Compiled and prepared by MALIK MERCHANT

On September 12, 2023, Prince Amyn Mohamed Aga Khan, younger brother of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, turns 86. We congratulate Prince Amyn on reaching this milestone and wish him a very happy 86th birthday and many more birthdays to come. We take this opportunity to express our congratulations to Mawlana Hazar Imam and all the members of his family on this very happy occasion.

For almost six decades, Prince Amyn has dedicated his entire life in the service of the Institution of Imamat, channeling his creativity, intelligence, time and energy, knowledge and leadership in numerous Imamat endeavours benefiting both jamati and non-jamati constituencies. Rarely does Mawlana Hazar Imam single out and praise members of his family for their contribution to the Imamat. One such rare instance was during a speech that he made at the opening ceremony of the Ismaili Centre Toronto (ICT) on September 12, 2014 which also coincided with the 77th birthday of Prince Amyn. The opening of the Aga Khan Museum by the then Prime Minister Stephen Harper took place on the same day. Mawlana Hazar Imam said at the ICT: “It is with deepest admiration that I thank the person whose guiding hand has been so important at every stage of this project: a member of my family, my brother, Prince Amyn Aga Khan.”

The Prince has been an inspiration to the entire Ismaili Jamat around the world. As we honour him on his 86th birthday through two special sections below — Beautiful Photographic Moments and Prince Amyn Aga Khan Represents the Ismaili Imamat 2021-2023 — we invite our readers to read and reflect on the following pieces that were published on the auspicious occasion of his 84th and 85th birthdays in 2021 and 2022. Please click on the following links:

• Barakah’s Tribute to Prince Amyn Aga Khan on His 84th Birthday; and Aga Khan Museum and Ismaili Centre Mark 7th Anniversary of Opening
• Prince Amyn Aga Khan’s 1973 visit to the Ismaili Jamat in Toronto, Canada
• September 28, 1960: An Important Letter from Prince Amyn Mohamed Aga Khan Expressing His Strong Devotion and Loyalty to the Imamate of His Brother, Mawlana Shah Karim Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan
• Prince Amyn Aga Khan, Younger Brother of Mawlana Hazar Imam, Turns 85; Please Watch His Recent Interview

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Beautiful Photographic Moments: Prince Amyn Aga Khan and His Brother Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan

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Highlights: Prince Amyn Aga Khan Represents the Ismaili Imamat
(2021 to 2023)

The following material focuses on Prince Amyn. It has been condensed and edited for clarity from two separate posts containing news related to Mawlana Hazar Imam and members of his family (please visit NEWS: July 13, 2021 to December 31, 2022 and NEWS: 2023).

OCTOBER 24, 2021: Prince Amyn Aga Khan and Portuguese President Inaugurate NOVA University’s Westmont Hospitality Hall

On October 24, 2021, Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa joined Prince Amyn Aga Khan for the inauguration of the Westmont Hospitality Hall at NOVA University in Lisbon, Portugal. The newly opened space will serve as a home for the Westmont Institute of Tourism and Hospitality at NOVA University’s School of Business and Economics (SBE). The school’s students and faculty are known as an open and collaborative community, focused on the positive impact of their work and research in the world.

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In his remarks at the event, Prince Amyn congratulated NOVA SBE and shared his hopes for the future of the project. “The Westmont Institute of Tourism and Hospitality will have the mission to inspire and prepare leaders in the tourism and hospitality industries,” he said, “providing not only excellence in service, but sound business knowledge to promote and support sustainable tourism ventures both in Portugal and, I hope, in Africa and developing countries.”

“I think that tourism, by opening up to travellers’ new lifestyles, new cultures, new traditions, acts as a strong educational experience and breeds understanding, and appreciation of shared values — of how much we share, and not how great are our differences, and that ultimately it promotes a pluralistic approach,” continued Prince Amyn, who has decades of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry globally.

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JULY 8, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan and Members of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Family Attend Open Air-Concert at Lisbon’s São Jorge Castle

On July 8, 2022, Prince Amyn, Prince Hussain, and Prince Aly Muhammad attended a special open-air concert by the Aga Khan Master Musicians at Lisbon’s spectacular São Jorge Castle. The concert came about via a partnership between the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat to Portugal; the Aga Khan Music Programme; and EGEAC, the agency responsible for cultural equipment and programming in Lisbon. The aim was to offer an evening of musical delights to citizens and visitors in Lisbon. With this concert, the Aga Khan Master Musicians began looking forward to resuming their regular performance schedule, and playing in unique venues and settings like the one in Lisbon after a long hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Distinguished guests to the live event, included President of the Portuguese Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Mayor of Lisbon Carlos Moedas, and Minister of Justice Catarina Sarmento e Castro.

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JULY 11, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan at Mawlana Hazar Imam’s 65th Imamat Anniversary

The following photograph was taken on July 11, 2022, to mark the 65th Imamat Day of our beloved Mawlana Hazar Imam. 

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AUGUST 8, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan Bestowed with Honorary Citizenship of Houston and Appointed as City’s Goodwill Ambassador

Prince Amyn Aga Khan was presented with the Honorary Citizenship of Houston when he met with the city’s Mayor, the Honorable Sylvester Turner, at City Hall shortly after his arrival in the city to review progress on the construction of the Ismaili Center, Houston, across from Buffalo Bayou Park in the heart of Houston.

Mayor Turner issued the following message on his Facebook page:

“Today, I welcomed Prince Amyn Aga Khan to Houston and bestowed an Honorary Citizenship to the City of Houston in recognition of his “unselfish public service for the benefit and welfare of humanity,” and selected him as a Goodwill Ambassador of Houston. Prince Amyn exemplifies the values of pluralism and inclusivity that also make the City of Houston one of the most diverse metropolitans in the world. I look forward to continuing our partnership with the Ismaili Imamat and the Ismaili community here to build bridges of friendships.”

As a token of his high esteem, Mayor Turner also appointed Prince Amyn as a Goodwill Ambassador of the City of Houston.

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AUGUST 11, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner Reflect on the Ismaili Center Houston

“The Ismaili Center is an ambitious project not just for the Ismaili Muslim community, but for all Houstonians…[It] is intended to be a resource for all Houstonians as a place to come together with local, national, and international partners — many of whom are here today — to enhance the vibrant nature and rich cultural tapestry of this city,” said Prince Amyn Aga Khan, at the Ismaili Center’s development luncheon held in downtown Houston on Thursday, August 11, 2022.

Houston’s Mayor, the Honorable Sylvester Turner, said on his Facebook page: “I joined Prince Amyn Aga Khan today [August 11, 2022] for The Ismaili Center Houston development luncheon. The Center will be a place where Houstonians of all backgrounds come together to strengthen and forge new bonds as they work together.”

In his address at the luncheon, the Mayor said, “The Ismaili Center Houston will be a magnificent building, both physically — with its landmark architecture, picturesque gardens, and ingenious design — and societally speaking, through its impact on Houston, across Texas, and throughout the United States.”

Houston was recently declared the most diverse city in the United States. As the fourth most populous city in the country (2022 population of Metro Houston  6,603,000), it also boasts a fast-growing artistic and cultural scene. The Center will enable the Ismaili Muslim Jamat (community) to play a greater part in this growth.

“I have always believed that art and culture are effective ways to connect communities, and one of the Center’s objectives will be to offer the highest caliber of cultural programming and promote cultural dialogue, which are all key elements of enhancing one’s quality of life,” said Prince Amyn. “The dialogue between cultures has forever existed as a result of man’s urge and need to travel, to discover, to meet people, to share experiences, to buy and to sell. Cultural dialogue unites by showing, by underlining what we share despite our apparent differences,” he added.

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SEPTEMBER 27, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan Attends Groundbreaking Ceremony for Generations Toronto

Prince Amyn attended the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday September 27, 2022, for Generations Toronto, a multi-generational housing development close to the Ismaili Centre in Toronto. Distinguished guests included Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Toronto’s Mayor John Tory and local, national and international leaders of the Ismaili community.

Based on a successful pilot project launched in Calgary during Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Golden Jubilee in 2007, Generations Toronto is a unique community campus that will offer services to bring together and support its residents and neighbours. Its fundamental premise is to enhance the value and dignity of human life.

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SEPTEMBER 25, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan Receives Key to the City of Toronto on Behalf of Mawlana Hazar Imam

His Highness the Aga Khan has made remarkable contributions within our city and within the culture and heritage of Toronto’s Ismaili community. Particularly, the Ismaili Centre at Aga Khan Park has become a landmark in our city for the Ismaili community but for residents and visitors as well. I am proud to present His Highness the Aga Khan with Toronto’s highest honour and unveil a section of Wynford Drive renamed in recognition of his many contributions to Toronto – Toronto Mayor John Tory

September 25, 2022, News Release City of Toronto: Today, Toronto’s Mayor honoured humanitarian His Highness the Aga Khan with a Key to the City. Accepting the Key on his behalf was Prince Amyn Aga Khan, His Highness’ brother. The City of Toronto has also renamed the portion of Wynford Drive, between Don Mills Road and the east side of the Don Valley Parkway overpass, to Aga Khan Boulevard. … READ MORE ON TORONTO

“We have looked to Canada as a model of pluralism for the world,” said Prince Amyn Aga Khan, who delivered remarks and received the honours on behalf of his brother, His Highness the Aga Khan. “The community’s presence here would not have been possible were it not for Toronto and Canada’s profound commitment to embracing and celebrating diversity.”

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OCTOBER 29-31, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan at the Aga Khan Music Awards and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Barakah has covered the presentation ceremonies of the Aga Khan Music Awards and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture as well as related events that took place from October 29-31 in Muscat, Oman, in great detail. The link to each event is provided below following the corresponding photograph.

• October 29, 2022: His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said and Prince Amyn Aga Khan Preside Over Ceremony in Muscat, Oman, to Present Aga Khan Music Awards to 15 Laureates from Diverse Countries

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• October 30, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan Signs Special Stamps Launched by the Sultanate of Oman to Commemorate the 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the Aga Khan Music Awards

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• October 31, 2022: 3-Day “Feast of Culture” Concludes in Muscat, Oman, with Presentation of The Aga Khan Award for Architecture

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NOVEMBER 11, 2022: Prince Amyn Aga Khan and Prince Rahim at the Paris Peace Forum

The person behind the Paris Peace Forum is the French President Emmanuel Macron. Among the Forum’s main partners are the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), Amazon, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Tik Tok. Prince Amyn acts as a member on the Executive Committee that decides on the Forum’s overall organization and activities.

Mawlana Hazar Imam has attended the annual forum in the past. More recently, he has been represented at numerous events, by members of his family. The 2022 Forum returned to its normal setting after Covid-19 and Prince Amyn was present along with Prince Rahim, who attended it for the first time.

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JUNE 6, 2023: Prince Amyn Aga Khan visits Porto for Opening Ceremony of the “Schools2030 Global Forum” and Signing of AKFP – City of Porto Agreement to Promote Quality of Life

Porto.pt, a web portal containing information about the city of Porto, reported that Prince Amyn Aga Khan signed a cooperation agreement between the Aga Khan Foundation Portugal (AKFP) and The Municipality of Porto on Monday June 6, 2023, at the Alfândega do Porto (Alfandega Congress Center). Readers are invited to visit the web portal for highlights of the agreement in Portuguese and English.

After the signing of the agreement, the Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, and Prince Amyn attended the opening ceremony of the “Schools2030 Global Forum”, which took place for the first time in Portugal. It was held at the Congress Centre for three days.

In his address the Mayor said that Porto “has a long tradition of humanism and solidarity, of openness and intercultural dialogue, of tolerance and political pluralism, of promoting education, science and innovation”, and added: “Therefore, [the city of Porto] shares the goals of equity, inclusion, and quality that the ‘Schools2030’ program and the Aga Khan Foundation are promoting in education systems, in the so-called global south”.

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The Aga Khan Foundation Portugal’s program is focused on the sustained improvement of education from early childhood to secondary education, delivered by educational agents from ten countries (Afghanistan, Brazil, India, Pakistan, Portugal, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Uganda) and runs from 2020 to 2030.

Porto Mayor Rui Moreira and Portugal’s Minister of Education, João Miguel Marques da Costa, made insightful remarks on the Schools2020 program. They both spoke in English. The following YouTube video carries their remarks as well as includes clips from the signing of the AKFP agreement by Prince Amyn with the Mayor of the Municipality of Porto.

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July 11, 2023: Prince Amyn Aga Khan, Prince Rahim and Prince Aly Muhammad Welcome the Portuguese Leadership to Celebrate Mawlana Hazar Imam’s 66th Imamat Day at the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat

On June 3, 2015, a landmark agreement was reached between Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and the Portuguese Government to establish the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in the country. Palacete Mendonça in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, was acquired and chosen as the site for the Seat. On July 11, 2018, on the occasion of his 61st Imamat Day, bringing his historic Diamond Jubilee to a close in Lisbon, Mawlana Hazar officially designated the building as the “Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat”.

Five years later, on July 11, 2023, the 66th anniversary of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Imamat, The Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat hosted a reception that was attended on his behalf by his younger brother Prince Amyn and two children Prince Rahim and Prince Aly Muhammad. They welcomed President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the country’s most senior leaders, including current and former Portuguese presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers, and mayors who were offered a first look at the restored site of the Palacete Mendonça in Portugal’s capital.

In his welcome address, Prince Amyn said:

“While this is not an opening of the Diwan, it is very special for us at last to be able to host you in this beautiful building and welcome you to the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat which has been designated by my brother, His Highness the Aga Khan, as the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat.”

Prince Amyn remarked that Mawlana Hazar Imam and the Ismaili community will forever be grateful to the Portuguese leadership and the country for their kind acceptance and welcome, dating back to the 1970s. This generosity, he said, has enabled the community to successfully integrate into Portuguese society.

“In keeping with the ethics of Islam,” Prince Amyn explained, “wherever we reside we ensure we are active in civil society, working in many fields of endeavour to offer our time, knowledge, expertise, and material resources to help better the cohesiveness of the communities and societies in which we live.”

“And in so doing,” he added, “our purpose is to uphold human dignity, to help improve the lives of the vulnerable, and to support the pluralism that exists here in Portugal, and which is crucial to the maintenance of a peaceful, compassionate and harmonious society.”

In paying tribute to the Portuguese Ismailis, President Marcelo in his address said:

“The Ismaili community in Portugal has about 10,000 citizens, fully integrated and imbued with the values of courage, innovation, persistence, and an openness to the world. It is this spirit of communion that keeps us firm and united at all times, good and bad, without hesitation.”

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Video: Imamat Day Reception Hosted at Diwan of Imamat

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JULY 13, 2023: Prince Amyn Aga Khan and Members of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Family Grace Event Celebrating 25th Anniversary of the Ismaili Centre Lisbon

Members of His Highness the Aga Khan’s family — his brother Prince Amyn and two sons Prince Rahim and Prince Aly Muhammad — and Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa were in attendance at The Ismaili Centre Lisbon as it marked its 25th anniversary celebrations on July 13, 2023. At the event, the Portuguese President surprised the audience by awarding the iconic building the Portuguese Order of Merit. Established in 1927, the Merit Award recognizes citizens or institutions for services that benefit Portuguese society. 

The Lisbon Ismaili Centre is the the third in a network of six high-profile Centres in various parts of the world. It was inaugurated on July 11, 1998 by the then Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio in the presence of Mawlana Hazar Imam. The other five Ismaili Centres are in London (1985), Vancouver (1985), Dubai (2008), Dushanbe (2009), and Toronto (2014). The seventh Ismaili Centre is under construction in Houston, Texas.

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In his address, President Marcelo spoke in glowing terms about the presence and commitment of the Ismaili community in the country, and noted the vital role of the Ismaili Centre as a meeting point of cultures, faiths, and beliefs.

“Here in this Centre,” he said, “the Ismaili community has worked for Portuguese society in education, science, technology, taking care of children, and of the older generations — helping almost everywhere. You made a difference, with a very hard working and open minded community. A community that accepted and helped to build inclusion.”

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Date posted: September 11, 2023.

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VISIT BARAKAH’S SISTER WEBSITES

Before departing this website please take a moment to visit Barakah’s Table of Contents for links to more than 350 pieces dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat. Also visit Barakah’s two sister websites, Simerg and Simergphotos. Please follow Barakah’s editor Malik at Facebook and Twitter. He can be reached at mmerchant@barakah.com.