Introduced, prepared and compiled by MALIK MERCHANT
We are delighted to welcome new readers to our website as we publish this special post on the auspicious occasion of Prince Rahim Aga Khan’s 52nd birthday which falls on October 12, 2023. Our regular readers may be aware that since 2021, Barakah has been publishing special posts to honour members of Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness the Aga Khan’s family on their birthdays. The first such post on Prince Rahim Aga Khan was published on the auspicious occasion of his 50th birthday on October 12, 2021.
A year later for Prince Rahim’s 51st birthday, Barakah was able to substantially update the original birthday post after the editor’s access to a fine collection of Ismaili community magazines in the archives of his late parents, Alwaez Jehangir (d. May 2018) and Alwaeza Maleksultan Merchant (d. January 2021).
Also, the 2022 updated post reflected Prince Rahim’s increased involvement in the work of the Imamat. In his Talika dated December 10, 2021, Mawlana Hazar Imam had noted: “It gives me great satisfaction to share with my Jamat that, with the ongoing increase in my workload, my beloved family members, upon my request, have assumed additional responsibilities in order to assist me in a number of important areas of my work.”
Over the past 2 years, Prince Rahim has travelled to many places around the world representing Mawlana Hazar Imam.
We honour Prince Rahim on his 52nd birthday, October 12, 2023, by updating the 51st birthday post with selected material from our two very popular pieces, namely News on Mawlana Hazar Imam and members of his family July 13, 2021 to December 31, 2022 AND NEWS 2023. The updates also include a number of events and photographs from Prince Rahim’s past engagements that came to our notice only recently. We thus present one of the most comprehensive posts on Prince Rahim ever published on this blog, or on any website that we are aware.
Happy Birthday Prince Rahim
On behalf of my family members and myself as well as readers of Barakah and its two sister websites Simerg and Simergphotos, I convey our heartfelt birthday greetings to Prince Rahim, and wish the Prince good health and success in all his endeavours, both in his personal life and in his work for Mawlana Hazar Imam. We take this opportunity to express our congratulations to Mawlana Hazar Imam and all the members of his family on this very happy and auspicious occasion.
Prince Rahim’s birthday falls at the height of the autumn season during which leaves in trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere turn to red or yellow before they fall. A very rare and beautiful phenomenon takes place in Alberta when the needles of the larch trees, the only deciduous conifer in Canada, turns a bright bronze-yellow in autumn. Prince Rahim was particularly thought of during the editor’s visit to the Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton on Thanksgiving weekend on Saturday, October 7, 2023, when he saw larch trees among many other trees that had changed colours. The larch tree has long been considered a symbol of strength and endurance, as it can withstand harsh climates and often grows in mountainous regions. There were also roses at the Garden, and the image of the flower shown above expresses the Jamat’s deep affection for Prince Rahim.
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Prince Rahim Aga Khan: 52 Years in Pictures
Many fond memories come to mind as we think of Prince Rahim, eldest son of Mawlana Hazar Imam and Begum Salimah, brother of Princess Zahra (b. September 18, 1970, see 53 years in pictures), Prince Hussain (b. April 10, 1974, see devotion to see exploration) and Prince Aly Muhammad (b. March 7, 2000, see 23 years in pictures). The first memory is of his birth on October 12, 1971, which was joyously celebrated by the Ismaili community around the world. He was named Rahim, meaning Merciful, Compassionate or Kind. The word Rahim is part of the Basmala, the Islamic phrase Bismillah Hir Rahman Nir Rahim (in the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful).
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The next recollection many of us have is of Prince Rahim’s presence at the mulaqat in Kenya in 1981, and seeing photos of him and his family departing for a safari trip. Two years later, in July 1983, many of us who were in London, saw Prince Rahim at the Olympia Hall, during the Silver Jubilee of Mawlana Hazar Imam. Then, of course, we all remember his engagement and marriage to Princess Salwa, and the birth of their children, Prince Irfan and Prince Sinan who were born on April 11, 2015, and January 2, 2017, respectively.
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We have vivid memories of the family’s gracious presence in Lisbon, during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in July 2018. We also have a loving memory of Prince Rahim at the 80th birthday celebration of Mawlana Hazar Imam.
Prince Rahim is currently based in Geneva, Switzerland, and he is Chair of the Executive Committee of the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance (AKAM) and a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Central Asia (UCA). Prince Rahim also sits on the Board of the Fondation de Chantilly in France. He graduated from Brown University (Rhode Island, USA) with a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature. Prince Rahim received his secondary education at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. His graduate studies were followed by experience in the construction sector.
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In 2006 Prince Rahim completed an executive development program in management and administration, at the University of Navarra IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain before joining the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Prince Rahim travels regularly to Asia and Africa to oversee economic development program and other projects of the AKDN. The Jamat in these countries recall Prince Rahim’s visits with great happiness.
On a personal note, I was present at Brown University’s “Green” when Mawlana Hazar Imam delivered the Baccalaureate Address to the University’s class of 1996 on Sunday, May 26 in the Meeting House of the First Baptist Church. Both Prince Rahim and Princess Zahra attended the event, and I saw them at the Green on the following day when Mawlana Hazar Imam was honoured with an Honorary degree by the University. In introducing Mawlana Hazar Imam in the Meeting House, Brown’s president Vartan Gregorian (d. April 26, 2021) thanked Mawlana Hazar Imam for “entrusting the education of Prince Rahim to Brown University”. He added, “We are grateful for your trust, we salute Prince Rahim, your beloved daughter Princess Zahra and your son Prince Hussain.”
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1971 – 1981: Prince Rahim Aga Khan as a Child and a Young Boy
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1995: Prince Rahim Aga Khan, CLASS OF 1995, in Brown UNIVERSITY’S LEADERSHIP Positions and Volunteer Leaders List
One more private, personal thank you — for entrusting the education of Prince Rahim to Brown University. We are grateful for your trust, we salute Prince Rahim, your beloved daughter Princess Zahra and your son Prince Hussain — Excerpt from (Late) Vartan Gregorian’s introduction of Mawlana Hazar Imam, Brown University, May 26, 1996
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1999: Prince Rahim Aga Khan at inauguration of thermal power plant in IVORY COAST
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2002 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan in Kenya for ips projects
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2002 (2): Prince Rahim Aga Khan accompanies mawlana hazar imam at State Dinner in Texas
“Nine eleven has scarred America, but not just America. It has scarred the Islamic world, and hundreds of millions of devout and practicing Muslims for whom the Qur’an is the world of God. We have clarity and direction enough when the Qur’an affirms that to save a life is, as if, to save humankind altogether. The Center will be a place of peace, humility, reflection and prayer. It will be a place of search and enlightenment, not of anger and obscurantism. — His Highness the Aga Khan, inauguration of the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center, Houston, June 23, 2002
For more than a millennium the Ismaili tradition has been rooted in understanding, enlightenment and tolerance. You have welcomed peace while shunning discord. You have practiced love while speaking out against hatred. Your faith has been a reservoir of hope for those seeking light. — Governor Rick Perry, inauguration of the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center, Houston, June 23, 2002
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2007: Prince Rahim Aga Khan Speaks to Graduating students of the Institute of Ismaili Studies
EXCERPTS FROM PRINCE RAHIM’S SPEECH MADE ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2007
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“Education, international studies and diplomacy, non-profit leadership, media, development, law, and regional studies will all be among the most relevant fields of expertise in the decades ahead. This will be particularly true in the developing world. In deciding to attend the IIS, you therefore also chose to analyse and understand the problems of the developing world, and to address some of the most intractable issues of our time.”
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“Absolutist, exclusivist, and rejectionist claims to the truth, especially to religious truth, are increasingly heard from all quarters. Rather than seeing religion as a humble process of growth in faith, some people presume to claim that they have arrived at the end of that journey and can therefore speak with near-divine authority.”
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“Our Ismaili tradition, however, has always accepted the spirit of pluralism among schools of interpretation of the faith, and seen this not as a negative value, but as a true reflection of divine plenitude. Indeed, pluralism is seen as essential to the very survival of humanity. Through your studies you have known the many Qur’anic verses and hadiths of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that acknowledge and extol the value of diversity within human societies. You all know, I am sure, the hadith to the effect that differences of interpretation between Muslim traditions should be seen as a sign of the mercy of Allah.”
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“The untrue and unfair, but increasingly widespread equating of the words “Islam” and “Muslim” with “intolerance”, sometimes even with the word “terrorism”, could lead some Muslims to feel despair, indignation, or even shame. To me, however, the current global focus on the Muslim world, and on Islam itself, presents a golden opportunity for us to educate and enlighten, while actively exemplifying the counterpoint I mentioned before. To my eyes, it creates an opportunity, and an even-greater obligation for us to make a positive and visible impact on the world — on culture and art, science and philosophy, politics and ecology, among others.”
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2008: Prince Rahim Aga Khan — Golden JUBILEE MOMENTS WITH MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM in UGANDA, the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, WEST AFRICA, portugal, Canada and france
(1) AUGUST 2007: UGANDA
The Bujagali project was not merely a desirable option as we began to examine it a few years ago. It was a fundamental necessity. I believe that the Bujagali project will propel a great chain of positive developments…. step by step each of AKFED’s projects will make a special contribution, we trust, to an upward spiral of progress — His Highness the Aga Khan, Foundation Laying Ceremony, Bujagali Hydropower Project, Kampala, August 21, 2007.
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(2) MARCH 2008: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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This new Centre is itself a profoundly spiritual place. Its defining symbolism is inspired by the Fatimid tradition — stretching back over 1000 years and widely shared with sister traditions throughout the Islamic world — from Baghdad to Bokhara. As its architects have so effectively realized, this building exists fundamentally as a place for peaceful contemplation, but one that is set in a social context. It is not a place to hide from the world, but rather a place which inspires us to engage our worldly work as a direct extension of our faith. — His Highness the Aga Khan, Inauguration of Ismaili Centre, Dubai, March 26, 2008
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(3) APRIL-MAY 2008 — WEST AFRICA
The formal ties between the Imamat and West Africa date back to the 1960’s, when, as a young Imam, I had the opportunity to visit several countries in the region. But our informal ties go back much further than that. Historians speak of exchanges between scholars in Sankoré University and scholars from al-Azhar, the university in Cairo founded at the start of the 10th century by my ancestor, the Fatimid Caliph al-Muizz — State Banquet, Bamako, Mali, April 23, 2008
In Islam it is said that Allah makes us responsible during our lifetime for His creation and the good management of His creation. We are effectively the ‘trustee’ and not the owners of His creation. It is for this reason that I have chosen the word ‘Trust’ because that is a word that seems to correspond best to the ethics of Islam and the individual in the face of Allah’s creation. That is why the Trust [the Aga Khan Trust for Culture] while being a foundation, is called ‘Trust’ — His Highness the Aga Khan, Ceremony to announce the creation of Bamako Park, Bamako, April 25, 2008.
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(4) JULY 2008: PORTUGAL
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(5) DECEMBER 2008: CANADA
To be able to site this building [the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat] on Confederation Boulevard, in close proximity to your major national institutions as well as representations from abroad, is itself a symbol of the outgoing interactive spirit which must guide our response to global challenges… The challenge of pluralism is particularly important for those who are called upon to lead diversified communities and to act in diversified environments. It is a challenge to which Canadians have responded nobly through the years — His Highness the Aga Khan, inauguration of the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat, Ottawa, December 6, 2008.
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(6) DECEMBER 2008: FRANCE
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2011 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan attends inauguration of new head office of the Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank
Today is truly a special day…. it comes at a special time of the year. The festival of Navroz is a time when we think about renewal and rejuvenation — when we welcome a new spring season in a spirit of hope and optimism. And that spirit is very prevalent as we gather here today to mark the opening of a new head office for KICB — and as we celebrate the spirit of forward-looking progress in the Kyrgyz Republic — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, March 23, 2011
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Her Excellency President Otunbaeva on March 23, 2011 officially inaugurated the new Head Office of the Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank (KICB) in Bishek, Kyrgyzstan, in the presence of Prince Rahim Aga Khan. KICB was set up in 2001 to issue short, medium and long-term loans to stimulate the development of small and medium-sized businesses throughout the Kyrgyz Republic and serves tens of thousands of clients through several branches in five oblasts in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) was one of the organisations that helped establish the bank.
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EXCERPT FROM PRINCE RAHIM’S SPEECH MADE ON MARCH 23, 2011
“Today, in both its internal operations and its external actions, KICB represents the spirit of pluralism, and the conviction that diversity is a source of strength and vitality. We salute today KICB’s resolve to serve the entire spectrum of the country’s population by offering a variety of financial products and solutions. The aim is to ensure economic empowerment ranging from the small and medium enterprises to large scale corporate organizations. The Bank’s policies recognize that the strength of any society — as a whole — will ultimately depend on the progress of each of that society’s parts. The Bank’s approach also reflects another principle of our Network, the need for multiple development inputs. What this means is that forward steps in one area — such as education or health — will work best when they are combined — and coordinated — with other initiatives — for example in transportation, or energy supply, or agricultural production. Business investments must go hand in hand with social investments. The Aga Khan Development Network is deeply committed to these principles.”
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2011 (2): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at Opening of the Dushanbe Serena Hotel
His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, and Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, inaugurated the Dushanbe Serena Hotel on November 1, 2011. The ceremony, which was held in the hotel’s Millat banquet room, was attended by Prince Amyn Aga Khan, Executive Director of AKFED, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, eldest son of His Highness the Aga Khan and dignitaries from the government, development and tourism sectors.
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2012: Prince Rahim AGA KHAN AND PRINCESS ZAHRA join Mawlana Hazar Imam at the 25th anniversary celebration of Synergos
As part of the Synergos Institute’s University for a Night series, Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, was awarded the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award at a ceremony on October 22, 2012, in London, England. He was joined by Prince Rahim and Princess Zahra at the event, and Robert Dunn, President of the Synergos Institute, conducted an interview with Mawlana Hazar Imam. Synergos works to establish a world that is just and fair and free of poverty. It collaborates with philanthropists and foundations, community leaders and corporations, governments and global entities, and with them jointly tackles issues such as education, food security, health, nutrition, chronic isolation, social entrepreneurship and community economic development. David Rockefeller, in a letter addressed to Mawlana Hazar Imam which was read to the audience, described the reasons for awarding this honour: “Through the Aga Khan Development Network, you have leveraged the social conscience of Islam in ways that benefit people of all faiths, promoting tolerance, pluralism and broad-based development.”
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2013: Prince Rahim Aga Khan’s Engagement and marriage
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, on April 26, 2013, announced the engagement of his eldest son, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, to Ms Kendra Spears of Seattle, Washington, the United States. Ms Spears holds a BA in sociology from the University of Washington in her native Seattle. She has a strong interest in arts and architecture. Ms Spears has had a highly successful career as a model, working with many of the most prestigious fashion houses.
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The couple then were married in Geneva, Switzerland, on August 31, 2013. The event was held on the shores of Lake Geneva, on the grounds of the Château de Bellerive — the residence of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s uncle, the late Prince Sadruddin (d. May 12, 2003) and his wife Princess Aliya. The proceedings commenced with the recitation of a traditional qasida in the Farsi language, in praise of Hazrat Ali. This was followed by the nikah recited by His Eminence Sayyed Muhammad Musawi, a prominent Shia faith leader.
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2014 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan opens new Diamond Trust Bank headquarters in kenya, visits AGA KHAN ACADEMY
Prince Rahim attended the opening of the new corporate head office of Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), one of the oldest financial entities of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development. The premises were inaugurated by the governor of Kenya’s central bank, Professor Njuguna S. Ndung’u on Thursday, January 16, 2014. On the following day, in Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa, Prince Rahim inaugurated the newly restored Jubilee Arcade. The building, which first housed the Jubilee Insurance company over 60 years ago, now includes a vibrant, modern arcade shopping and office complex situated in the heart of the city’s busy Moi Avenue. While in Mombasa, Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa also visited the Aga Khan Academy — the first in a global network of 18 schools that will, eventually span 14 countries on three continents.
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2014 (2): Prince Rahim aga khan At Brown University for Mawlana Hazar Imam’s 88th Stephen A. Ogden Jr ’60 Memorial Lecture
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2015 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Princess Salwa HAVE FIRST CHILD, A SON NAMED Prince Irfan
Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa announced the arrival of their first child, a son named Prince Irfan, born in Geneva, Switzerland on April 11, 2015. Mawlana Hazar Imam’s special message to the global Jamat on this occasion expressed the great happiness of the Aga Khan and Spears families. Jamats around the world received the news of Prince Irfan’s birth with immense joy and traditional celebrations.
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2015 (2): Prince Rahim AGA KHAN at inauguration OF Côte d’Ivoire’s first operational combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant
Azito Energie SA (“Azito”) on June 30, 2015, celebrated the commercial start-up of Phase 3 of its 430 MW combined-cycle gas turbine (“CCGT”) power plant in Abidjan with an onsite inauguration ceremony held in the presence of His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, and Globeleq executives led by Mikael Karlsson, CEO of Globeleq. The inauguration made Azito one of the most modern, efficient power plants in West Africa, providing 25 percent of Côte d’Ivoire’s electricity capacity.
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2016: Prince Rahim Aga Khan attends Opening of World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan and inauguration of naryn campus
(1) At Nomad Games
“I am delighted to be back in Kyrgyzstan to enjoy its stunning landscapes, traditions of hospitality and to meet old and new friends. It was a pleasure to witness the spectacular opening of the Second World Nomad Games and in particular to experience the enthusiasm of the Kyrgyz peoples for their nomadic traditions” — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, September 2016
Representing Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, Prince Rahim Aga Khan attended the official opening of the Second World Nomad Games, held in September 2016, in Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of H.E. President Almazbek Atambayev. With more than 1,000 performers and an exhilarating sound and light show, the opening ceremony, presented themes common to nomadic traditions in diverse geographical and cultural contexts, while highlighting those specific to Kyrgyzstan. Some 2,000 athletes from 40 countries participated in over 20 sports competitions. These include wrestling, horse racing, archery, horseback wrestling, kok-boru, Central Asia’s most renowned horseback competition and toguz korgool (a nomadic intellectual game).
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Welcoming Prince Rahim to the Naryn Oblast section of the ethno-village specially built for the second day of the ceremonies, the Naryn Governor, Amanbai Kayipov, remarked, “We are honoured by your presence and look forward to welcoming you to our oblast to see first-hand the positive contribution of AKDN programmes to the lives of the people.”
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(2) At Naryn Campus
On October 19, 2016, Mawlana Hazar Imam inaugurated the first of three residential campuses of the University of Central Asia in Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic.
This event today brings back some wonderful memories for me. It was just sixteen years ago that I joined the Presidents of the Founding States in signing an extraordinary International Treaty. It was an unprecedented event. The Treaty was then a unique example to the entire world of how these three countries could actually dream together about their common future. And it was also a wonderful example of how they could join hands together, across national boundaries, to make their dreams come true. — His Highness the Aga Khan, Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, October 19, 2016
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“Students of world history remind us how Central Asia, a thousand years ago, “led the world” in trade and investment, in urban development, in cultural and intellectual achievement. This was the place that leading thinkers from around the known world would look to for leadership. What were the latest breakthroughs in astronomy or mathematics, in chemistry or medicine, in philosophy or music? This was the place to find out. This region is where algebra got its name, where the earth’s diameter was precisely calculated, where some of the world’s greatest poetry was penned.
“Why did this happen then? Why did it happen here? Above all, I would suggest, it was because of the quality of “openness.” By that I mean openness to new ideas, openness to change, and openness to people from many backgrounds and with a variety of gifts. The people of the cities here, even all those centuries ago, joined hands with the people of the steppes, and together they reached out to people who were far, far away.
“That kind of openness can again be the key that unlocks the doors to the future. This will be true not just for people who live down the road, or others who may live over the immediate horizon, but also for people who are even farther away. — His Highness the Aga Khan, Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic, October 19, 2016
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2016 (1): PRINCESS RAHIM AGA KHAN AND PRINCESS ZAHRA INAUGURATE HEALTH CENTRE IN GILGIT
Princess Zahra Aga Khan and Prince Rahim Aga Khan on May 24, 2016 inaugurated the Aga Khan Medical Centre, Gilgit (AKMC,G). The Centre is now a 50-bed Comprehensive Health Care Center and acts as a “hub” and provides high quality diagnostics and secondary health care as well as some tertiary health care. “Spokes” that radiate out from the Centre will connect the Gilgit hub through a digital health network to clinics in Singal, Chatorkhand, Aliabad, Soust, Booni and Garamchasma. This hub and spoke model will provide quality affordable health care. AKMC,G is also connected to the state-of-the art medical resources in other parts of Pakistan and in other countries, including the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi.
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Princess Zahra and Prince Rahim also visited the Rahimabad Model High School which is one of 106 Aga Khan Schools in Gilgit-Baltistan that serve more than 23,000 children in the region. Princess Zahra and Prince Rahim also paid a visit to the Aga Khan University’s Professional Development Centre, North (PDCN). PDCN works with over 146 private and public schools serving over 76,000 students in the region to improve the quality of instruction, management and administration. Over 15,000 teachers, head teachers, education managers and district supervisory staff have benefitted, of which more than half are women.
As their working visit to Pakistan drew to a close, Princess Zahra and Prince Rahim expressed optimism and a sense of opportunity about the tasks that lay ahead of AKDN in improving quality of life for the people of the country.
“For me and Princess Zahra, the main takeaway is that we’ve heard the word ‘optimism’ several times today, and I think that’s what I’m feeling now,” said Prince Rahim, speaking at a dinner hosted by the Ismaili Council for Pakistan on Wednesday evening. Noting that while there are challenges ahead, he said that these “are not insurmountable — we have to look at them as opportunities and a chance to help people who are in need.”
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Prince Rahim concluded his dinner remarks by expressing appreciation for the work that went into organising their visit: “President, Vice-President, the volunteers, the entire Jamaat — it’s been a huge amount of work, I know that… so thank you. I feel optimistic, I know my sister feels optimistic, sad to leave and very very grateful for the amount of work and effort that went into this trip.”
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2016 (2): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at Ismaili Games in Dubai
I would like to congratulate everyone who is participating in and helping out in these games, as well as those who participated in and helped to organise the events leading up to them for their collective effort to promote fitness and camaraderie through sports. In the current times, I can think of no better way than this and of no better place than Dubai to promote the notion of bringing young minds from diverse backgrounds and different environments together in the spirit of friendship and peace. I know the efforts that all you young and able athletes made to come here. I salute your resolve and I pray that you may carry that spirit of friendship and peace with you when you return to your homes. — Excerpt from speech made by Prince Rahim Aga Khan at the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Jubilee Games in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on July 23, 2016.
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2017 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Princess Salwa Have Second Son, prince Sinan
Born in London, United Kingdom on January 2, 2017, Prince Sinan is the second child of Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa, and a little brother to Prince Irfan, who was born on April 11, 2015. “Prince Sinan’s birth has brought immense joy to our family,” wrote Mawlana Hazar Imam in a message to the global Jamat. “We are most touched by your kind thoughts and prayers over the period leading to Sinan’s birth.” Ismailis around the world gathered at Jamatkhanas to celebrate Prince Sinan’s birth. (Read article Portrait of Prince Rahim’s Family with Meanings of Sinan and Irfan)
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2017 (2): Inauguration of the Diamond Jubilee of Mawlana Hazar Imam
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2017 (3): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at the Inaugural Meeting of University of Central Asia Trustees Presided by His Highness the Aga Khan
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2017 (4): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at 40th anniversary of the Institute of Ismaili Studies
“We have seen in these last decades the globalisation of the Jamat and its patterns of migration, which have made it even more important to be able to provide the Jamat with authentic and well prepared materials which enable an understanding of its history and of its heritage and of matters of the faith and its practice” — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, November 24, 2017, IIS 40th anniversary, London
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On November 25 1977, Mawlana Hazar Imam officially inaugurated The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS). To mark the 40th anniversary, the Board of Governors hosted a celebration for staff, visiting faculty and students on Friday November 24 2017, with Prince Rahim Aga Khan in attendance. The event celebrated the role of the people who have contributed to developing an academic centre for Ismaili studies, that has had a significant impact on the field of Shi‘i and Ismaili studies in the last 40 years.
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2018 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at dinner hosted by Her Majesty the Queen to mark His Highness the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee
On March 8, 2018, Her Majesty the Queen hosted a dinner at Windsor Castle to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, at which The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of York, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence were present. Mawlana Hazar Imam was accompanied by members of his family, his brother Prince Amyn Aga Khan, his daughter Princess Zahra Aga Khan, his eldest son Prince Rahim Aga Khan, Prince Rahim’s wife Princess Salwa, and Mawlana Hazar Imam’s younger sons, Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad. The event acknowledged historic linkages between the Ismaili Imamat and the British Monarchy and longstanding connections between the Ismaili Community, the institutions of the Aga Khan Development Network and the United Kingdom. Mawlana Hazar Imam was bestowed the title “His Highness” by Her Majesty the Queen in 1957 the year of his accession as hereditary leader of the Shi’a Ismaili Muslims, and was appointed Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2004.
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2018 (2): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at the lisbon Diamond Jubilee
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2018 (3): Prince Rahim AGA KHAN at Ceremony for award to Mawlana Hazar Imam of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
French President Emmanuel Macron on September 20, 2018 awarded Mawlana Hazar Imam, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (Grand-croix de la Légion d’honneur), in recognition of his contribution to humanity and achievements in improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable populations around the world. The country’s highest national medal of honour was bestowed upon Mawlana Hazar Imam at a ceremony at le Quai d’Orsay by France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian in commemoration of the Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Diamond Jubilee, commemorating his 60 years of Imamat.
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2018 (4): Prince Rahim Aga khan and Princess Salwa visit Pakistan
Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa Aga Khan travelled to Pakistan for a six-day working visit in late October 2018, which included stops in several districts of Gilgit-Baltistan as well as in Chitral district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, along with the capital city of Islamabad and the southern city of Karachi. During their visit, Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa examined approaches to poverty alleviation and development, and visited a number of AKDN institutions and projects aimed at improving quality of life. Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa also surveyed disaster-mitigation work in areas vulnerable to natural hazards.
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2019 (1): pRINCE rahim Aga Khan at signing agreement between two renowned institutions and Aga Khan University
The University of Washington on March 4, 2019 signed a memorandum of understanding with the Aga Khan University to codify partnership activities already underway and to leverage complementary strengths to further expand research, service and education in low- and middle-income countries. The agreement was signed by UW President Ana Mari Cauce and Aga Khan University President Firoz Rasul. Representing the Aga Khan Development Network were Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Princess Salwa Aga Khan, nee Kendra Spears, UW Class of ‘12, and AKU Provost Carl Amrhein. Princess Salwa played a key role in encouraging the nascent partnership.
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The vision we share [with Aga Khan University] is to see how we can improve outcomes for cancer globally. We must work together to enable this vision, as the global impact of cancer continues to increase. That is the extraordinary value of our collaboration with Aga Khan University. Together we can make an enormous difference in the burgeoning global cancer problem — Dr. Gary Gilliland, president and director of Fred Hutch
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, on March 5, 2019, formally announced a goal to collaborate on global health programs with Aga Khan University. The Memorandum of Understanding that was signed outlined the intentions of the two institutions to develop a five-year relationship to advance cancer research and training and help build an improved medical infrastructure for the Aga Khan University, which operates medical schools and hospitals throughout the developing world.
Dr. Gary Gilliland, president and director of Fred Hutch, in welcoming Prince Rahim and Princesss Salwa said, “The vision we share is to see how we can improve outcomes for cancer globally. We must work together to enable this vision, as the global impact of cancer continues to increase. That is the extraordinary value of our collaboration with Aga Khan University. Together we can make an enormous difference in the burgeoning global cancer problem.”
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“Hope,” said Gilliland, “is something that motivates us every day at the Hutch. We must assure that patients have hope, and that they have access.” He praised Aga Khan University for its “deep, extensive experience” in ensuring access to care in the countries where it provides health services.
Prior to the signing ceremony, Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa took a tour of the Hutch laboratory of Dr. Stanley Riddell, scientific director of the Hutch’s Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center. No stranger to the Pacific Northwest, Princess Salwa is a Seattle native and a graduate of the University of Washington.
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The couple also visited the lab of Dr. Hootie Warren, head of the Hutch’s Global Oncology Program. There, Dr. Manoj Menon described several research initiatives underway in Uganda, including a clinical study for breast cancer. “From our footprint in Kampala, and hopefully along with Aga Khan University, we will generate advances that can change lives and cure cancers for millions of people,” Warren said.
Dr. Warren’s research in Uganda also aims to develop new methods for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancers such as HIV-associated non-Hodgkin lymphoma and the childhood cancer Burkitt lymphoma.
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2019 (2): Prince Rahim at buckingham palace as Mawlana Hazar Imam is Honoured as Global Founding Patron of The Prince’s Trust
At a dinner at Buckingham Palace on March 12, 2019, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales (now His Majesty King Charles III) honoured Mawlana Hazar Imam, as Global Founding Patron of The Prince’s Trust, a charity that works to support vulnerable young people to realise their ambitions. Hazar Imam was accompanied by Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim, and Princess Salwa.
The Prince’s Trust has been helping vulnerable young people across the UK since 1976, and is now helping to tackle the global issue of youth unemployment, and supporting young people and their communities to have more positive futures.
The announcement came at a time when The Prince’s Trust was expanding its work and network of expertise globally. Dame Martina Milburn DCVO CBE, Chief Executive of The Prince’s Trust said, “We are immeasurably grateful to His Highness the Aga Khan for his contribution to our work and are delighted to welcome him as Global Founding Patron.
“It has been humbling and inspiring to take time tonight, with our dedicated supporters, to celebrate the success of our international work to date and look to a very exciting future.
“Through His Highness’s incredible generosity, and the continued support of our global network, we can expand our work to transform young lives and build stronger communities across the world.”
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2019 (3): Prince Rahim aga khan inaugurates Dreams and Dystopias exhibition at the Ismaili Centre, London
On October 10 2019, Prince Rahim visited the Ismaili Centre London to inaugurate the exhibition: Dreams and Dystopias, East Africa at the Crossroads, featuring photographic work by Guillaume Bonn. The visual exhibit navigated the East African coastline through the lens of international artist Guillaume Bonn to reveal a region perennially poised at a crossroads between two worlds. The photographs captured old Africa in its unrelentingly vibrant native culture, in the midst of modern skyscrapers, new highways, and purported technical improvements, and offered an insight into its diverse geography and colonial legacy.
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2020 (1): Prince Rahim aga khan visits East Africa to evaluate AKDN’s response to environmental sustainability and climate change
In March 202, Prince Rahim, accompanied by his wife, Princess Salwa, visited Kenya and Tanzania, to better understand the plans and responses of the various institutions and agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) towards environmental sustainability and climate action. Prince Rahim’s visit to Kenya took place in his capacity as Chair of the AKDN Environment and Climate Committee, which was recently established to develop a policy framework on priorities related to the environment and climate change for implementation by AKDN globally.
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During their 6-day visit to Kenya, Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa visited a number of AKDN institutions and projects to learn more about what each is doing to mitigate environmental degradation through specific interventions such as adopting renewable energy, harvesting rainwater, recycling waste, and planting trees.
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2020 (2): Prince Rahim Aga Khan on AKDN as a Founding Partner for The Earthshot Prize
“It is our collective responsibility to be good stewards of the planet. At this critical moment, we must all nurture and invest in solutions that can repair our planet before it is too late.” – Prince Rahim Aga Khan
The Aga Khan Development Network partnered with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, to launch the Earthshot Prize, which aims to incentivise environmental change while helping repair the planet over the next 10 years. The five Earthshots unveiled on October 9, 2020 were: protect and restore nature; clean our air; revive our oceans; build a waste-free world; and fix our climate.
Prince Rahim, chair of AKDN’s Environment and Climate Committee, said: “The Aga Khan Development Network is proud to be a Founding Partner of the Earthshot Prize. It is our collective responsibility to be good stewards of the planet. At this critical moment, we must all nurture and invest in solutions that can repair our planet before it is too late.
“The AKDN has been working for over a century in Asia and Africa to improve quality of life — through education and healthcare, livelihoods and infrastructure, and long-term institutions of civil society. The decades of progress now hang in the balance: environmental degradation and climate change will wipe out these gains entirely unless we act now with urgency and conviction.
“To do its part, AKDN has a net-zero carbon target for its own operations and will mobilise its agencies to mitigate the effects of climate change and help vulnerable communities to adapt. We are excited to partner with the Earthshot Prize which, over the next decade, will identify fifty solutions with the potential to keep our planet habitable. Working together, we can and must help ensure a future for life on Earth.”
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Prince Rahim Aga Khan on Green House Emissions
After His Highness the Aga Khan and Prince Rahim Aga Khan provided guidance to all AKDN agencies to reduce their carbon footprint, we redoubled our efforts in trying to reduce it. It is surprising how much carbon is produced by the healthcare delivery systems and how much can be reduced. — Gijs Walraven, AKDN Director for Health, in interview with AKDN
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In Gilgit, a mountain town situated in a valley of the Karakorum Range in Northern Pakistan, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) is working with the First Microfinance Bank Pakistan (FMFB-P) to build a green building to house the bank’s new Regional Headquarters. The building will benefit from a range of passive design measures, which take advantage of local climate conditions to reduce the amount of energy required to maintain a comfortable environment indoors.
Reflecting on AKDN’s aspiration to become a leader in GHG management and reduction in the development sector, Prince Rahim Aga Khan stressed that “Environment and climate is a core strategic priority for AKDN. While each of the AKDN agencies and institutions have their own mandates, they all have a crucial role to play in helping to protect the environment and mitigate climate change. It is critical that every AKDN agency and institution measure and report its GHG emissions, as this is the necessary first step in lowering those emissions.”
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2020 (3): PRINCE RAHIM AGA KHAN RESPONDS TO Award GIVEN TO Aga Khan Agency for Habitat’s work in Pakistan
The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) won the World Habitat Awards 2020 Gold Award on December 3, 2020, for its “Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Technology for Safer Habitat” project.
In the winning project, AKAH pioneered the use of Hazard Vulnerability and Risk Assessments (HVRAs), which integrate science, technology and local knowledge for disaster risk management and sustainable habitat planning and development.
Reflecting the importance of this work, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, Chair of AKDN’s Environment and Climate Committee, said: “For decades the AKDN has been working with vulnerable communities to improve quality of life and reduce disaster risk. Today in the face of the climate crisis, understanding and mitigating these risks is even more urgent. Only by helping these communities adapt and thrive in harmony with their often-precarious habitat can we hope to mitigate the effects of climate change.”
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2021 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at Virtual Events
May 22, 2021: Global Convocation of Aga Khan University
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June 19, 2021: First Convocation of the University of Central Asia
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July 2021 (2): Prince Rahim Aga Khan accompanies Mawlana Hazar Imam to Meet French Prime Minister Jean Castex
Translation (via Twitter): Happy to welcome His Highness the Aga Khan to Matignon for an exchange on major international issues, the situation of Islam in France but also to bring our common projects to fruition.
Note(s): Jean Castex has been the Prime Minister of France since July 2020. He welcomed Mawlana Hazar Imam and Prince Rahim at his official residence, the Hôtel de Matignon, which is located in the 7th district of Paris.
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2021 (3): Prince Rahim Aga Khan attends Tajikistan Cultural Event at UNESCO in Paris
As part of his official three-day visit to France, the President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron attended the official opening ceremony of an exhibition called Tajikistan – the Land of Golden Rivers, at the Guimet Museum in Paris on October 13, 2021. The museum is well known for having one of the largest collections abroad of Asian art. The exhibition includes a display of 300 objects from the antiquity of the Tajik people to the present day.
On Thursday October 14, the President attended an event dedicated to the Cultural Day of Tajikistan at the UNESCO Headquarters to mark Tajikistan’s 30th anniversary of independence. Prince Rahim Aga Khan was present at the cultural celebration along with UNESCO’s Director-General Ms Audrey Azoulay.
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Prince Rahim conveyed Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness the Aga Khan’s warmest greetings and congratulations, and affirmed the Aga Khan Development Network’s commitment to Tajikistan’s peace and prosperity. AKDN’s investments in Tajikistan span the economic, humanitarian, social, and cultural sectors, helping to improve the quality of life of all Tajik peoples.
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2021 (4): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Meets With President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal
Prince Rahim Aga Khan met with His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, on December 25, 2021, at the Presidential Palace. At the meeting, Prince Rahim conveyed to the President and the people of Portugal Season’s Greetings and best wishes for the new year.
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The President and Prince Rahim acknowledged the strong relationship between the Ismaili Imamat and Portugal, and spoke about the presence and activities of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Portugal, Portuguese-speaking countries, and globally.
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They also took the opportunity to discuss other matters of mutual interest, such as those related to international affairs and regions where the Ismaili Imamat and AKDN have a strong presence, including Central and South Asia, East Africa, and the Middle East.
At the conclusion of the meeting, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa thanked Prince Rahim for the courtesy visit, and requested that he convey to Mawlana Hazar Imam his warmest greetings and best wishes.
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2022 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Meets with UN Secretary General Mr António Guterres
Note: The meeting between the United Nations Secretary General and Prince Rahim had been officially announced in the Secretary General’s daily schedule for February 9, 2022. The following statement was issued on the website of the UNSG following the meeting:
“Earlier today [February 9, 2022], the Secretary-General received Prince Rahim Aga Khan. The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for the work of the Aga Khan Development Network which he said was a symbol of tolerance and solidarity. The two discussed a number of situations around the world as well as how to increase the cooperation between the UN and Aga Khan Development Network.” (Read UNSG statement at source.)
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2022 (2): Prince Rahim Aga Khan in Dubai
From March 14-16, 2022, Prince Rahim visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the invitation of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Member of the Cabinet and the Minister of Tolerance for the United Arab Emirates. During his visit , Prince Rahim toured the newly opened Museum of the Future and met with His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan at Expo 2020, Dubai. Prince Rahim’s meeting with Sheikh Nahayan enabled discussion of the importance of advancing appreciation of pluralism.. His Excellency, hosted a lunch in his honour, following which Prince Rahim toured several pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai, including Vision and Alif Pavilions. The AKDN, working with Ministries of the United Arab Emirates and local and international civil society organisations, has coordinated numerous engagements at Expo 2020 Dubai, particularly in the areas of climate change and biodiversity, tolerance and inclusivity, culture, education, knowledge and learning.
Prince Rahim conveyed Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness the Aga Khan’s warmest greetings, and congratulated the UAE on the success of Expo 2020. Prince Rahim also met with Her Excellency Reem al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai; and Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth at the UAE Pavilion Majlis. During their meeting they spoke about the successful collaboration between Expo 2020 and Aga Khan Development Network agencies and discussed potential opportunities for partnership beyond Expo 2020, primarily in the fields of education and culture.
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During the visit, Prince Rahim also had discussions with His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, about areas where the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the UAE can work together to improve the quality of life of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Prince Rahim conveyed to His Highness the greetings and appreciation of Mawlana Hazar Imam for their personal friendship and the strong support extended to the AKDN and the Ismaili Muslim community, which has a long-established settlement in the UAE.
These sentiments were warmly reciprocated by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who expressed his gratitude for the work of the AKDN and the Ismaili Muslim community. He acknowledged contributions to Dubai’s cultural life and intellectual pursuits enabled by the Ismaili Centre in Dubai. He also conveyed his regard for the AKDN’s initiatives in numerous fields of international development, including the heritage of Muslim societies, regeneration projects in historic settings in the Islamic world, education, community development and the environment.
Prince Rahim commended the UAE’s humanitarian efforts and the Government’s successes in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. He also congratulated Dubai’s leadership for its dedication and commitment to welcoming an exchange of ideas and knowledge from around the world.
The AKDN, working with Ministries of the United Arab Emirates and local and international civil society organisations, has coordinated numerous engagements at Expo 2020 Dubai, particularly in the areas of climate change and biodiversity, tolerance and inclusivity, culture, education, knowledge and learning.
Prince Rahim also toured the recently opened Museum of the Future, where he met with Abdulaziz AlJaziri, Deputy CEO and Chief Operations Officer of the Dubai Future Foundation and Majed Al Mansoori, Deputy Executive Director of the Museum. He praised the Museum’s work to bring together innovators, scientists and prominent figures from leading fields to share their vision of crafting a sustainable, inclusive future.
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Prior to his departure, Prince Rahim met with volunteers from the Ismaili Muslim community at the Ismaili Centre Dubai.
The delegation accompanying Prince Rahim during the visit to Dubai comprised of Sultan Ali Allana, Director of Economic Development; Jane Piacentini-Moore, Senior Official, International Financial Affairs; Nazim Ahmad, Senior Official and Diplomatic Representative; and Aziz Merchant, President of the Ismaili Community in the UAE.
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2022 (3): Prince Rahim Aga Khan in Mozambique
March 17, 2022
Prince Rahim Aga Khan arrived in Maputo on March 17, 2022 for a three-day visit to Mozambique. He had earlier visited Dubai from March 14-16, 2022 (see Dubai story, above.) Prince Rahim’s visit began at the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare for a meeting with Minister Nyeleti Brooke Mondlane, who congratulated Prince Rahim on the inauguration of the Aga Khan Academy Maputo. She fondly recalled her childhood, when she and her siblings attended Aga Khan schools in neighbouring Tanzania.
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Watch News Report of Prince Rahim’s Meeting with President Nyusi aired on Televisão de Moçambique (TVM)
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Prince Rahim also visited the Presidential Palace in Maputo, where he met with President Filipe Nyusi. Prince Rahim conveyed Mawlana Hazar Imam’s greetings and warm wishes to President Nyusi, and acknowledged the long-standing relationship between the Ismaili Imamat and Mozambique.
Milestone Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) projects in Mozambique over the past two decades include the rehabilitation of the historic Polana Serena Hotel, one of Africa’s grandest hotels; a Coastal Rural Support Programme that supports entrepreneurship and skills development in the country’s poorest northern districts; and the Moztex garment factory, which employs and trains over 700 staff, more than 90 per cent of whom are women. AKDN’s projects in Mozambique have directly reached over half a million beneficiaries since 2001.
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Prince Rahim then travelled to the Parliament building to meet with Esperança Laurinda Bias, President of the Assembly of the Republic (see photos, above). The President thanked Prince Rahim for his visit to Mozambique and praised the work of AKDN in the country, especially in the Cabo Delgado province.
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Prince Rahim was the Guest of Honour at a state banquet hosted by President Filipe Nyusi at the Presidential Palace Ponta Vermelha in honour of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the President of Portugal, who is also visiting Mozambique (see photo, above). In their remarks at the banquet, both President Nyusi and President de Sousa paid tribute to Mawlana Hazar Imam and the efforts of the Aga Khan Development Network to improve quality of life in Mozambique and around the world.
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March 18, 2022
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Situated in the heart of Mozambique’s capital, along the Indian Ocean coast, Maputo Jamatkhana stands as a monument to the long history of the Ismaili community in southern Africa. Prince Rahim Aga Khan toured the building and grounds on March 18, 2022, the second day of his 3-day visit to Mozambique.
Prince Rahim was welcomed by Amin Rawjee, President of the Ismaili Council for Mozambique, as the Imamat flag stood raised atop the Jamatkhana. Prince Rahim met with leaders of the Ismaili community and toured the historic Jamatkhana’s spaces, gardens, and religious education classrooms.
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The Jamatkhana built in 1941 underwent significant extensions in the mid 1960’s. The extension was inaugurated in 1968 by the then Governor General, Dr Baltazar Rebelo de Sousa, father of the current President of Portugal, Professor Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa whose visit to Mozambique coincides with that of Prince Rahim.
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Prince Rahim later visited the Aga Khan Academy Maputo ahead of its official inauguration on Saturday, March 19. He spent time with teachers and staff of the school and toured the Academy campus and facilities, including the state-of-the-art science building, sports hall, and newly completed commons building.
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March 19, 2022
To the students here today, I would like to share with you one perspective. Throughout your studies and your youth, adults will tell you that the future is ahead of you. I want to tell you that the future is what you leave behind you, shaped by every one of your actions and your statements and your decisions. The future follows behind you in the path that you choose. Look at this academy — it’s an institution born of past decisions and past actions, which now will shape the future: your future, the future of your families, and the future of this beautiful country, Mozambique. — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, Maputo, March 19, 2022.
At a special event held in Maputo on Saturday March 19, 2022, the Aga Khan Academy Maputo was inaugurated by Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique, and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, in the presence of Prince Rahim Aga Khan. Hosted at the school’s newly opened Commons building, the inauguration was attended by students and staff of the school; government and state officials; representatives of faith communities, businesses, and civil society; and leaders of the Jamat and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
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As a centre of excellence, this Academy will equip its students with the tools needed to be competitive and to thrive, as they go on to their universities and then enter the arena of adult life. And it will teach them to push themselves to be the best they can possibly be. Prince Rahim Aga Khan, Maputo, March 19, 2022.
WATCH VIDEO OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE AGA KHAN ACADEMY
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The Portuguese newspaper Obsevador in its report noted that the Presidents of both Mozambique and Portugal applauded the partnership that the two countries maintain with the Ismaili Muslim community. According to the paper, the Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, praised “the vision of His Highness Aga Khan”, and his message of humanism and fraternity. The President said that “there are millions of children and young people around the world who cannot attend an academy like this. [And that] they have to be the best to respond to this opportunity that others don’t have. And then, the best to build Mozambique, a Mozambique open to all religions, to those who have no religion, to all opinions, to all dreams, to all projects for the future. That is your duty”, he told the students of the Academy.
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President Filipe Nyusi commended the presence of an Aga Khan Academy in Maputo, along with other ongoing AKDN initiatives in the country. “We have been following the positive impact of various socio-economic projects undertaken by the Aga Khan Development Network, which greatly contribute to the progress of Mozambique, in line with our country’s own development programme,” he said.
According to Obsevador, President Nyusi suggested that AKDN should invest in a hospital, in order to fill the gaps in health in the country. “Even if it’s only a third of this school”, said the head of state in his remarks.
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In his remarks, Prince Rahim spoke of the vision of the Academy and the Aga Khan Curricular Strands which make the school unique.
“As a centre of excellence,” he said, “this Academy will equip its students with the tools needed to be competitive and to thrive, as they go on to their universities and then enter the arena of adult life. And it will teach them to push themselves to be the best they can possibly be.”
The Aga Khan Academies aim to develop future leaders with the skills and knowledge to support positive development in their societies. To achieve this, they recruit exceptional young people from all backgrounds regardless of socio-economic means, and provide them with the highest international standard of education.
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“The wide geographic spread of the Academies is by design,” said Prince Rahim, “to allow students and staff to seamlessly travel to Academies in other countries, see different cultures, and build an appreciation and a love for them.”
Prince Rahim joined President Nyusi and President Rebelo de Sousa as they unveiled the inaugural plaque before taking a tour of the Academy campus.
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Special Photo Album of the Inauguration of the Aga Khan Academy from the Presidency of Portugal
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2022 (4): Prince Rahim Aga Khan’s Statement at Afghanistan Conference
Video: The Afghanistan People Need Help….and Urgent and Practical Attention
On March 31, 2022 at a virtual conference convened by UN Secretary General António Guterres to address Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, speaking on behalf of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, affirmed the “unfailing commitment of the Ismaili Imamat and the AKDN to the people of Afghanistan.”
He said: “Since August [2021], despite huge challenges, in cooperation with UN agencies, the Aga Khan Development Network has maintained its life-saving work across Afghanistan: keeping its hospitals and clinics open; assisting communities with food, shelter and livelihoods; and continuing to help thousands of children of both genders to access learning. Our experience over the past three decades, along with generous support from many international partners, has taught us to believe deeply in the capacity of Afghans, in their pluralism, and in the strength of their vibrant, diverse communities. They have shown time and again that they are resilient and resourceful, but today, they need help.”
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2022 (5): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Welcomes Monsignor Peña Parra of the Vatican to the Ismaili Centre Lisbon
On May 12, 2022, signor Peña Parra, the Substitute for the Secretariat of State at the Vatican, was welcomed to the Ismaili Centre Lisbon by Prince Rahim.
The meeting offered an opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest, including the international context in regions of the world where the Ismaili Imamat and the Holy See have a strong presence, the activities of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) around the world, and the relationship between the Ismaili Imamat and Portugal. In particular, they discussed pathways of cooperation for the improvement of the quality of life of populations in Lusophone countries and in other regions of the world.
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2022 (6): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Leads Imamat Delegation to UN Ocean Conference
An Ismaili Imamat delegation led by Prince Rahim attended the Ocean Conference in Lisbon at the invitation of the United Nations (UN).
The weeklong UN Ocean Conference that concluded on July 1, 2022 was co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal and came at a critical time as the world is seeking to address many of the deep-rooted problems of our societies laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic and which will require major structural transformations and common shared solutions that are anchored in the SDGs. To mobilize action, the Conference sought to propel much needed science-based innovative solutions aimed at starting a new chapter of global ocean action.
Representing the Ismaili Imamat, Prince Rahim was accompanied by Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad, and senior AKDN leaders. An exhibition of Prince Hussain’s marine photography, Fragile Beauty, was on display at the Portugal Pavilion as an official side event of the conference.
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2022 (7): MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM CELEBRATES IMAMAT DAY WITH HIS FAMILY
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2022 (8): Prince Rahim aga khan acnnounces Ismaili Imamat Donation of $10 Million to Pakistan Flood Relief Efforts
The Ismaili Imamat on Sunday, September 4, 2022 announced that it will be donating US$10 million to support relief efforts following the severe flooding in Pakistan. $5m will be donated directly to the Government of Pakistan while a further $5m will be provided to the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) agencies in the country, which are engaged in the relief efforts. The donation came following a discussion between the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Shahbaz Sharif, and Prince Rahim Aga Khan, Chair of AKDN’s Environment and Climate Committee and eldest son of His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.
Prince Rahim said “I am deeply concerned about the impact of the current floods in Pakistan, which have been intensified by the effects of climate change. These floods, and the many other weather events we are experiencing around the world, require us all –governments, businesses, communities, and individuals — to redouble our efforts to combat the climate crisis which threatens to engulf us. The institutions of the Ismaili Imamat have been mobilised to support the government in its relief and rehabilitation efforts.”
During the discussion, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation on behalf of the people and Government of Pakistan for the unwavering support of the Ismaili Imamat and the AKDN institutions. He also expressed his deepest respects for the work that the AKDN institutions have been delivering in Pakistan since its independence.
Taking to Twitter, PM Shahbaz wrote that he is “deeply indebted to His Highness the Aga Khan for the contribution of $10 million for the flood victims in Pakistan”.
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2022 (9): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Attends Funeral Service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
At the invitation from Buckingham Palace, Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, requested his oldest son Prince Rahim to represent him at the committal service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which took place at 4 PM on Monday, September 19, 2022, at the St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Her Majesty passed away on September 8th at the age of 96. The official PDF document specifying the order of the Committal service can be read HERE. The Committal Service followed the State Funeral that had taken place in London earlier during the day that was attended by Heads of State from around the world.
The Committal Ceremony in Windsor Castle was attended by members of the royal family, individuals from other royal families, close friends, past and present members of the Queen’s household, Governors General, and Realm Prime Ministers. The act of Committal was the lowering of the coffin. The actual burial of Her Majesty took place later in the evening at the King George VI Memorial Chapel. It was a very private ceremony and was attended by Her Majesty’s closest family members. The Chapel is also the burial place for King George VI (d.1952, buried in chapel 1969), Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (d. 2002), Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (d. 2002) (ashes), HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh (d. 2021) and of course Queen Elizabeth II (d. 2022).
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2022 (10): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Represents Mawlana Hazar Imam at Historic Signing of Accord Between the Ismaili Imamat and British Columbia
Prince Rahim Aga Khan, on behalf of his father Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan on Thursday September 29, 2022 signed an accord with British Columbia’s Premier John Joseph Horgan at the Pan Pacific Hotel located at the iconic Canada Place on Vancouver’s waterfront. The Accord of Cooperation is a significant milestone that reflects the 50-year history of the Ismaili Community in Canada, and Mawlana Hazar Imam’s lifetime of work to improve quality of life. The Agreement will serve to advance partnership and collaboration on one of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change. Accompanying Prince Rahim was his sister Princess Zahra, who signed the climate adaptation agreement with British Columbia Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy to address growing global challenges around the environment and climate.
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The agreement reinforces the Imamat’s permanent commitment to this province, and, alongside similar partnerships already in place with Alberta and Ontario, to this great country. “First among the challenges and risks that face humanity today is the climate emergency in all its dimensions. The recent devastating floods in Pakistan, for example, illustrate the urgency of the situation. — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, September 29, 2022, Vancouver
“British Columbia has become a leader in the fight against planetary breakdown. Its institutions, companies, and organisations, public and private, are creating new knowledge and identifying innovative solutions in the areas of environmental stewardship, climate adaptation, sustainability, and many others.” — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, September 29, 2022, Vancouver
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2022 (11): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at the Vatican
Prince Rahim Aga Khan made a courtesy visit to the Vatican and met with His Excellency Reverend Dom Edgar Peña Parra, the Substitute of the Secretariat of State, as well as briefly met with met His Holiness Pope Francis and conveyed respectful good wishes. Prince Rahim was accompanied by a small delegation of officials to dialogue on potential areas of future cooperation, such as improving the quality of life of disadvantaged communities and combatting climate change. The institutions of the Ismaili Imamat and those of the Catholic Church closely cooperate in Portugal to deliver early childhood development and care for the elderly, amongst other areas.
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2022 (12): Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Prince Amyn at the Paris Peace Forum
The person behind the Paris Peace Forum is the French President Emmanuel Macron. Among its main partners are the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), Amazon, the Rockefeller Foundation, and Tik Tok. Prince Amyn Mohamed, younger brother of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, is a member on the Executive Committee that decides on the Forum’s overall organization and activities.
The Paris Peace Forum describes itself in its FAQ as “A global platform for governance projects.” Its slogan is “Better governance brings peace” and it seeks to do this through an annual forum that is held in Paris. However, the Forum maintains that it is not only concerned about “large deliverables” and in this respect it takes a bottom-up approach to accelerate concrete initiatives that take place around the world that advance governance solutions. Through its Scale-up Program (SCUP) that was launched in 2018, it provides year-long customized (non-financial) support towards the development of 10 of the projects showcased at the Paris Peace Forum.
For the past year, members of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s family have represented him at numerous events. The 2022 Forum returned to its normal setting and Prince Amyn Mohamed was present along with Prince Rahim, who attended it for the first time.
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2022 (13): Prince Rahim Aga Khan attends Bytes4Future
On November 15, 2022, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and Sintra City Council presented the results of Bytes4Future, a digital upskilling programme for vulnerable youth. Prince Rahim Aga Khan joined the Mayor of Sintra, Basílio Horta, the President of the Foundation for Science and Technology, Madalena Alves and other experts at the Centro Cultural Olga Cadaval, Sintra, Portugal. A roundtable was held on “Future skills and emerging trends”, and two alumni spoke about what the programme had meant for them. Bytes4Future is a 17-week programme that enables socioeconomically marginalised participants aged 18 to 29 to develop their programming, multimedia and English skills, involving relevant companies to provide access to employment. It aims to break the cycle of social exclusion and poverty and meet the demand for digital skills in Portugal’s labour market.
AKF created Bytes4Future in 2020 in partnership with the Run Code School, the Municipality of Sintra and the Portugal Social Innovation Partnership for Impact. It is co-funded by AKF Portugal, the Portugal Social Innovation Programme (through EU funding) and the Sintra Municipal Council.
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2022 (11): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Meets Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister
Prince Rahim Aga Khan on December 8, 2022 met with His Excellency Mr. Siodjidin Muhriddin Aslov, the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan, in Paris. Mr Aslov is in France for meetings with the French government. Prince Rahim and Minister Aslov discussed the current situation in Central Asia and the work of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Tajikistan. The AKDN has been active in Tajikistan since the country’s independence in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In cooperation with its development partners, the AKDN has enabled social, economic, and cultural development initiatives over the last 30 years to improve the quality of life of the people of Tajikistan.
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2022 (14): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Speaks at the Kusi Ideas Festival
On December 8-9, 2022, Nairobi, Kenya, was host to the 4th annual edition of the Kusi Ideas Festival which brought together bold voices to discuss the climate crisis and its impact on Africa. The opening session included remarks by Prince Rahim Aga Khan on behalf of the Aga Khan Development Network.
The Festival is named after Kusi, the southerly trade wind that blows over the Indian Ocean between April and mid-September. The wind enabled trade up north along the East African coast and between Asia and Africa for millennia. It was launched by Nation Media Group (NMG) in 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda, as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations, and to begin building a “pan-African ideas transaction market” to capitalise on the opportunities and innovations available to Africa to help her win in the 21st Century. The next two editions of the Festival in 2020 and 2021 were held in Kisumu, Kenya, and Accra, Ghana, respectively.
NMG was established by Mawlana Hazar Imam in 1959 during the struggle for independence in East African countries. Today, it is the largest independent media house in East and Central Africa with operations in print, broadcast, and digital media. Its mission is to be the “Media of Africa for Africa,” aiming to help position the continent as a leading player on the global stage.
Prince Rahim centred his address on the theme of the climate crisis and its significance for Africa and the world at large. “Temperatures in Africa are rising, and are set to rise faster than the global average during the 21st century,” he said. “While Africa has contributed negligibly to the changing climate, being responsible for only two to three percent of global emissions, it stands out disproportionately as the most vulnerable continent in the world to climate change.”
Prince Rahim also highlighted the transformational work that AKDN agencies are undertaking to meet their target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030. This includes the development of tools to measure greenhouse gas emissions; Gold Eco-rating Certification of the Network’s Serena hotels; changing of agricultural practices for tens of thousands of farmers; working with rural communities to strengthen climate resilience; and introducing a new concept in schools known as “Play, Pluralism and Planet” to ensure the next generation of leaders are climate-aware, climate-empathetic, and climate-resilient.
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2023 (1): Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Princess Zahra lead Ismaili Imamat and AKDN delegation to “climate resilient pakistan” conference IN gENEVA
In a marathon day long conference held in Geneva on Monday, January 9, 2023, dozens of countries and international institutions pledged more than $9 billion for Pakistan in response to last summer’s record breaking monsoon rainfall that caused catastrophic flooding, affecting more than 33 million people. Upwards of 1,700 people died, over 2 million were rendered homeless, crops were wiped out, and vital infrastructure was destroyed and damaged.
The international conference entitled “Climate Resilient Pakistan” was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. In the conference, Pakistan presented the Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF), which laid out a multisectoral strategy for rehabilitation and reconstruction in a climate-resilient and inclusive manner. Pakistan also sought to secure international support and forge long-term partnerships for building Pakistan’s climate resilience and adaptation.
At the invitation of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the UN Secretary General, a delegation led by Prince Rahim Aga Khan and his sister Princess Zahra Aga Khan, representing the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), attended the conference that was held in Geneva at the Palais des Nations. Consistent with the Imamat and AKDN’s enduring commitment to Pakistan, and specifically climate resilience and adaptation, Prince Rahim and Princess Zahra expressed strong support for the 4RF.
AKDN’s overall response plan seeks to not only provide immediate humanitarian relief, but like the 4RF, help communities recover and build back with long-term resilience to future disasters. To this end, Prince Rahim and Princess Zahra reiterated the commitment to deepen AKDN’s numerous activities on the ground, in alignment with the 4RF and in continued collaboration with the government, communities and international partners.
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2023 (2): Prince Rahim Aga Khan atTENDS RECEPTION in hONOUR OF Dr. Farhad Daftary for his Contribution to the IIS and Ismaili ScholarshIp
I know I speak on behalf of His Highness and for all of us here, and the generations who will benefit from his scholarship, that we are very grateful that Dr Daftary chose this to be his lifetime’s work and that he has made such a major contribution to the field of Ismaili studies — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, January 18, 2023
on January 18, 2023, Prince Rahim Aga Khan attended a reception at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel to honour the contributions of Dr Farhad Daftary to the IIS, and more broadly to the fields of Ismaili and Islamic studies, as he steps down from his management roles at The Institute. The event was attended by staff, students, governors and leaders of the Ismaili community. Dr Daftary was succeeded as the Director of IIS by Professor Zayn Kassam, a highly accomplished scholar of Islamic and Ismaili philosophy and Islamic mysticism.
Prince Rahim announced that Mawlana Hazar Imam has decided to acknowledge Dr Daftary’s contributions to The Institute by attaching his name to forthcoming PhD Scholarships awarded by IIS — they will be known as The Farhad Daftary PhD Scholarships. Dr Daftary’s central role not only as a leader, but as the IIS’s most respected and productive scholar and author was also recognised by Prince Rahim.
“I know I speak on behalf of His Highness and for all of us here, and the generations who will benefit from his scholarship, that we are very grateful that Dr Daftary chose this to be his lifetime’s work and that he has made such a major contribution to the field of Ismaili studies,” he said.
“His seminal works on Ismaili History are universally recognised as the authoritative sources on this subject matter. His books, journal articles and encyclopaedia entries are referred to and cited by people around the world,” added Prince Rahim.
“This body of work will have a long-lasting legacy, and it has profoundly changed the landscape of Ismaili Studies.”
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2023 (3): Prince Rahim Aga Khan addresses World Government Summit in Dubai
The Qur’an teaches us that as God’s noblest creation, humankind is entrusted with the stewardship of all that is on Earth, and that each generation must leave for its successors a wholesome and healthy social and physical environment. Stewardship of the environment, care for the natural world, sharing of resources, recognition of beauty as a divine blessing, and an environmental ethic are the principles that helped guide the planning of early Muslim cities — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, World Government Summit, Dubai, February 13, 2023.
During a unique plenary keynote session at the World Government Summit being held in Dubai from February 13-15, 2023, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, Chairman of Environment and Climate Committee at the Aga Khan Development Network, spoke on the opening day on the urgent action we must take as a global community to advance progress and tackle climate change. Omar Sultan Al Olama Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications and Managing Director of the World Government Summit Organisation warmly welcomed Prince Rahim’s participation at the Summit. Prince Rahim’s speech can be seen in the following YouTube video from approximately the 7:12:10 hour mark to 7:22. Also, Barakah has presented the full speech thematically.
Introduction to Prince Rahim followed by his speech commences shortly after the 7:12:00 hour mark.
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2023 (4): Prince Rahim Aga Khan and son Prince Sinan at Lisbon’s Royal Treasure Museum as Ismaili Imamat provides patronage support for acquisition of an exceptional artefact
On Friday, February 24, 2023, at the invitation of Pedro Adão e Silva, Portugal’s Minister of Culture, the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, visited Museu do Tesouro Real (the Royal Treasury Museum), in Lisbon, accompanied by Prince Rahim Aga Khan. The occasion was to mark the patronage support of the Ismaili Imamat in the acquisition of an exceptional 16th-century silver salver — a traditional serving tray — for the permanent collection of the museum.
Prince Rahim was joined by his younger son Prince Sinan. Present at the event were the Secretary of State for Culture, Isabel Cordeiro; the Museum Director, José Alberto Ribeiro; the Diplomatic Representative of the Ismaili Imamat to Portugal, Nazim Ahmad; and the President of the Aga Khan Ismaili Council for Portugal, Rahim Firozali. The group viewed the silver salver and other noteworthy pieces, highlighting the importance of their joint endeavour to safeguard Portugal’s historic cultural landscape.
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2023 (5): Prince Rahim Aga Khan Leads the Commonwealth Day’s Procession of Loyal Societies
Prince Rahim Aga Khan on March 13, 2023, attended the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration, in the presence of His Majesty The King, Head of the Commonwealth, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The annual event is organized by the Royal Commonwealth Society of which the late Queen Elizabeth is the patron. Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, is the Vice President of the Governing Body along with The Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland QC, the Commonwealth Secretary-General.
The event was televised by the BBC, and can be viewed on the YouTube link provided above (Prince Rahim is seen shaking hands with the King at around the 1:08:26 hour mark as the King is departing the Abbey at the conclusion of the ceremony.)
Prince Rahim, representing Mawlana Hazar Imam, led the procession of Loyal Societies in his capacity as Vice President-designate of the Royal Commonwealth Society. The procession of honoured guests and participants including Prince Rahim appears on page 5 of the PDF document The Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration.
Following the event, Prince Rahim met with His Majesty The King, as well as senior members of the royal family and delegates including representatives from other faith communities.
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2023 (6): Prince Rahim Aga Khan at Westminster Abbey for Crowning of King Charles III
Prince Rahim Aga Khan, representing Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, was among ninety heads of state, including kings and queens from around the world, to witness the coronation of Britain’s King Charles III in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6, 2023. According to Buckingham Palace, some 203 countries were represented in the congregation of 2,200 people that also included members of the public invited by the king for their charity work. The ceremony, full of of pageantry and tradition and deeply imbued with Christian faith, was watched by millions around the world on television and online, along with hundreds of thousands of people who had lined the streets of London under occasional heavy rain. Some of the coronation rituals remained unchanged for more than 1,000 years. But for the first time, female bishops took part in the service, alongside leaders of other faiths.
For Ismailis in the UK, the Coronation weekend offers an opportunity to join the festivities, and extend their active involvement in charitable and social initiatives in the country. For many decades, members of the community have worked closely with Royal organisations to promote peace, pluralism, and social progress in the UK and the Commonwealth.
Khatoon Noonan took part in the “Cook for the King” competition to celebrate the coronation, and was named the winner with her dish Pickling Masala Mutton Curry (see exclusive article on our sister website Simerg.) Shafina Jaffer’s piece of painted artwork featuring the Union Jack’s colours and floral motifs will be projected onto Windsor Castle and the performer’s stage during a concert on Sunday, May 7. Alnaz Gulamhussein has been recognised as an exceptional volunteer who goes the extra mile to serve her community. She was invited to attend the official Coronation Garden Party, which took place at Buckingham Palace a few days ahead of the king’s coronation.
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2023 (7): PRINCE RAHIM AGA KHAN hosts UAE Minister of cULTURE AND youth
Prince Rahim Aga Khan hosted a luncheon on May 21, 2023, for His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture and Youth for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon, Portugal. The meeting offered an opportunity to further discuss matters of mutual interest and cooperation between the Ismaili Imamat and the UAE notably in the areas of culture and sustainability.
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Prince Rahim and His Excellency discussed the ways to enhance cooperation to fight climate change and its impact on historical sites ahead of COP28 which will be take place from November 30 until December 12, 2023 in Dubai. The Minister applauded Aga Khan Development Network’s substantial role in preserving cultural and urban heritage regionally and globally.
Shortly afterwards, His Excellency the Minister and his delegation were received at the Ismaili Centre, Lisbon, where they took part in a guided tour of the building and its gardens.
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Tweet: UAE Minister of Culture and Youth meets prince Rahim Aga Khan
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2023 (8): Prince Rahim Aga Khan meets Bangladesh Prime Minister to discuss education and climate priorities
Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Her Excellency Ms Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, met on Wednesday June 14, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss education and climate priorities in Bangladesh. Prime Minister Hasina is visiting Geneva in part to participate in the World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All, organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Prince Rahim conveyed the continued commitment of His Highness the Aga Khan, and the AKDN to the economic and social development of Bangladesh. Building on nearly seven decades of cooperation, bilateral relations were enhanced through a Protocol of Co-Operation signed in 2013.
Prince Rahim acknowledged the good progress made by Bangladesh since independence over 50 years ago in improving many social and economic indicators, reducing poverty, and enhancing the quality of life of Bangladeshis.
Discussing the impact of climate change in Bangladesh and globally, Prince Rahim shared AKDN’s experiences and programmes to reduce its carbon footprint and outlined the climate adaptation and mitigation measures undertaken by the AKDN to enable green and sustainable development.
Her Excellency the Prime Minister conveyed her appreciation to Mawlana Hazar Imam and the AKDN for the contributions made in the country over many decades. The Prime Minister especially recognised the establishment of the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, which seeks to create future Bangladeshi leaders who will contribute to the development of the country. The Academy offers an enhanced International Baccalaureate curriculum and leadership development opportunities to empower graduates to contribute to their societies in the country and around the world.
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2023 (9): Prince Rahim Aga Khan meets France’s Minister of the Interior and overseas territories, as Ismaili Council President, Shamir Samdjee, is decorated with Legion d’honneur
His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan has said that pluralism means not just accepting differences between people but embracing them completely. These deeply profound words speak first and foremost of the human and spiritual qualities of a personality who has given so much to our country, to France, and whose work continues to shine through his children and all the faithful Ismailis, whom he guides — Gérald Darmanin, June 21, 2023, at ceremony honouring President of the Ismaili Council for France
France’s Minister of the Interior and overseas territories, Gérald Darmanin, presided over a ceremony on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at the Hôtel de Beauvau, official home of France’s Interior Ministry, to bestow the Legion d’honneur, upon Shamir Samdjee, President of His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Council for France. Prince Rahim Aga Khan attended the ceremony. He was received by Gérald Darmanin, with whom he held discussions on the collaboration between France and the Ismaili Imamat, before the commencement of the ceremony.
In accepting one of the nation’s most prestigious honours, President Samdjee said, “I receive it with great humility and it obliges me, it obliges all of us here, to continue to do more.”
The Ismaili Council President spoke of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s commitment to France, and outlined some of the projects that the Aga Khan Development Network has undertaken with the support of French institutions. He also spoke of the history of the Jamat in France, who have migrated and settled from various parts of the developing world in recent decades. “Our history is diverse, coming from Madagascar, Africa, Syria and Asia. It shows that integration can be successful when it is based on the values of education, knowledge, intellect and hard work,” he said.
President Samdjee added: “As we contemplate this journey, we must realise that we are privileged today. We are here, at this very moment, strengthened by our heritage, which guides our actions. We owe this singular journey to the advice and ongoing guidance of His Highness the Aga Khan for almost seven decades.”
In his address to guests, Mr Darmanin paid tribute to Mawlana Hazar Imam, and commended the contributions by the Ismaili community to civil society in France and around the world.
“His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan has said that pluralism means not just accepting differences between people but embracing them completely.” said Mr Darmanin. “These deeply profound words speak first and foremost of the human and spiritual qualities of a personality who has given so much to our country, to France, and whose work continues to shine through his children and all the faithful Ismailis, whom he guides.”
“The Ismaili faith advocates dialogue with all,” Mr Darmanin continued, “promoting diversity as a virtue, encouraging everyone to participate fully in the life of the country in which they live. It is a commitment to which the Aga Khan continually invites you, because there can be no dichotomy between the spiritual and the material, between faith and social life.”
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2023 (10): Report and Video — Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Members of His Highness the Aga Khan’s Family Welcome the Portuguese Leadership to celebrate 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 Jamat 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.”
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Video: Imamat Day Reception Hosted at Diwan of Imamat
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2023 (11): prince Rahim Aga Khan is Received by King Charles III
On Wednesday, July 12, 2023, King Charles III received Prince Rahim Aga Khan at Buckingham Palace. The meeting has been noted in Buckingham Palace’s official record of past royal engagements.
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2023 (12): Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Aga Khan family members 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.
The Lisbon Ismaili Centre’s elegant blend of traditional Islamic architectural motifs and Iberian elements, designed by the renowned architect Raj Rewal, has made it a distinguished feature within Lisbon’s urban landscape. The Ismaili Centre and its gardens have served as a symbol of cultural heritage, and a catalyst for bridge building and cross-cultural understanding.
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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2023 (13): Pope Francis Has Private Audience with Prince Rahim Aga Khan
Vatican News reported that Pope Francis held a private audience with Prince Rahim Aga Khan in Lisbon. The Pope was on a visit to Lisbon for the World Youth Day (WYD) which is primarily aimed at young people. WYD was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. It has since been hosted every 3 years in different cities around the world. During his current visit to Lisbon, the Pope has engaged in a series of interreligious and ecumenical encounters in which he has called on everyone to promote fraternity and care for the spiritual well-being of young people.
The Ismaili, the official website of the Ismaili community, further noted that Prince Rahim conveyed warm greetings to Pope Francis on behalf of Mawlana Hazar Imam, and on behalf of the worldwide Ismaili community. The Pope thanked Prince Rahim for the warm gesture and asked that his good wishes be transmitted to Hazar Imam and members of his family, and to the global Ismaili community. The Pope and Prince Rahim discussed areas of mutual interest and the potential for future collaboration.
Date posted: October 11, 2023.
Last updated: April 4, 2024 (typos.)
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REVIEW BARAKAH’S TABLE OF CONTENTS AND VISIT ITS SISTER WEBSITES
Before departing this website please take a moment to visit Barakah’s Table of Contents for links to more than 275 pieces dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat. Also visit our two sister websites, Simerg and Simergphotos. Barakah’s editor may be reached at mmerchant@barakah.com. Please follow Malik @Facebook and @Twitter.
Additional Reading/RESOURCES
- Vartan Gregorian: His Highness the Aga Khan embodies the ecumenical spirit that links the 3 great monotheistic religions
- Inauguration of the new head office of the Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank
- Transcript of a conversation between His Highness the Aga Khan and Synergos Founder Peggy Dulany at the Synergos University for a Night Event
- Managing greenhouse gas emissions
- Aga Khan Agency for Habitat wins World Habitat Awards Gold Award
- AKDN interview with Gijs Walraven, AKDN Director for Health
- President Rahmon and Aga Khan inaugurate Dushanbe Serena hotel
- Opening of the Ismaili Centre Dubai
- Azito Energie inaugurates Côte d’Ivoire’s first operational combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant
- 2016_08_akdn_pakistan_newsletter-_summer_edition.pdf
- (d1zah1nkiby91r.cloudfront.net)
- Portrait of Prince Rahim’s Family with Meanings of Irfan and Sinan
- The Institute of Ismaili Studies celebrates 40 years
- Barakah looks back at important 2018 stories of Mawlana Hazar Imam and members of his family that we did not publish during the year
- Vision and Foresight of Ismaili Imamat, as Aga Khan Agency for Habitat Wins 2020 World Habitat Gold Award; and Photos of Prince Rahim Aga Khan’s Visit to Agency Programs in Pakistan
- Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa Aga Khan visit Pakistan
- Prince Rahim visits East Africa to evaluate AKDN’s response to environmental sustainability and climate change
- Report and Photos: Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, Addresses First Global Convocation of Aga Khan University to a Worldwide Audience
- Fred Hutch and Aga Khan University set stage for collaboration on global health
- Prince Rahim Visits Expo 2020 Dubai
- Prince Rahim Visits Mozambique
- Maktoum bin Mohammed meets with Rahim Aga Khan and discusses new ways to support underprivileged communities around the world
- AKDN Press Release: Ismaili Imamat donates $10 million to Pakistan Flood Relief Efforts
- GEO TV: Ismaili Imamat to contribute $10m for flood victims in Pakistan
- Pakistan’s Deluge – NASA Story Compares Satellite Images from August 4 and 28
- Aga Khan University Sets Up Pakistan Flood Response Fund as UN Secretary General Declares “Pakistan is Awash in Suffering, People Facing a Monsoon on Steroids”; Please Donate in Pakistan’s Hour of Need
- The Presidency of Portugal
- Shaping the leaders of tomorrow
- Princess Zahra Aga Khan and Prince Amyn Aga Khan Attend Significant Events in Edmonton and Toronto
- Prince Rahim Aga Khan at the Committal of Her Majesty
- Exclusive Report and Photos: Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Princess Zahra Represent Mawlana Hazar Imam at Historic Signing of Accord Between the Ismaili Imamat and British Columbia
- Aga Khan Development Network
- The Ismaili
- University of Central Asia
- Aga Khan University
- The Institute of Ismaili Studies
Barakah 
Mubarak, mubarak and subhanallah; Dearest Malik for publishing a stunning birthday tribute to Prince Rahim on his birthday in such detail. You have poured your love/admiration&your hard work from your heart &soul thank you & Mowla bless you with immense happiness & grace Ameen……
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A Very Happy Birthday to our Beloved Prince Rahim Aga Khan. From the bottom of our hearts we wish you well. You Beloved Prince always on the go go. Thank you for your time in assisting the Global Jamat and the world at large.
Thank you Malik for your time in preparing this post so many photos and clips of our Beloved Mawlana Hazar Imam and the Noorani Family
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On behalf of the Global Jamat wishing our Beloved Prince a very Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Joyous birthday. Ameen
Wising our Beloved Prince a very Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Long Life. Wishing our prince success in all His endeavors. Ameen
Praying for Hazar Imam and all Noorani Family Members for Very Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Long Lives. Ameen Ameen. Shukhar Mowla.
From Mehrun Mitha
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Happy Birthday to our beloved Prince Rahim! 🎂🎉
Thank you, Malik, for creating such a heartwarming tribute to Prince Rahim on his 52nd birthday. The montage of pictures is truly remarkable. Your addition of written text adds depth and meaning to this beautiful celebration.
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Lovely collection. Thanks for posting it.
Happy Birthday beloved Prince Rahim.
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