean only the skilled architects themselves, but also those who collaborate with them — clients, community leaders, public officials, educators, and the builders, designers, and craftsmen who help realise their plans. Our Master Jury for this cycle paid close attention to this dimension, looking at qualities such as leadership, cooperation, and openness — qualities that help produce creative dialogue.

2. Dialogue between past and future

A second dialogue that advances the best in human architecture is an open dialogue between the past and the future. This means more than simply copying the past — or merely tacking some ancient arch or minaret or calligraphy onto a new building. On the other hand, it also means more than a heedless modernistic approach that ignores our rich heritage. Our realisation, more than 40 years ago, that architectural practice in Muslim societies had recently been forgetting its own history, helped us to shape the nature of this Award.

The dialogue we seek is one that will blend the inspiration of the past with the demands of the future. The demands are many: environmental, social, technological, and economic, not to mention the challenges of political polarisation. In all of these respects, looking back can help us look ahead — and vice versa.

3. Dialogue between nature and human creativity

A third dialogue that commands architectural attention is the dialogue between nature on the one hand and human creativity on the other. Both the natural world and the world of human capacities are divine gifts, but it is tempting sometimes to embrace one without thinking much about the other.

The Holy Qur’an asks Muslims not to be passive recipients of our Natural Habitat but instead to be faithful stewards of the divine creation; we need to expand our commitment in all directions. This means not merely conforming to the power of nature, but actively engaging with its challenges. At the same time we must be careful not to exaggerate the capacities for human mastery — trying to defy nature is counterproductive in many ways. A reflective dialogue between natural realities and human capabilities is also at the essence of architectural excellence.

4. Dialogue between cultures, and message to Muslims

Fourth and finally, I would emphasise the importance of intercultural dialogue in meeting the Architectural opportunities of our time. I have mentioned how this Award grew out of a concern with the deterioration — what some of us called the “hibernation” — of rich Muslim architectural traditions. But honouring one’s own historic identity, should not imply some sort of narrow isolation.

The rich architectural dialogue we seek to foster should include a renewed respect for the rich diversity of Islamic cultures themselves. As a way to exemplify this concern, we recently opened a new Aga Khan Centre in London in which seven Islamic gardens have been created, reflecting seven different Muslim traditions.

In addition, we should also be working to foster a rich dialogue with non-Islamic cultures — including diverse religious traditions. Architecture can lead the way in this effort — as we listen to one another and learn from one another across old divides.

Meaning of Pluralism

Pluralism means more than merely tolerating a diversity of influences and ideas. It also means welcoming the learning opportunities that diversity provides, finding ways to honour that which is unique in our individual traditions as well as those values that connect us to all of humankind.  

We must think of diversity itself as a divine gift, a blessing and not a burden.

Tatarstan: A special place

Kazan

Tatarstan has, for centuries, been a place of exceptional commitment to pluralistic values. The city of Kazan and the larger region have long been renowned for their rich mix of ethnicities, and cultures, including the impressive way in which their architectural heritage has been preserved and respected. 

Bolgar

It is striking to realise that nearby Bolgar, which I visited yesterday, became a Muslim religious centre as early as 922 — almost eleven hundred years ago. Through the centuries the spirit of pluralism in Tatarstan has known times of difficult challenge and times of inspiring renewal. But through everything, a commitment to inclusiveness has persisted. This spirit was encouraged under the pluralist leadership of several of the Muslim Khanates that governed the area in the 14th and 15th centuries, and also some later Russian rulers, such as Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. And it has been dramatically evident here in recent years. 

Kazan and Bolgar: Examples to rest of the world

On my visits in Kazan, and in Bolgar, I have seen how committed people can honour the power both of cultural identity and cultural pluralism. It is striking to see how churches and mosques, for example, have been built and preserved right next to one another as powerful symbols of a profound intercultural Dialogue.

I would hope that we all can help point the rest of the world to the powerful pluralistic model of places like Kazan and Bolgar.

The world is in need of such examples. Human challenges seem to intensify at an accelerating pace these days — climate change, economic and technological inequalities, epidemics, political polarisation, population displacements and the daunting task of helping one another to live together in dignity.

Belief in architecture

I believe deeply in the potential of the architectural world to help inspire and enrich a creative dialogue in all four of the areas I have mentioned: a dialogue between creative architectural partners, a dialogue between past and future, a dialogue between natural reality and human creativity, and a dialogue among diverse cultures.

The First Awards in Lahore: Fulfilled hopes 40 years on

When I first anticipated this visit to Tatarstan — my thoughts went back to other Award presentations through these four decades. The very first presentations were held in Lahore in Pakistan and I remember expressing my hope that night that these Awards would not be seen as the end of a story but rather as a bold beginning — stimulating further discussion, insights, questions, debates, and “perhaps even more, some worries” — as I put it then — about our architectural future. And I must say today how pleased I am that my hopes I expressed in Lahore four decades ago have been fulfilled.

The fact that our theme today is built around the word “Dialogue” testifies to our continuing aspirations. My thanks go to all of you for being a part of this extraordinary celebration — as we reflect, gratefully, on both the inspiring gifts of the past and the rich possibilities of the future.

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Photo Gallery

Introduced by MALIK MERCHANT
(Publisher-Editor, Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos)

We are indebted to the Press Service of the President of the Republic of Tartastan (http://tatarstan.ru/ for the photos that we have published during the past week in our numerous posts covering Malwlana Hazar Imam’s visit to Tatarstan. The press division is headed by Khayrullin Eduard Faridovich. We are publishing this specific gallery as snapshots, so there is a mystery surrounding the actual content of each photo — it will be revealed as soon as you click on the photo. You may then click on the photo once more to download the corresponding high resolution photo.

Muslim Harji, a brilliant photographer based in Montreal, who has contributed to Barakah and its sister websites regularly over the past decade, notes, “The color, the exposure, the sharpness, the composition, the mood and impact make Mawlana Hazar Imam’s photos taken by the Press Service of the President of the Republic of Tartastan fantastic!”

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High Quality Video Coverage

(For uninterrupted streaming, please use fast intemet access)

SEPTEMBER 11, 2019: KAZAN ARRRIVAL (00:55)

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2019: ARRIVAL AND TOUR OF BOLGAR (10:28)

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2019: TOUR OF MOSQUE IN BOLGAR (3:13)

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SEPTEMBER 13, 2019: TOUR OF KAZAN KREMLIN (2:11)

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SEPTEMBER 13, 2019: CEREMONY OF THE AGA KHAN AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURE IN KAZAN (15:50)

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NEWS VIDEO

Date posted: September 17, 2019.

Before departing this page please take a moment to visit Barakah’s Table of Contents for links to more than 170 pieces dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam and his family.

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