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This week we travel to outskirts of Hyderabad to interview His Highness The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Ismaili Community and Founder and Chairman of The Aga Khan Development Network. He speaks about how he bridges the east and the west and brings different communities together. He says that the modern world suffers from ignorance rather than civilization. He also speaks about how his academy is devoid of caste, religion and sect. And about how his life changed after the World Trade Centre plane crash in 2001.

Multi-billionaire son of a notorious playboy, His Highness Prince Karim, the fourth Aga Khan, enjoys his jets, yachts, and Thoroughbreds. But since the age of 20, he has also been the spiritual leader of 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims, building a hugely effective global development network. In Chantilly, home to France’s most prestigious horse race, James Reginato explores how the press-shy, Harvard-educated prince, at 76, fuses two worlds.

H.H The Aga Khan Interview on CNN: Building boom in the Middle East

Doha is a city that welcomes a slower pace – despite its breakneck pace of development – and it is where I sat down with the Aga Khan, the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismaili followers, for an exclusive interview. The window of time was limited – 10 minutes to be precise – but precious in its outcome.

‘I’d like to see Canada more vigorous,’ he says in a Globe interview covering everything from Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan to the importance of pluralist societies

The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims and renowned philanthropist, spoke to The Globe and Mail Friday in a conversation that ranged from the prospects for Afghanistan to his profound admiration of Canadian pluralism.

Jean-Jacques Lafaye - Votre Altesse, en tant que chef spirituel des communautés ismaéliennes du monde entier, vous exercez une influence indiscutable sur la scène internationale. Pourtant, vous ne souhaitez pas être considéré comme un acteur politique...

Karim Aga Khan - ...ou comme un politicien. De mon point de vue, même si la foi et les États doivent entretenir des rapports de collaboration et d'estime, le religieux et le politique sont deux choses bien distinctes.

Interview with His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV

THE POWER OF WISDOM
(translated from french)
Interview by Jean-Jacques Lafaye

Prince Karim Aga Khan IV
Spiritual leader of the Ismailis since 1957

Jean-Jacques Lafaye
Author and journalist. Founder of the association « Éthique et politique » (1988) Publications include: Saint-Just, l’ombre des chimères, Rocher, 2007; David Shahar, le sacre de l’écriture, Michalon, 2007; Dialogue pour un monde meilleur, Alban, 2008.

La princesse voulait devenir chanteuse quand elle a dû tout abandonner pour s’occuper de Rita Hayworth atteinte de la maladie d’Alzheimer

Interview Caroline Pigozzi - Paris Match

When the Aga Khan stepped onto the University of Alberta campus Tuesday to speak to graduates, he brought a message of ethics, citizenship and respect for diversity.

Addressing a "knowledge deficit" in these areas is essential for pushing global development in the right direction, he told graduates, noting his Aga Khan Development Network has made such virtues a key part of its educational mission.

In an interview with The Journal's Keith Gerein, he expanded upon his remarks, sharing his views on the way forward both for political leaders and ordinary citizens.

Q and A with the Aga Khan
The global spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims holds forth on the state of the world

Published: Friday, November 28, 2008

Following is a transcript of a conversation between His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims, and founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), and Don Cayo of The Vancouver Sun. The interview took place Nov. 23 in Toronto.

Emphasizing that Investment in Culture is Principle in Development,
Prince Karim Aga Khan, in an Exclusive Interview with ‘Al Watan’: My Visit to Syria is Very Special to Me

By Waddah Abed Rabo

Prince Karim Aga Khan, the Imam of the Ismaili Muslim, has accentuated the

Comments by His Highness The Aga Khan at the Press Conference held at the Office of the Prime Minister of Syria, His Excellency Mr.Mohammed Naji Otri after the signing of various Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding between the Institutions of the Imamat and Agencies of Syria

Damascus, Syria

August 25th, 2008

Mr. Prime Minister,

I would like to begin these comments this morning by thanking you and your Government for the very warm welcome that you have accorded to me on this Golden Jubilee visit to Syria.

The Western world should accept that Islam does not separate the world from
faith.

He considers himself a spiritual leader as opposed to a powerful
businessman. He is interested in fighting poverty by promoting
self-sufficiency to people and culture. He believes that calling upon faith
in conflict situations affects all religions. The Aga Khan, spiritual leader
of the Ismaili Muslims, 71 years of age, rarely gives interviews. During his
passage through Lisbon, some days ago, he spoke to P2.

*By António Marujo and Faranaz Keshavjee*

Sameera Gokal: Could you please start off by telling us your name and what cause you
support?

Princess Salimah: My name is Salimah Aga Khan, and I was asked to be the first
International Ambassador for SOS Children’s Villages. I had already been devoted to SOS
Children’s Villages since 1995.

Sameera Gokal: What exactly is your role as an ambassador for SOS?

Princess Salimah: It is … to do as I’m told (laughing). My role is to be a bridge between SOS
and local authorities, and also to go see the villages and mothers. I think it’s a role which I need

SPIEGEL: Your Highness, in a lecture Pope Benedict XVI quoted Emperor Manuel as saying: "Show me just what Muhammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as a command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." This quotation from the 14th century has caused great uproar in the Muslim world. Why? And what was your reaction?

https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2006/09/20060925_me_17.mp3?...

The Aga Khan is a Muslim leader of global stature who rarely appears on the airwaves. He usually prefers to keep his distance from the media — not least because the press has generally proved more interested in his race horses and immense wealth than his humanitarian work.

RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

A la fois chef spirituel, mécène, homme d'affaires et philanthrope, le 49e imam héréditaire des chiites ismaéliens consacre son temps et sa fortune à l'amélioration des conditions de vie des populations défavorisées. Le réseau d'institutions caritatives qu'il dirige agit en Asie et sur tout le continent.

Interview.

Q: You have come to Mali several times. What is your aim this time?AK: As you know I am coming from Burkina and this trip is a trip so see our activities in West Africa, to assess the situation at a time when Africa is in the process of taking very very important global dimensions, so I have come to look and listen.

Q: You are investing a lot in the industries in Mali, are you satisfied of the operations here in Mali?

The French interview of The Aga Khan, as well as comments of the speaker have been transcribed and translated in English by the Heritage Staff for the members of www.ismaili.net. - English translation is on http://www.ismaili.net/heritage/node/26079

CBC: Your words are that the most preoccupying global threat is the failure of democracy. What do you mean?