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Winners of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture have been presented with their prizes at a ceremony at the Alhambra Palace, in Grenada, Spain. The event was covered by the Nation correspondant, the ceremony took place in the presence of the King and Queen of Spain and the Aga Khan and the Begum Aga Khan. According to the Press Release, addressing culture ministers, diplomats, architects, planners and civic dignitaries in the Generalife gardens in the presence of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain, the Aga Khan spoke during the ceremony held Friday, October 9 to announce the winners of the Seventh Cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. In his speech, The Aga Khan said: 'The search started by the Aga Khan Award for Architecture twenty years ago will continue. It will remain committed to learning and sharing what is learned. Although its focus is Islamic societies, its quest is to develop knowledge and understanding that is outward looking and universal in nature'. Herbert Muschamp of the New York Times says 'The Aga Khan is also the most important figure in the world of architecture today.' - 'The Aga Khan Awards for architecture prove that not only fashionable work by media-savvy designers is worthy of serious accolades. The most striking project among the recent winners is a hospital for lepers that the patients built themselves' writes Trevor Boody in the Globe and Mail. As usual, Point de Vue gave the best photos with the article on its October 14th issue. (see also below in the photo section). The French magazine Oh La! dated 15 october gave 4 pages of exceptionnal photos of the event. A vivid description of the whole event was given in British 'Independant'. India has bagged three of the seven Aga Khan Awards for Architecture for 1998 according to The Times of India News Service

Photo in attachment: Spanish King Juan Carlos (L) walks next to Prince Karim Aga Kahn as they arrive at Granada's moorish palace of Alhambra to attend "The legacy of Al-Andalus" foundation ceremony October 9. The foundation is being established as a legal framework to organise the different initatives designed to publicize and preserve the cultural and artistic heritage of Al-Andalus.