Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

Mr. Chairman,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

Madam Prime Minister,
Your Excellencies,
Your Worship the Mayor,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a very great pleasure for us to welcome you, Madam Prime Minister, and so distinguished a gathering for a ceremony which is a most significant one for the Ismaili community: significant because this is the first cultural and religious centre in the Western world to have been built specifically for the community's requirements.

I would like to begin by expressing the Award’s gratitude to His Majesty the King and the Government of Morocco for having welcomed the Award to have its third Prize giving Ceremony here in Marrakech. I would also like to thank most warmly the Cabinet Ministers of the various countries who have done the Award and the profession and the winning projects. The honour of having come from their countries to participate in these ceremonies and to testify thereby their interest in the work that is being done within their own countries to develop a better environment for the people who live there.

NEW YORK — He is a moderate Muslim religious leader and a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. He is also a twice-married jet-setter, and he owns hundreds of racehorses, valuable stud farms, an exclusive yacht club on Sardinia and a lavish estate near Paris.

He has poured money into poorer, neglected parts of the world, often into businesses as basic as making fishnets, plastic bags and matches, while also teaming up with private equity powerhouses like the Blackstone Group on a $750 million hydroelectric system in Uganda.

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education and Sports to support core areas of the ministry.

The MoU, signed on Friday at the ministry offices in Kampala, will allow AKDN to offer support in early childhood development, teacher training and development, school management, information and communication technology, curriculum and broader policy engagement.

(During the visit to the Philippines, the Speaker of the Senate, Mr. Protempore Salipada Pendatun held a banquet in honour of His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan on 23rd November 1963. While proposing a toast to the guest of honour, he praised His Royal Highness’ educational efforts all over the world.

Following is the reply made by Prince Aga Khan)

(On his way to the Philippines, His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan stopped at Karachi on 21st November 1963.

On 22nd September 1962 at Calcutta (India) an address of welcome was presented to Mowlana Hazar Imam Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan by Shri Keshab Chandra Basu, the speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

All Nations Club of Calcutta (India) gave a Dinner in Honour of His Royal Highness Prince Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan on 22nd of September 1962.

His Excellency Shri Shanker Das Banarji, the Finance Minister of West Bengal (India) welcoming His Royal Highness, paid glowing tributes and said, “Your position, therefore, is that of a world citizen, who can make a large contribution towards creating goodwill among men, understanding and co-operation among nations.

His Royal Highness in his reply said, :

“Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Your Excellency, members of Kamar Education Trust:

Let me begin by saying how very happy I am to be amongst you today and how honoured I am that you should have invited me to lay the Foundation Stone of this Hostel. The kind words which you have spoken about my late Grandfather have touched me deeply as he was not only a great Muslim but the revered head of my family for over three quarters of a century.

(On 9th September 1962 His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan laid the foundation of a school enormous in size and most modern in concept, being constructed at the grounds of Aga Khan Gymkhana, Karachi, under the aegis of HRH. Prince Aga Khan’s Central Education Board for Pakistan. The project when completed would cost about Rs. 63 lacs, a major portion of which will be donated by His Royal Highness.)

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentelmen,

(The Ismailia Youth Services Karachi have initiated many projects for the advancement of the community. In Karachi one of these has been the Muhammedi Girls’Academy. Recently a magnificent building has been constructed in the lush green surroundings at Malir on the Karachi-Hyderabad highway.

Never in the history of Mankind has the speed of change been so great. Until some years ago, only the philosophers and astronomers had thought of the other worlds. All our children will have to think of them, for our boys and girls will certainly have the occasion to visit them.

This extraordinary widening of the horizons of mankind is something for which we must prepare our children and if the aim of education is to equip our young generations with the weapons with which to meet the future, then surely your institute is doing the most noble service.

(The Pakistan Society, London held its annual dinner in May 1962 and requested His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan to be the chief guest. The president of the society, Lt. Gen. Muhammed Yousif, Pakistan’s High Commissioner in U.K, welcoming His Royal Highness eulogized the efforts of the Aga Khans in the establishment of Pakistan and paid tributes to their work for the well-being of the world of Islam.

On this most joyous and unique occasion of Kenya’s Independence, I am happy and honoured to join the multitude of well-wishers from all over the world to extend to Mr. Kenyatta and his Government my warm and sincere congratulations.

Your Worship, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am most happy indeed that it has been possible for me to make this brief visit to Nairobi on my way back from the Independence celebrations in Tanganyika and to be able to open this fine new Secondary School.

MOMBASA, KENYA
MAY 11, 1961

On May 11, 1961, in his first public engagement in Mombasa, His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan opened a new £25,000 nursery school.
…

• 29 October 1960
• Interview to Radio Pakistan
• Source : Speeches book II – pg 47 – 50

(In September / October 1960 His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan toured whole of Pakistan for about 40 days. At the conclusion of this tour, he gave an interview to the Radio Pakistan’s representative and explained how it is possible to live a modern life and at the same time a religious life.

His message to the world’s largest Muslim State, Pakistan was “Islam and Work”)

Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic,
31 October 2002
Your Excellency, Prime Minister Tanaev
Your Excellency, Ambassador Gautschi
Excellencies
Distinguished Participants
Ladies and Gentlemen

{On October 9 1960 His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan opened a colloquium on the “Present day Students’ Problems” sponsored by the Punjab University Students’ Union at Lahore in Pakistan. On that occasion he announced award of 5 post-graduate scholarships for one year study in Europe or the Middle East. Opening the colloquium His Royal Highness said: