Compiled and prepared by MALIK MERCHANT

Introduction

Born in 1949 in Lausanne, Switzerland, to Prince Aly Khan and Rita Hayworth, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, younger sister of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and Prince Amyn Aga Khan, celebrates her 75th birthday on December 28, 2024.

For over 40 years, Princess Yasmin has been a driving force in the fight against Alzheimer’s through the Alzheimer’s Association and has helped reduce the stigma against Alzheimer’s.

Her fundraising efforts began by hosting the Rita Hayworth Galas, first in New York in 1984 and then in Chicago, which has raised over US $88 million in funds (all amounts mentioned in this post are in US $). These funds have been instrumental in supporting critical Alzheimer’s Association care, support, and research programs, demonstrating the significant impact of fundraising efforts. For the past few years, the New York event has been renamed the Imagine Benefit with the visionary thought “Imagine a World Without Alzheimer’s.”

As Princess Yasmin celebrates her 75th birthday, we wish her a happy birthday and express our heartfelt hope that the battle to find a cure for Alzheimer’s will be seen during her lifetime. The following are highlights of Princess Yasmin’s impactful endeavours since 2021 when we first created a post to celebrate her 72nd birthday.

2024

(1) October 23, 2024: Imagine Benefit, New York

Thank you, Yasmin, for your unwavering dedication to this cause in honor of your mother Rita Hayworth — Tweet on ‘X’ by Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association marked the 40th anniversary of its esteemed Imagine Benefit, built on the legacy of the Rita Hayworth Gala, on Oct. 23, 2024, at the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York City. Founded by Princess Yasmin Aga Khan in honour of her mother, Rita Hayworth, the event raised over $1.2 million to support the Association’s mission while bringing the lifetime total to nearly $90 million since its inception in 1984.

In a statement released by the Alzheimer’s Association before the Gala, Princess Yasmin said: “We are incredibly excited to celebrate the 40th year of this remarkable event, which has played a pivotal role in raising awareness and support for the Alzheimer’s Association. I am so proud of all we have accomplished over this time, but I know our fight is not over yet.“

“It is surreal to be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Imagine Benefit, and this milestone would not be possible without the support and leadership of so many people,” said Princess Yasmin Aga Khan at the Imagine Benefit on October 23. She continued: “My fight against Alzheimer’s began in 1981 when I became a caregiver for my mother, actress Rita Hayworth, when she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. I knew at that moment that this would become my life’s work. Tonight, we imagine the day when we will get to live in a world without this dreadful disease. And, one day, we won’t have to imagine anymore. It is because of the work of the Alzheimer’s Association that this may soon be a reality.”

As in the past, proceeds from the Imagine Benefit will bolster the Alzheimer’s Association’s mission to accelerate global research, promote risk reduction and early detection, and enhance the quality of care and support for those affected. The funds will also support the Association’s New York City Chapter and contribute to programs and services in communities nationwide, ensuring a far-reaching impact in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and all other dementia. Nearly 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s, and more than 11 million people are serving as unpaid caregivers. In New York alone, more than 410,000 are living with the disease and over 546,000 provide unpaid care to someone affected by the disease.

TWEETS

Tweets by Alzheimer’s Association, October 23, 2024

In a Tweet on X (formerly Twitter) the Alzheimer’s Association said:

“Forty years ago, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan founded the Rita Hayworth Gala in New York, known today as the Imagine Benefit, built on the legacy of the Rita Hayworth Gala. Since its inception, the New York and Chicago galas have raised more than $86 million for the fight to #ENDALZ. Thank you, Yasmin, for your unwavering dedication to this cause in honor of your mother Rita Hayworth. #ImagineTogether

Forty years ago, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan founded the Rita Hayworth Gala in New York, known today as the Imagine Benefit, built on the legacy of the Rita Hayworth Gala.

Since its inception, the New York and Chicago galas have raised more than $86 million for the fight to… pic.twitter.com/g1XSRceA8A

— Alzheimer's Association (@alzassociation) October 23, 2024

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Our president and CEO @joannepikedrph joins Imagine Benefit founder Princess Yasmin Aga Khan and event chairs on the purple carpet. We look forward to a night of music, dancing and storytelling to advance the fight to #ENDALZ. #ImagineTogether pic.twitter.com/GGe8IHTk4X

— Alzheimer's Association (@alzassociation) October 23, 2024

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Tweet by Alzheimer’s Association, October 22, 2024

In the 1980s, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, daughter of late Hollywood icon Rita Hayworth, did an interview with Barbara Walters about her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis. "Shortly after, I was contacted by a miracle man, Jerome Stone. He asked if I wanted to help start an event in… pic.twitter.com/CWFAde1YvG

— Alzheimer's Association (@alzassociation) October 22, 2024

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(2) September 18, 2024: Carolina Hererra Flagship Store Event

As a prelude to the Imagine Gala, on September 18, 2024, Princess Yasmin hosted 100 guests at the Carolina Hererra Flagship Store on Madison Avenue, New York. The evening raised support and awareness of the work of the Alzheimer’s Association and several million Americans who are afflicted with the disease.

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(3) May 11, 2024: Rita Hayworth Gala, Chicago

A few months earlier, on May 11, 2024, more than 350 guests gathered at Chicago’s Old Post Office and raised US $900,000 for the Chicago Rita Hayworth Gala to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association’s care, support, and research programs. This significant number of attendees is a testament to the widespread support for the Association’s mission. Princess Yasmin hosted the gala alongside chairs Lori and Craig Stern, longtime champions of the Association’s mission.

Tweet: Rita Hayworth Gala, Chicago

This year's Chicago #RitaHayworthGala raised nearly $900,000 to benefit the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association. The event was hosted by Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, daughter of legendary Rita Hayworth, alongside chairs Lori and Craig Stern.

During… pic.twitter.com/V9C4PiyFVK

— Alzheimer's Association (@alzassociation) May 22, 2024

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2023

Tweets

Special thank you to Princess Yasmin Aga Khan who founded the event in honor of her mother, silver screen icon Rita Hayworth—one of the first celebrities to publicly share her diagnosis. pic.twitter.com/Pgy5O7bfvI

— Alzheimer's Association (@alzassociation) October 27, 2023

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2022

“Princess Yasmin Aga Khan decided at the age of twenty to make the fight against Alzeihmer’s disease her life’s work, marked by the dementia that gradually took her mother, the famous actress Rita Hayworth, in the 1980s. She helped found Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) in 1984 and, later, Alzheimer France. Under the leadership of Princess Aga Khan, ADI advocated for the development of national plans and supported the efforts of the European Commission. The princess also contributed to the unanimous adoption of the global action plan on dementia in May 2017 at the World Health Organization (WHO)” — Knight of the Legion of Honor

In October 2022, the French Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Philippe Etienne, and the Consul General of France in New York, Mr. Jérémie Robert, made four Americans Knights of the Legion of Honor. Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, younger sister of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and Prince Amyn Mohamed was among the four that were knighted along with scientist Olivia Flatto, writer Adam Gopnik, and art historian Professor Roberta Bernstein (please read article at the Consulat général de France à New York website in English HERE and in French HERE).

Tweets

Congratulations to Imagine Benefit & #RitaHayworthGala Founder Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, on receiving the Legion of Honor from @Ph_Etienne for her dedication to raising awareness and support for Alzheimer's in the French and international community. #ImagineTogether #ENDALZ pic.twitter.com/umZt4Kl7gi

— Alzheimer's Association (@alzassociation) October 28, 2022

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2021

Alzheimer’s, a disease that was first discovered in 1906, still has no cure after 115 years. Mawlana Hazar Imam’s and Prince Amyn Mohamed’s younger sister, Princess Yasmin, has been at the forefront of raising public awareness about the disease, which contributed to the death of Princess Yasmin’s beloved mother, Ms. Rita Hayworth, on May 14, 1987 at the age of 68. However, Ms. Hayworth’s onset of the disease had begun much earlier, and it took more than ten years before Princess Yasmin found the doctor who diagnosed her mother with Alzheimer’s.

On Tuesday, December 28, 2021, Princess Yasmin’s 72nd birthday, we unveiled an exclusive photograph of the Princess with the Late American President Ronald Reagan. This rare and special moment was graciously shared by Princess Yasmin with Barakah through Mr. Sadruddin Noorani, a long-time supporter of Princess Yasmin’s mission and a member of the Rita Hayworth Gala Steering Committee.

We are also pleased to include a lovely portrait photo of the Princess taken by Bernard Gotfryd in New York 1984. We had published the portrait in an earlier piece as part of a collection of photographs of Mawlana Hazar Imam, Begum Salimah and Princess Yasmin that appear on the website of the US Library of Congress (please click HERE to see Bernard Gotfryd’s photographs in Barakah).

2021 Tweets

In recognition of Imagine Benefit Founder Princess Yasmin Aga Khan who celebrated her birthday this week, we look back to our 2021 gala which raised more than $600K to fight Alzheimer's. Thank you, Yasmin, for your dedication to #ENDALZ in honor of your mother Rita Hayworth. #TBT pic.twitter.com/csMY64QL2C

— Alzheimer's Association (@alzassociation) December 30, 2021

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Happy International Women's Day

To my Mom, you are a Warrior. The strongest person I know. Keep fighting. I will always be right by your side ❤🙏

To Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Thank you for your guidance. Your hard work & philanthropy will help #endalz ❤🙏#IWD2021 pic.twitter.com/fYQmtVw5yY

— Al Dhalla (@SPRAGNT) March 8, 2021

We invite our readers to read the following pieces on Princess Yasmin published in Barakah and its sister website Simerg:

• Barakah: Yasmin Aga Khan: A Princess With a Mission
• Barakah: Imagine a World Without Alzheimer’s
• Simerg: Princess Yasmin Aga Khan’s Relentless Fight Against Alzheimer’s: “This is Our Moment”
• Simerg: Princess Yasmin Aga Khan and her determination for a world without Alzheimer’s

Date posted: December 27, 2021.
Last updated: December 27, 2024.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS AND SISTER WEBSITES

Before departing this website, we encourage you to visit Barakah’s Table of Contents for links to more than 325 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. To stay connected and be part of the Barakah community, please follow Malik @Facebook and @X (formerly known as Twitter).